Authentic Multi-level Instruction
About these videos
Below you will see 9 examples from elementary classrooms where the teachers are aiming to provide multi-level instruction. What examples do you see here that are good? What questions does it raise for you?
We think you will find this interesting. The 4th grade teacher, Mishael Hittie is co-author of the book called Whole Schooling. She is leading a discussion regarding how students learn in her class being challenged at their own level - eg. multi-level instruction. “Am I expecting the same thing from everybody?” Mishael asks. In unison many students respond, “Nooooo”. “Well why is that?” the teacher asks. There is more. Watch with care. Keep watching as another teacher has a similar conversation. At students work together, note how engaged they all are.
The teacher Nancy engages her students in creating a story, one person at a time. Note how each child contribute at their own ability level and all is good. Note also the person interpreting with sign language for a deaf student in the class. Note how the teacher asks questions about the unfolding story and how smiles and laughter let you know the children are “into” the story they are creating. The children then go to tables to write and illustrate their personal story. Note that they room is organized to engage pair and group work.
This movie shows good Whole Schooling practices in a magnet school in Detroit called Arts in Academics. The teacher reads a picture book, engages students in a fun exercise, and has students line up to go out of the room. We then see students reading together in small groups. Note the ambient noise of engagement.
Here elementary children grade 4 are involved in reading together in pairs and sometimes small groups. Once again note how engaged they are. Note also how they arrange themselves in the room most on the floor, some under tables. No sitting in desks all day long for these students!!
This was a bit amazing to see. The students had choices of what to work on. And some 10 kids decided to organize a read-aloud. Different students read aloud including one student who has a cognitive disability and who is struggling. Note how the other children react to and encourage him.
Here we have students working on math by playing math games. One of the children has a cognitive disability and needs a bit of extra help.
Here you see the first grade teacher Tanya involved in a read-aloud with students in a bilingual class. Note the hand waving celebration for a student in her lap. The teacher describes how students are working on a variety of projects of their own choice. Observe what we have learned to call “learning noise”, students really involved in their learning activities. The teacher describes her role in the class. This is a class obviously set up for students to perform at their own ability level but with support from the teacher or other students as needed.
Watch as the read-aloud progresses. Is Gina disrupting other students or actually helping them to focus as they seek to help her. What do you think about what you see?
This movie shows photographs of Sydney, a student with a cognitive disability, working on what she called “My Moose Project”. Students were asked to discover different types of information about their animal of choice. In the photos you see her interactions with other students as all work on their projects.