Grouping in the Multiage Classroom

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Grouping in the Multiage Classroom

• Flexible grouping allows the teacher to instruct
  children on the basis of interests and learning
  needs. When children are grouped according to
  interests, not ability, the opportunities to
  learn from each other are maximized.
• Possible groupings are
• Whole class
• Large groups
• Small groups
• Triads
• Pairs
• Individually

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Grouping in the Multiage Classroom

• Problem solving- students are grouped in order to
  solve a problem or topic, possibly based on
  individual interests.
• Instructional needs- small groups are formed for
  instruction on a concept or skill.
• Reinforcement- temporary groups are formed for
  students who need additional practice or
  re-teaching.

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Grouping in the Multiage Classroom

• Interest- Students are working on a common
  self-selected activity or project.
• Multiple intelligences- Students are grouped
  according to an identified intelligence strength
  or area of need growth.
• Peer tutoring- this group is designed so children
  can learn by giving or receiving help.

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Instructional delivery and grouping

• Instructional grouping practices are important
  for and effective multiage classroom. In order to
  conserve valuable teaching time, the teacher can
  emphasize the similarities of a broad theme, and
  teach a general concept in whole group
  instruction to different ages and abilities.
• Open-ended tasks can be planned and introduced
  then each student or group of students can work
  on the task appropriate to their specific level.

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Instructional delivery and grouping

• If necessary, children can be grouped in flexible
  groups throughout the day to work on similar
  skills or goals.
• The difference in the whole group instruction in
  a multiage class versus a developmentally
  appropriate traditional class is that only
  content that all students can use is taught to
  the whole group. If it is instruction that is
  skills related or that only certain children can
  use, it is taught in small flexible temporary
  groups.

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Possible small group strategies include

• Discovery learning- Students or groups of
  students discover relationships, concepts and
  principles for themselves through activities or
  projects. This allows students to construct their
  own knowledge therefore the learning is more
  meaningful. The teachers role is to plan an
  activity, which the children examine,
  purposefully chosen materials and through this
  examination, they discover relationships or
  generalizations.

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Possible small group strategies include

• Cooperative learning- Children in multiage
  classrooms benefit from cooperative learning
  groups because they learn from each other. Older
  children scaffold younger children in order to
  help them accomplish activities beyond their
  current abilities. Multiage groups also view
  things from different perspectives. When a
  student justifies his/her perspective the results
  are growth for both children.

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Possible small group strategies include

• Questioning- Questioning is a strategy used by
  the teacher in to facilitate learning and
  continue self-directed learning. To types of
  questioning strategies can be used. Convergent
  questioning which requires a correct answer and
  divergent questioning which can be answered in
  many ways.