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On Friday, students will work on their project together.  This grouping will be heterogenous and it will consist of the groups I based on homework completion.  I tried to group students who did well on their homework with students who had difficulty or did not complete their homework.  By doing this, I am hoping that the students that did complete their homework and did a good job can serve as an example to those that did not in meeting deadlines and working outside of classroom hours.  In this instance, the stronger and more responsible students will act as leaders and mentors for the whole group.

a. Classroom activities:

Just as in reciprocal teaching, each member of the group will have a role.  Depending on the role will determine what each person does during the class.

Groups will meet and work together and the primary role of the teacher will be to walk around and monitor groups, offer assistance, and have conferences with each group at least once or twice a month.

b. Online activities:

Just as in a classroom, each student will have a role, but will work online. They will be assigned to break out rooms so that they can communicate with one another more efficiently.

Groups will meet and work together and the primary role of the teacher will be to offer assistance, have conferences with each group at least once or twice a month, check-in with each student to see how they are doing on the project individually as well as how the group is working together outside of the classroom.

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Grammar & Writing- Homogenous Groups & Activities

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Grammar & Writing- Homogenous Groups & Activities

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On Wednesday, students learn about different points of grammar.  Grammar is, in my opinion, often a complicated and dry subject. Therefore, I think this activity would work best with homogenous groupings.  I can differentiate my teaching to reach the level of all students, not just the highest, lowest, or ones in the middle.  I can create challenging activities for higher level students while focusing my efforts on the lower and middle level students that need remediation.

a. Classroom activities:

Lower Level Groups: worksheets with simple tense verbs (past, present, future) with both 1st and 3rd person (lots of review will be beneficial since there tend to be a lot of speaking and writing errors with this tense for these students), definite and indefinite articles worksheets, worksheets using conjunctions (esp- and, but, or),  sentence diagramming parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) worksheets

Middle Level Groups: worksheets with continuous tense verbs (past, present, future) and perfect tense (past, present, future), worksheets for modal verbs, worksheet for prepositions, sentence diagramming.  Students at this level are able to create sentences, but often make mistakes with the simple tense hence the sentence diagramming.

Upper Level Groups: worksheets with perfect tense (past, present, future) and present perfect tense (past, present, future), worksheets with sequencing, worksheets with modals, some practice with the passive voice.

Higher Level Groups: present perfect (past, present, future) worksheets, worksheets using the passive voice with all tenses, conditional and subjunctive worksheets, worksheets with transitional words and phrases.

b. Online activities:

Same classroom activities, but adapted for online use (ex: google docs) and done in breakout rooms.

Lower/Middle Level Groups: greater focus on sentence diagramming using this website (http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/diagrams2/one_pager1.htm)

On Thursday, students have a writing class.  Just as with grammar, writing can also be quite difficult and the levels of ability vary significantly amongst pupils in the classroom.  Therefore, I think this activity would work best with homogenous groupings.  I can differentiate my teaching to reach the level of all students, not just the highest, lowest, or ones in the middle.  I can create challenging activities for higher level students while focusing my efforts on the lower and middle level students that can complete simple writing activities.

a. Classroom activities:

Lower Level Groups: creating sentences using simple tense verbs (past, present, future) with both 1st and 3rd person, definite and indefinite articles, and conjunctions

Middle Level Groups: working together to write short stories with a bit of a narrative (1-2 paragraphs) and with lots of peer correction and feedback.

Upper Level Groups: working together to write longer stories (3-4 paragraphs) that have a focused narrative and with lots of peer correction and feedback.

Higher Level Groups: using RAFT to write stories

b. Online activities:

Same classroom activities, but adapted for online use. For example, in their groups, students can talk and one person can type or write.  When class is finished, this work can be shared to the group. Then for homework, each student can finish what the group worked on .

Lower Level Groups: creating sentences using simple tense verbs (past, present, future) with both 1st and 3rd person, definite and indefinite articles, and conjunctions

Middle Level Groups: working together to write short stories with a bit of a narrative (1-2 paragraphs) and with lots of peer correction and feedback.

Upper Level Groups: working together to write longer stories (3-4 paragraphs) that have a focused narrative and with lots of peer correction and feedback.

Higher Level Groups: using RAFT to write stories

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On Tuesday, students have a reading activity with a focus on the four types of skills: skimming, scanning, intensive reading, extensive reading.  For this class, I will use a flexible grouping, depending on the activities chosen, of either homogenous or heterogenous.

For activities that require skimming or scanning, I will use heterogeneous groups such as the heterogeneous quiz group, the heterogeneous mixed genders groups, or heterogenous same gender groups.

a. Classroom activities:

Read a text (ex: in student book)- skim for main idea (gist), scan for details, etc.

Anticipation Guide (this activity can be differentiated for different levels (ex: special needs/low levels- look at book cover, etc.)

Choral Reading (this is good for lower level students that might find heterogenous group work to be overwhelming and/or might be too shy/ashamed to say anything).

Concept Maps

Concept Sorts (can be differentiated for groups, esp. when working homogeneously)

Direct Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) (good for gifted/high level students since it encourages deeper thinking)

Inferences (this is good for gifted/high level students who might find heterogenous group work to be boring or frustrating)

Inquiry Charts

Paragraph Shrinking

Question the Author (this is good for higher level/gifted students who might find heterogenous group work to be boring or frustrating)

Question-Answer Relationship

Reading Guides (can be differentiated during homogenous groupings (harder questions for gifted/high level students); during heterogeneous groupings, series of questions with varying difficulty can be used)

Reciprocal Teaching (very student centered, empowers gifted students to help those that are less skilled than themselves).

Story Maps (this is good for lower level students that might find heterogenous group work to be overwhelming and/or might be too shy/ashamed to say anything).

Think-Pair-Share

b. Online activities:

Apps: Novel Effect, Digital Literacy Choice Boards (used after reading a text), polling/survey apps to check for comprehension, Newslea, Commonlit, ReadWorks, Tween Tribune, etc.

Breakout rooms: Anticipation Guide, Concept Maps, Concept Sorts, Inquiry Charts, Reading Guides, Story Maps, Think-Pair-Share

For activities that require intensive or extensive reading, I will use homogeneous groupings based on overall score (mixed and/or non-gender) or large groups.

a. Classroom activities:

Read a text (ex: in student book)- intensive (answer discussion questions at the end of the text) or extensive (read an assigned novel or one the students chose)

Anticipation Guide

Audio-Assisted Reading (good for special needs/low level)

Choral Reading (good for special needs/low level)

Concept Maps

Concept Sorts

Direct Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) (gifted/high level)

First Lines  (gifted/high level students)

Guided reading (good for special needs/low level)

Inferences (this is good for gifted/high level)

Inquiry Charts (this is good for gifted/high level)

Paragraph Shrinking (this is good for gifted/high level)

Question the Author

Question-Answer Relationship

Reading Guides (good to use for differentiation, can make it easy (skim/scan) or difficult (intensive) based on level of group)

Reciprocal Teaching

Story Maps

Story Sequence (for special needs/low level- use pictures; for middle groups- text)

Think Alouds (this is good for higher level/gifted student)

Think-Pair-Share

b. Online activities:

Apps: Novel Effect, Digital Literacy Choice Boards (used after reading a text), polling/survey apps to check for comprehension,

Newslea, Commonlit, ReadWorks, Tween Tribune, etc. can be adapted and differentiated  for the reading levels of students.

Breakout rooms: Anticipation Guide, Concept Maps, Concept Sorts, Inquiry Charts, Reading Guides, Story Maps, Think-Pair-Share

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Vocabulary- Flexible Groups & Activities

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Vocabulary- Flexible Groups & Activities

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On Monday, students take a quiz on vocabulary about the words that they learned the week before.  The quiz consists of translating five words, answering five multiple-choice questions, and writing sentences for five words.  After the students finish the quiz, they learn a new set of words.  For this class, I will use a flexible grouping, depending on the activities chosen, of either homogenous or heterogenous.

For activities that do not require a lot of analysis or creativity, I will use heterogeneous groups such as the heterogeneous quiz group, the heterogeneous mixed genders groups, or heterogenous same gender groups.

a. Classroom Activities:

Vocabulary Games: hot seat, pictionary, spelling race, charades, categories, bingo (good for special needs/low level student-just recognize a word), matching (higher level/gifted- match English word to Chinese meaning; for special needs/low level students- matching word to picture, words to words, etc.), etc.

Worksheets:  gap-fills, multiple-choice, matching, translation (special needs/low level students can use devices to help; gifted/high level students- no devices allowed or else they have a time limit to complete it), etc.

Apps: Duolingo, Quizlet, Kahoot,  etc.

Word searches (good for lower level &/or special needs students)

Crossword puzzles (good for higher level &/or gifted students- more challenging)

b. Online-Activities:

Apps: Duolingo, Quizlet Live, Kahoot,  Gimkit, etc.

Worksheets (breakout rooms):  gap-fills, multiple-choice, matching, translation, etc.

Word searches (breakout rooms)

Crossword puzzles (breakout rooms)

For activities that do require a lot of analysis or creativity, I will use homogeneous groupings based on overall score (mixed and/or non-gender) or large groups.

a. Classroom Activities:

Crossword puzzles: these are good for higher level &/or gifted students since they are more challenging.  However, the crossword puzzles clues can be differentiated (ex: synonyms for lower groups, sentence completion for high level groups) for the different homogenous groupings

Word searches: these are good for lower level &/or special needs students.  For higher students, the vocabulary words will not be on the puzzle.  The students will have to use their memory and ability to spell to find the words.

Sentence Writing: for lower/middle level groups, writing simple sentences that show the meaning.  For upper/high level groups, writing sentences that show the meaning as well as utilizing the grammar structures that they learned the week prior.

Short Story (large groups): Students need to use vocabulary words to create a short story (one paragraph).  For middle/lower level students, the words need to be used correctly and the narrative must be coherent.  For upper/high levels, students need to create a short story (three-four paragraphs).  The words have to be used correctly and the story needs to utilize grammar structures and elements of writing that they have previously learned.

RAFT (large groups)- instead of having upper/high level groups write short stories, they could write using RAFT instead.

Graphic Organizers: students can write the definition, synonyms/antonyms, draw a picture, and use it in a sentence.  Middle/lower level groups can use dictionaries or technology to help them.

b. Online-Activities:

Apps: Duolingo, Quizlet Live, Kahoot, Padlet, etc.

Crossword puzzles (breakout rooms): these are good for higher level &/or gifted students since they are more challenging.  However, the crossword puzzles clues can be differentiated (ex: synonyms for lower groups, sentence completion for high level groups) for the different homogenous groupings

Short Story (large groups/breakout rooms): Students need to use vocabulary words to create a short story (one paragraph).  For middle/lower level students, the words need to be used correctly and the narrative must be coherent.  For upper/high levels, students need to create a short story (three-four paragraphs).  The words have to be used correctly and the story needs to utilize grammar structures and elements of writing that they have previously learned.

RAFT (large groups/breakout rooms)- instead of having upper/high level groups write short stories, they could write using RAFT instead.

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For some classes, such as vocabulary or reading, flexible grouping works quite well.  Groups can be homogenous or heterogenous depending on the activity or skills needed for that day of learning.

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Heterogeneous groupings are students that are different in ability.  To make heterogeneous groupings, in this link, I sorted students by overall score (the average), by how they did on their quiz, and by how they did on their homework.  When grouping by overall score and quiz results, I tried to keep the students relatively close together (ex: no greater than a 40 to 50 point difference). For homework, I tried to group students who did well on their homework with students who had difficulty or did not complete their homework.  By doing this, I am hoping that the students that did well on their homework can help the students that had difficulty or did not do their homework.

Usually, I would also group the students by interest (ex: sports, art) or let the students choose who they might want to work with as well.  However, since these students are a sample group, not ones I actually work with, I have decided to use the above mentioned criteria (quiz score, homework score, etc.).

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Homogenous groupings are students that are similar in ability.  To make the homogenous groupings, in this link, I sorted students by their overall score (the average).  Even though her overall score is low, I put Isabella in a higher group because she does not do her homework and this might be why she is doing so poorly in class (her project score is an 80, indicating she does have ability).

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Collaboration is a must in the classroom today.  Learning to work together, a critical 21st century skill, and differentiation demand this, which is why it is important to use data to effectively group students.  Here is the data set of a sample 7th grade classroom from the first semester that I will use to group the students into homogenous and heterogenous groups for the second semester.

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Prior to making the groups, I thought about the type of schedule that my sample students might have.  I based this on the school that I worked at last year and that I am returning to in February.  This would be a sample English as a Second Language (ESL) schedule for every student in 7th grade along with the grouping type.