Catering Diverse Learners through Multigrade Teaching

If your school is one of two schools
in the district of Marilog, Davao City,
you are assigned to teach six to nine
years old. The other school has a
class for children in grades IV to VI.
The nearest school with a complete
elementary school is located three
barangays away from where you are.
If the situation is similar to that of
your school, then yours could be
one of the estimated thousands of
public elementary schools in the
Philippines which are incomplete
elementary schools.

Incomplete elementary schools can provide multigrade classes to respond to the needs of Filipino children
who have the right to quality education at all levels. Then
secretary of Education culture and Sports, Armand
Fabella, in 1992, launched the multi-grade program,, to
meet this need. Much is to be desired in finding out the
quality of instruction in these multi-grade and
combination of classes and whether teachers, parents,
and other community volunteers, under the leadership of
a teacher-in-charge and the district supervisors, perform
their respective functions to protect and fulfil a very basic
right of every child: the right to education as provided for
in the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the
child. Every child has a right to education.

Through multi-grade classes and single-teacher schools,
the possibility of teaching the young ones came to existence.
These two kinds of classes are both present in developed and
developing countries around the globe. On the contrary,
developing countries often lack educational tools, effective
trained teachers and effective supervision and management.
Teachers are receiving rarely in regard with training in dealing
with a large number of diverse learners at different ages and
levels of learning.

There are certain situations
in remote areas in the
Philippines where it is not
possible or viable to open and
maintain a complete elementary
school or high school in a
particular barangay where
enrolment per grade is less,
multi-grade classroom is a viable
alternative to fulfilling this
important responsibility of the
government to give everyone
access to education –the EFA or
Education For All.

I. The Multi-grade (MG) Classroom
as Learning Environment

1. Basic information about the multi-grade
classroom in several (two or three) grade levels
with one teacher for an entire school year.
Simply put, multi-grade schools are those which
have classes that combine students of different
ages and different abilities in one classroom.
There may also be other adults who assist the
teacher to mobilize parent or community
involvement.

In the Philippines public school system, classes with
two grade levels within one classroom with one teacher
are referred to as combination classes. Those with
three grade levels are called multi-grade classes. Multigrade classes can also be multi-level classes.

This means that a multi-grade classroom
clearly involves children with different skills
and abilities, different developmental levels
and needs, learning and working together
with the guidance and supervision of one

2. Where did the idea of MG schools came from?

Multi-grade schools were
actually the first kind of
schools in North America.
The one-room school house
was the most common
model of formal educational
programs for elementary
children before the 1800‟s
until the Industrial
Revolution brought about
large scale urbanization and
other changes in the
countries of North America.

Multi-grade classes
tend to be associated with
the developing countries,
but they are also found in
other countries across the
world. Some place in which
they are found are Peru, Sri
Lanka, Norway, Vietnam,
England, France, the
Caribbean. India, the United
States, New Zealand,
Columbia and Samoa.
These classes exist for a
wide variety of reasons.

3.Rationale in organizing
multi-grade classes in both
public and private schools
when most of the
classrooms are single grade
classes.

 Two-third of the classroom in
public school system are
single-grade classrooms. MG
classes were organized as a
matter of necessity for
remote Barangays’ where the
number of children to be
enrolled could not meet the
required number to organize
a single class and assigned the
necessary teacher for each
class. Estimated number of
barangays without school is 9,
240.

In 1990, the department of Education Culture and
Sports considered the continuing operation of MG
classrooms all over the country within the
framework of the efforts to provide Education for All
Filipino children. The policy is important
considering that of the 32, 630 public schools in the
country, 11, 800 are incomplete schools.

The Department of Education viewed
MG as viable means to reaching as
many children as possible, especially
for the elementary grade levels in
order to provide primary education for
as many Filipino children as possible.
Thus, efforts to address the special
needs of MG classes and to improve
quality of instruction have begun in
the form of investments in training
programs, curriculum development,
and development of learning materials.

MG classrooms have been
organized in some private schools in
the Philippines as a matter of choice
because of the advantages of interaged grouping or multi-level classes.
MG classes are considered equally
effective in the industrialized
countries where they are part of the
educational system, especially in
sparsely populated areas.

 One of the most frequently-cited
reasons for the cost of
effectiveness of MG classes is the
cost-effectiveness of the scheme in
terms of being able to meet the
needs of a community‟s children, as
far as education is concerned. One
of the obvious reasons for this is
the savings in terms of staffing
patterns with only one teacher
responsible for several grade levels
in one class, compared to one
teacher for each grade level with an
erratic or small number of students
enrolled per class.

II.Crucial Elements in a Multi-grade Classroom

1.Modified Curriculum and
Instruction
2.Teacher‟s Role
3.Classroom Physical
Arrangement
4.Classroom Management
and Discipline
5.Planning a Lesson and
Evaluation
6.Community Participation

1. Modified Curriculum and Instruction
A. Subject Staggering OptionSubjects requiring more teacher
pupil interaction are grouped with
those requiring less.

B. Subject Integration Option-Subjects are
integrated through a theme. A thematic lesson for
Araling Panlipunan can be developed by
integrating concepts in Music, PE and Health,
Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao.

C. Common Time Table – A subject is presented in all
grades by the teacher in a given schedule with each
grade having prescribed work program by age-level or
ability.

Time
7:00-7:30
7:30-8:30
8:30-9:10
9:10-9:30
9:30-10:30

Grade I
GMRC
Mother Tongue
Art
Math

Grade II
GMRC
Mother Tongue
Art
RECESS
Math

Grade III
GMRC
Mother Tongue
Art
Math

D. Integrated Day Option
No fixed time table
• Integrated Day Option Pupils are free to
choose what
subject to study
and when
Children are
allowed to choose
an activity based
from the weeks
theme

E.Subject Grouping Option
Subjects using
Filipino as medium of
instruction are taught
Monday,
Wednesday, and
Friday while subjects
using English are
taught Tuesday and
Thursday.

Monday,
Wednesday, Friday

Tuesday and
Thursday

Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao

Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao

Araling Panlipunan

Araling Panlipunan

Mother Tounge

Mother Tounge

Filipino

Filipino

2. TEACHER’S ROLE
Facilitator
Manager
Observer
Instructor
Planner
Evaluator

The Teacher as:

Facilitator

No,
Comment
Ganda ko
no<3

Hi, im
Glored
Ako c
Mechelle and
bagong
dugong, sa
Dyesebel
Ahaha
sino
yang
kasama
mo

The word “facilitator” is
based on the Latin word “facilis”
which means easy. Facilitating
learning means making academic
and social learning as easy as
possible for children. Teacher
should try to remove the obstacles
or roadblock to children‟s learning
so that it will be possible for them
to learn. The teacher designs
instructional strategies that make
learning processes interesting. A
facilitative teacher should be aware
of the multiple intelligences of
learners. He/she allows and
encourages children to learn in
different ways about different
topics depending on their own
needs, interest and learning styles.

Managing a child-centered classroom which is
an effective MG classroom is more complex than a
single-grade classroom. One single movement
strategy cannot be applied throughout all activities
throughout the school year. Flexibility is the most
important ingredient for a teachers success as
manager of a learning environment.

Freedom and independent decision should be
introduced gradually. Involve the children to
develop rules for the classroom day to day.
Choose children’s work because it matters to
them.
Manager provides rich and wide variety of
activities available to teach concepts and skills
that are age-proportionate that meets children’s
needs and cater to their interest.

In an effective MG classroom
which is learner-centered, a
teacher should make the most
of every opportunity to observe
children at work, at play and
other activities. The information
gained from observation is then
essential to evaluation as well
as curriculum planning.
Furthermore teachers who are
keen and careful observers are
able to anticipate the needs of
the children and achieve a more
complete understanding of the
development of the whole child.

The role of a teacher as instructor still
involves transmitting knowledge, but the
teacher chooses means and moments
that are appropriate, demonstrating the
use of new materials, reading a story
aloud to the class, sharing important
information that is given more effectively
when done directly.

In order to fulfill the roles
of facilitator, instructor, manager
and supervisor of independent
learning and evaluator the
teacher must invest in planning
that is knowledgeable, efficient,
comprehensive and wellorchestrated. A good planner is
also flexible enough to make the
necessary changes depending
upon the feedback from
observation of the children at
work within a day or from day to
day and based on more formal
means of evaluations.

The Teacher as:

 Evaluator

A conscientious
and effective teacher
always wants to know of
the goals of the
curriculum are being
achieved and how well
learning is being
achieved. So, a plan for
evaluation is very
important. Evaluation is
necessary to find out if
and how children have
learned what they are
supposed to learn.

3.PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT OF
THE CLASSROOM

Elements that contribute to successful
MG classroom:
 Learning Centers
These are semi-private, (partially enclosed
by a low blackboard, shelf or easel) areas for
small groups to work together. These are
work situations that the children use with or
without teachers guidance or supervision
depending upon the nature of activity. For
example, a Science experiments would
require teacher supervision but mathematics
or reading game or activity card that has
been introduced earlier may not require
constant teacher guidance. One advantage
of learning centers or areas would be the fact
that they allow and encourage children to
work in a self-directed or independent way.

Learning materials are
among the most important part of
the physical environment within
which effective MG teaching can
take place. These are textbooks,
reference books, periodicals,
digest magazines, teacher-made
materials, board games, puzzles,
activity cards and toys.
Supplies and raw materials for
children‟s project, such as colored
paper, glue, Popsicle sticks, and
recyclables like plastic straws,
bottle caps, toilet paper spools,
cardboard boxes, and plastic
containers are considered
learning materials.

Furniture and
Equipment
Ideally, furniture (desks,
tables, chairs) in a multi
grade classroom should be
of the movable type so that
there can be a greater
flexibility in arranging and rearranging them and the
classroom layout will be able
to provide for the following
activities:

 A whole group period, like,
class schedule for the day,
special projects, classroom
rules, problems that must be
dealt with as a group,
introduction of new
materials and topics.
 Small group activities for
working on tasks or
activities for specific subject
areas, including discussion,
writing, reading, arts, crafts,
experiments;
 Individual or independent
work so children can read,
write, work on individual
projects;
 Indoor games,
dramatization, and role play

4. Classroom Management and
Discipline
Classroom management and
discipline are two very closely related
issues.
Classroom management is concerned
with structuring a classroom‟s life,
including all the elements in the
classroom as a learning environment
that is conducive to teaching-learning.
Discipline involves setting and defining
clear expectations about student
behavior and setting limits (e.g. rules,
guidelines, instructions) that enable
them to behave appropriately.

Classroom Management
1.Organizing physical
environment
Providing the necessary furniture,
equipment and learning materials
involve arranging these in such a
way that they are neatly arranges
to serve a purpose. The children
will only learn how to use
classroom equipment and materials
if they are shown how and given
the opportunities to use these.

Try out variety of classroom arrangement
to adjust to the emerging needs;
Arrange furniture to provide for convenient
flow of traffic.
Label areas in the classroom and container
of materials clearly so that children will
eagerly learn the functions and can return
them easily.
Involve children in classroom maintenance
by using ‘’Job Chart’’. This helps develop a
sense of responsibility and discipline in
taking care of the physical environment.

 A predictable schedule that students
feel is useful and clear to them, and
takes into consideration a peace of
working that they can handle is one
of the important ways of helping
children learn to manage themselves
in the classroom.

Discipline in the Classroom
Discipline involves doing what
is expected of you at a specific
time whether there is someone
watching over you or not.

 Adopt a problem-solving approach to
discipline issues, particularly those that
involve breaking clearly stated classroom
rules. Help children look at these instances
as problems that can be solved rather than
situations that mark them for life.
 Involve the children in figuring out how to
help other rather than putting them against
one another.
 When children break rules, it is better to
walk to them privately. Public scolding only
humiliates children and damages their selfconfidence.
 The most effective approach to discipline is
positive. Reinforce what children do
correctly. Proper behaviors result if they are
rewarded by recognition or praise.
 The ultimate goal of classroom discipline is
self-discipline.

5. Planning a Lesson Evaluation
One of the most important tasks for the MG classroom teacher is
lesson preparation.
There are three important resources available for the teacher to use in
preparing a lesson.

The K to 12 Curriculum Guide where the standards and competencies are stated.
This is an organized list of objectives. They are organized in sequence
according to the four grading periods within one school year.

Sample lesson Plans for Multi-grade Classes

Sample lesson Plans for Multi-grade Classes
HEALTH
Grade I
Grade
II
Grade
III
Human Person
Human and His Health

I

identify parts of one’s
Infer that somebody
Observe using one’s
Body
parts work together
sense organs.
When human does
Activities.

II Subject Matter/Materials
Concept: Some parts of the body
(eyes, ears, nose, tongue, hands)
Pictures of body parts
III Procedure (With teacher)
a. Present the pictures of each body
part.
b. Tell story about what each one
does
c. Sing „‟ I have Ten Little Fingers‟‟
Generalization: touch the parts of your body
that we talked about and tell the use of each
one.
Application:
Show different cut-out of
faces with some parts missing, then ask:
What parts are missing?
Practice further naming of the body
parts
IV. Evaluation
 Copy the name of the
 Write the name of each
 Body parts in picture
 body part in the picture

Evaluation of the Student Learning
Keeping track of how students
are learning every moment is part of
the teaching process. Knowledge of
results and errors made is valuable
to effective learning. Feedback is an
informal evaluation. It helps learning
because it focuses the learner‟s
attention on certain important
aspects of the learning process and
raises the interest of the child. For
this reason, a major task of the
teacher is to find out whether the
objective of the lesson had been
carried out. Evaluation is bringing
together form different sources all
forms of information on pupil
performance.

There are two kinds of Evaluation:
a. Informal Evaluation
b. Formal Evaluation
Informal Evaluations rebuilt in or
part of the learning activities, like
formative test which is given after
every lesson development.

Another example is
when a teacher read a
story. She immediately
asks questions to find
out if there was
comprehension.
Other useful activities
for informal evaluation:
Observer students while
working; children react
differently in situations.

 Engage the individual
in information reaction
with children as they
work on some tasks.
 Provide follow-up
activities that
encourage application
of skills or concepts
learned and observe
how children are able
to apply these skills.

 Let the children do some designs on varied games. This is
to find out if they had retained what they learned.
 Ask the children to write a diary about what they learned in
school.
 Inspect all works of a child to monitor whether he/she has
learned something.
 Always give assignments for children for enrichment of
lessons learned.

Formal Evaluation
This is an evaluation
which is more objective
and nit affected by bias or
subjectivity. These are test
like unit test, short quizzes,
long exams, district test,
and national tests, like the
NAT.

Things to consider while
preparing a
test:
Lesson objectives
Nature of learners
Type of test to prepare
Number of items
Level of difficulty
Key to correction

The multi-grade classroom, like any
school in any community is an important
part of life in a community. However,
there can be more to the relationship
between a multi-grade classroom and
the community. Since it is usually
located in a rural community with
relatively small population, it can more
integrated into community life and his
integration will be benefit the school, as
well. The quality of the relationship
between the school and the community
depends upon the ability of the MG
teacher and the administration of the
school system.

in the Multi-grade classroom
Two ways by which parents
can be involve: as parents of
their children and as parents
who are concerned about
supporting the MG classroom.
Both ways of involvement will
result in improvement of the
children‟s performance is
school.

Gathering parents as
a group in a parents
meeting, at least twice
or thrice a year, will
help strengthen a
sense of community
among them. Parents
will be aware of the
goals of the MG
classrooms.
They can also be
organize as Parent
Teachers‟ Association
(PTA)

Individual Parent-Teacher
Conference
Parents are often called by the
teacher if their child has a problem
in school, typically, if there child
misbehaved, but individual parentteacher conferences should be
ideally held, not only when
children
have problems in
school, but also to have an
opportunity to discuss individual
student‟s progress with their
parents.

Parents as Classroom
volunteers
Parent volunteers provide valuable
additional support in the classroom.

Appropriate activities for parent volunteers
would be:
 Reading a story to a small group of
children
 Playing a game with small group of
children in one of the learning centers,
e.g. a math game
 Assisting during fieldtrip
 Helping prepare instructional materials,
e.g., cutting or pasting, gathering
materials in the environment
 Helping children with projects, like:
gardening, woodworking
caring for animals
 arts and crafts.

Community life and school activities lead more
easily to mutual integration since multi-grade
schools are located in the communities with small
population.
The parents are involved in their children‟s
education, the more they would likely to succeed in
school.
MG schools have lesser resources, thus, the need
to involve the community as sources of information
and in providing for services and materials to
improve the school.

Like in all learning
environment, students bring a
great diversity to mono-grade
classes or multi-grade classes.
The following list reflects some
of the diversities found among
students which need to
appreciated by the teacher:
1. Age
2. Ability
3. Development level
4. Background
5. Experience
6. Motivation
7. Interest

A teacher must be able to observe the children
individually at certain times and as a group to learn more
about their involvement in the classroom activities, to gain
information about how they relate to other children, and to
gain more insights into the quality of their work and their way
of thinking.

Teachers who are keen and careful observers are
able to anticipate the needs of the children and
achieve a more complete understanding of the
development of the whole child.

For evaluation to be comprehensive
and relevant to the purposes of
improving the quality of instruction, a
combination of formal means of
evaluation is highly recommended.

Read the budget of
work and look at
how the
instructional
objectives have
been arranged in
sequence
according to the
four grading
periods.

In Collaboration with:
Mrs. Cristina Barsanas
&
Ms. Jenelyn Dijapa

Mr. Jonathan Rey A. Del Castillo
BSED-III Major in Science

WESTERN PHILIPPINES
UNIVERSITY-QUEZON
CAMPUS
delcastillojonathan547@yahoo.com

Because it is once said “true love story
doesn't have endings, its eternal….. Same
principle is applied….

Reyshanne & Red Knight JRDC

Catering Diverse Learners through Multigrade Teaching

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Catering Diverse Learners through Multigrade Teaching

Similar to Catering Diverse Learners through Multigrade Teaching (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Catering Diverse Learners through Multigrade Teaching