This document discusses strategies for using small group work in a multigrade classroom. It notes that small groups allow students to clarify their thinking with peers, learn from each other, and work at their own pace. Students can be grouped by ability, need, or interest. The teacher takes on different roles with groups - directly teaching one group, guiding another, or letting a third work independently. Strategies like "peel off grouping" allow the teacher to work with groups at their ability level by removing them one by one to do related activities. Using a group task board or one input with varied activities keeps groups organized and engaged.

1. Prepared by:
SHEVA MIRASOL M. DIMAANDAL

2. OVERVIEW
 In a classroom with good multigrade
practice, there will be lots of small
group happening. It is one of the most
useful strategies a multigrade teacher
can employ. A multigrade teacher
cannot teach the whole class in one
group all day and meet the needs of
individual students with their different
levels of experiences, maturity and
abilities

3. What are the BENEFITS for STUDENTS
working in group?
 The benefits for students working in small groups enable them to:
1. Talk to each other and clarify their thinking and learning
2. Think of more ideas than they would individually or in a
whole class group
3. Learn from each other and teach each other, explain,
question and remind each other in their own language in a
way in which they are most comfortable
4.Share experiences with each other

4. How can students be grouped?
 The students can be grouped in a variety of different
ways for different purposes. This will maximize
participation by all of the group members.
 Students may work in the following groupings:
 With other students of different ability levels. They could
be called by ‘ANIMALS’ names to identify them clearly.
 With other students of same ability levels, who
are at a similar stage of development in English,
Filipino or Math. Instructions can be efficient and
effective to pupils with similar ability levels.
They could have color names to identify
themselves

5.  For short times to learn specific skills needed.
 With others who have a temporary specific common
learning need and the teacher has formed this group for
a specific purpose for one lesson. For example, a small
group of students may need more instruction about
writing a sentence but the remainder of the class have
already mastered this skill.
 This can be motivating, if the students can concentrate
well with their friends. Sometimes students may be
encouraged to choose their group members.

6. Managing groups in the
classroom
 The teacher’s role in managing groups in the classroom could
fit into three broad categories of activities
 TEACHER SUPERVISED (guided and checked) – the
students work together in their group with some guidance and monitoring
by teacher
TEACHER’S ROLE
 TEACHER INTERACTIVE ( direct teaching)– teacher is
directly teaching or assessing a group and the teacher-student interaction is
intensive.
 TEACHER INDEPENDENT ( peer group support)– the
group works on a revision activity ( e.g. from a learning centre) requiring
little teacher assistance. The teacher monitors this group from a
distance.

7. WHOLE CLASS
TEACHER INTERACTIVE
TEACHER
SUPERVISED
TEACHER
INDEPENDENT
GROUP 2GROUP 1 GROUP 3
Simple group management diagram showing the teacher’s role with each group
Receiving direct teaching from
teacher
Receiving guidance and
monitoring by teacher sometimes
Receiving peer group
assistance only

8. A GROUP TASK BOARD
( An Elementary English Example)
GROUP TASK BOARD is a helpful organizational tool when working with groups. It
would enable the students to become more independent and take responsibility
for getting group organized and working quickly while the teacher is working with
the group marked T for teacher time.

9. PEEL OFF GROUPING
STRATEGY
 It is used when the teacher needs
to teach new skills in their ability
level group. This allows for
slower or faster students to work
outside of their grade level with
children of the same ability and
progress at their own pace of
learning.

10. PEEL OFF GROUPING STRATEGY METHOD
1.Teacher introduces a topic or demonstrates a new
English or Math topic to the whole class
2. Teacher ‘peels off’ the ‘mice group’ (younger or
slower group) to do their related activity.
3. Teacher then teaches some more direct
instruction to the two older or faster group.
4. Then the next ‘fish group’ ( or middle group) can be ‘peeled
off’ and given their instructions to do their more complex task.
5. The teacher can then introduce
more advance skills to the ‘dog
group’( faster or more mature
group)
6. The ‘dog group’ then ‘peel off’ to start their related
activity at higher level
7. Teacher is then free to rate
and support the’mice’ then the
‘fish’ and back to the ‘dogs’ to
check on their understanding8. A t the end of the lesson the groups can
share their learning with the rest of class

11. ONE INPUT, MANY ACTIVITIES, SHARED OUTPUT
GROUPING STRATEGY METHOD