18.3.4. Writing

Weaker students have many problems when it comes to writing. On oral work they can often stumble through and come up with an adequate response after suitable prompting, but errors in written work are semi-permanent and can be very demoralising. These students should be given writing activities that preclude serious error. There must be adequate control and guidance so that a measure of confidence can be gained. We have already discussed various stages of guided composition, from the use of simple structure cards for sentence building, through some of the more enlightened substitution tables to the framework essay. We shall not do more than reiterate the crucial importance of adequate support, and use our comprehension passage again as a brief illustration. A follow-up activity to it might be letter writing or a telephone dialogue. The three ability levels could be asked to write the sort of letter David might send his parents after a couple of weeks looking for work in London. The A level could discuss together how David could be reasonably truthful about his plight and yet minimise parental concern. Level B would write a fairly straightforward letter following discussion with the teacher. They might be given a few ideas. Level C would do a letter as a completion exercise. At least one letter from each group would be read out to the whole class.

Close exercises lend themselves quite well to multi-level work. Again the same passage can be used if well chosen. Level A could tackle an exercise with each seventh word deleted. Level B could have every tenth word deleted, or the teacher could delete selected words. Level C could make use of a modified close exercise and be given multiple-choice frames.

On the other hand, if multiple-choice items are not used the teacher can save considerable time by duplicating the same passage for all students and deleting appropriate students for each group. He can do this by covering the words with sticky paper or cutting them out with a razor blade.

18.3.5. Drama

This is a blanket term that covers a wide range of oral activities that have an element of creativity present. If students are using a simple dialogue that they have written themselves the creativity is obvious. But even if they are reading someone else’s lines, with at least one other person listening and watching, they are being creative.

Dialogues and small plays are very useful indeed in mixed-ability situations because major and minor roles are so natural. Besides, lines can be learned and rehearsed to give confidence for the weaker speakers. At the other end of the scale, able students can improvise and project their own personalities. The different levels can, of course, be mixed. As long as the more able student ends with a right cue for the less able to come in and read his part, he can improvise all he wants.

Let us look at an example, a fairly simple one with just two characters. A rather pompous lady is complaining to a shop assistant about a pair of shoes that she bought the previous week. For our star performers we shall return to our mock class, giving the pompous lady’s part (Mrs Cross) to ‘B’, who should do it great justice, and the assistant’s part (Mr Heel) to ‘S’.

Mr Heel: Can I help you, madam?

Mrs Cross: You certainly can. Do you recognise these?

Mr Heel: Well, they’re a pair a pair of lady’s shoes.

Mrs Cross: And what about these?

Mr Heel: It is a broken heel. How did it happen?

Mrs Cross: How did it happen indeed! I bought them here last week and wore them for the first time when… husband tried to repair them… brought them back, shop closed… must have been faulty… should be given money back… What are you going to do?

Mr Heel: Were they the right size for you?

Mrs Cross: Of course they were… I want to see the manager.

Mr Heel: I’m afraid he’s out.

In this brief section on mixed-ability classes we have examined criteria for setting up groups, ways of presenting new material to the class as a whole and techniques for providing appropriate activities to coincide with levels of ability.

We have said nothing about teacher attitude, but it can be the decisive factor in a mixed-ability situation. Where there is a sense of community within the classroom and a genuine desire to help, there can be real progress at all levels. If we have to use a motive labels and terms, then disability may be much more meaningful and productive than inability. At least, it suggests the need for help.