Challenges of Teaching in a Mixed Ability Classroom

Abstract

The students populating a classroom today are a diverse lot. They come from different learning styles, differing levels of social and emotional maturity. At any given time, they reflect differing levels of academic readiness in various subjects- and in various facets of a single subject. Teaching in mixed ability classrooms is a real challenge to teachers. Since students come from varying backgrounds, with differing levels of readiness and interest, the traditional method of instruction may not make effective teaching feasible. One-size-fits-all instruction will sag or pinch as students differ in need though they are chronologically of the same age. My paper delineates the different ways by which a teacher can deal with high achievers, slow learners and the others. When instruction is student-centric, organic, rooted in assessment, qualitative and proactive, then dealing with such classrooms becomes fairly satisfactory for the teacher