Something for

Everyone 1

Introduction
Successful mixed language-level teaching 2
The importance of classroom culture 2
Adopting a growth mindset 2
Making a lesson work for everyone 3
Practical tips 4
Five steps to creating an inclusive environment 4
Frequently Asked Questions 4

Graded worksheets
Vocabulary 8
Grammar 29
Skills 50
Answers 68

Roisin O’Farrell
Successful mixed
language-level teaching 1
Very few classes consist of pupils who have the same • Class grouping: Grouping pupils within the same
level of language proficiency or learn at the same ‘single-ability’ groups. Research has shown the
pace. In an average classroom, it’s common to have negative impact on learners of this type of grouping
pupils ranging from new arrivals with little or no prior as it can demotivate pupils by installing the idea that
knowledge of English to pupils who have an aptitude their ability or potential to learn is fixed (Francis et al.
for language learning and pupils who use English in 2018; Tomlinson 2017).
their home environment. The challenge for teachers is to Flexible grouping, on the other hand, allows children
keep all these pupils engaged, motivated and advancing to be appropriately challenged and avoids labelling a
in their learning while ensuring no pupil falls behind. child’s current language level as static. Pupils also benefit
Research shows that the key to successful mixed from exposure to the various strengths and perspectives
language-level teaching in the classroom takes place of different classmates.
when teachers: • Teacher / pupils’ beliefs and expectations: Teachers
and pupils often think and ‘act as if individuals come
• establish an inclusive and supportive
hard-wired with a fixed-ability, adjusting – and often
classroom climate;
limiting – experiences and expectations accordingly’
• have and communicate expectations of all learners;
(Marks, 2013).
• avoid having fixed, ‘single-ability’ groups within
a class; The author describes the way teachers can construct
• make content meaningful and engaging for ‘high-ability identities’ for some pupils, leading them
learners; to interact with them with a more academic focus, and
• build flexibility and integrate elements of choice ‘low-ability identities’ for others, where interactions
into lessons. focus mainly on behaviour.
Teachers should have and communicate high
In the section below, we’ll address two key areas of expectations to all learners. Rather than teaching to the
research that are shaping practice in ELT and non-ELT middle level, it’s more effective to teach to the top and
classrooms: the role of classroom culture and teacher / then make the planned learning objectives accessible
pupil beliefs, and the inclusion of learner needs in for all the students (Francis et al. 2018).
lesson planning.
• Pupils’ fixed ability thinking: Pupils’ own beliefs
about their abilities and identities, that is, the way
The importance of classroom culture pupils see themselves as learners, could have a
Factors such as the way teachers promote pupils’ positive or negative impact in the classroom and the
behaviour in the classroom, the interaction patterns pupils’ perceptions of their own capabilities.
and classroom management styles, as well as the
teacher’s language and the subtle expectations teachers Adopting a growth mindset
may convey to their pupils, all have an impact on
Research shows that teachers can help overcome the
classroom culture.
negative consequences that this type of mindset brings
Fixed-ability thinking is an example of a common into the classroom culture by adopting a different and
practice which persists in many classrooms (Marks, 2013) more positive attitude or growth mindset with regard to
and which has a negative effect in classroom culture. their teaching practices.
Fixed-ability is a term used to explain the discredited Learning without Limits (Dixon et al. 2004 in Yarmer,
belief that ability or intelligence is fixed from birth, e.g. 2004) explores the concept of transformability1 by
that a child is inherently a high or low-level pupil, or a proposing the three pedagogical principles of trust,
strong or weak learner. co-agency and the ethic of everybody.
Fixed-ability thinking in the classroom can be found • Trust: This principle refers to the fact that all pupils
in the following behaviours, interaction patterns can be trusted to learn and make good choices if
and beliefs: conditions are right.

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The potential for transforming and increasing young people’s capacity to learn both in the present and in the future.

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• Co-agency: This principle prompts the teacher to Other key elements to take into consideration when
collaborate with the pupils to create a positive and planning inclusive lessons include:
supportive classroom environment and involves every • All learners knowing the goal: The goals can be
pupil in their own learning. It gives pupils a voice. different for each pupil, depending on their level,
• The ethic of everybody: This principle foments but realising the goals will give the same sense of
teachers’ commitment to the view that everyone achievement to all.
can learn and that by working together learners can • Pupils building and internalising their own
strengthen their capacities. All pupils are valued for learning: Harris and Snow (2004) recommend giving
their unique contributions. pupils more ownership of their learning. Focusing
on helping pupils become more effective learners
Making a lesson work for everyone: can benefit all pupils on the road to becoming
Universal Design for Learning independent learners but, in particular, can make a
big difference to those who are struggling to keep up
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an inclusive
with the level of the group.
approach to teaching and learning which aims at giving
pupils equal opportunities to succeed. UDL offers
flexibility in the ways pupils access and engage with the
References
materials and offers teachers an opportunity to address • Francis, B., Taylor, B., Hodgen, J., Tereshchenko, A.
not only what the children will learn but also how they & Archer, L. (2018). Dos and don’ts of attainment
will learn it. The ultimate goal of UDL is to build flexible grouping. London: UCL Institute of Education.
lessons that can adapt to all learners. • Harris, V., & Snow, D. (2004). Doing it for themselves:
According to Allison Posey in Universal Design for focus on learning strategies and vocabulary
Learning (UDL): A Teacher’s Guide, teachers can building. London: CILT.
incorporate the principles of UDL through: • Hart, S., Dixon, A., Drummond, M.J. and McIntyre, D.
(2004) Learning without Limits. Maidenhead: Open
• Providing multiple means of engagement: Giving
University Press
choice and autonomy to the pupils. Teachers can do
• Marks, Rachel. (2013). ‘The Blue Table Means You
this by incorporating the pupils’ interests, strengths
Don’t Have a Clue’: the persistence of fixed-ability
and needs into lessons, using choice menus for
thinking and practices in primary mathematics
working towards goals, and having clear and relevant
in English schools. Forum. 55. 31-44. 10.2304/
learning goals.
forum.2013.55.1.31.
• Providing multiple means of representation:
• Posey, A (2020) Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
Considering different ways of presenting information
A teacher’s guide. https://www.understood.org/en/
to our learners, e.g. by employing different ways of
school-learning/for-educators/universal-design-for-
displaying texts, pictures and charts.
learning/understanding-universal-design-for-learning
• Providing multiple means of action and
• Tomlinson, C (2017). How to differentiate instruction
expression: Allowing flexibility with timing and
in academically diverse classrooms (3rd ed.).
pacing of tasks and allowing pupils to show what they
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
know through a variety of formats.
Curriculum Development.

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Practical tips
Five steps to creating an inclusive • Coordinator: leads the discussion, makes sure
classroom environment everyone is on task, ensures turn taking.
• Spokesperson: presents the group’s ideas to the class.
1 Teach cooperative learning skills
• The Encourager: praises and affirms.
Teaching pupils how to work together and support each • Materials manager: collects and returns supplies
other is an essential step towards creating an inclusive and materials.
classroom environment. Skills such as listening, turn-
taking and responding positively to peers will facilitate • Timekeeper: monitors time and helps to keep the
group work across all levels. group on task.
• Model active listening by greeting children individually • Recorder: writes down ideas and thoughts decided
at the beginning of each session. Encourage children on by everyone.
to be good listeners in class. Explain that when working Another way to give pupils a role is to have a classroom
with a partner they should turn and face them and chores chart, e.g. for wiping the board. Rotate who does
make eye contact. the task weekly, making sure everyone has a turn.
• Demonstrate turn-taking by using a puppet or a
4 Challenge your own fixed
volunteer from the class. Have pupils pass an object
such as a softball to and fro indicating that it’s their ability thinking
turn to speak. Introduce turn-taking language It’s my • Think back to your own school experience. Were you
turn, It’s your turn for them to use. ever grouped according to your ‘ability’? Was this
• Encourage pupils to respond positively by introducing grouping obvious or more subtle? Were you ever
short phrases that they can use. Good idea! Well done! labelled as ‘slow’, ‘gifted’, ‘creative’ or ‘lazy’? How did
That’s nice! etc. it affect you at the time? Do you still identify with
that label?
2 Rotate pairs and groups regularly • Think about the conscious and unconscious beliefs
Regularly changing groups allows pupils to develop that you may be holding about the ability of different
relationships and connections with all their classmates. pupils in your class. Reflect on the kind of language
• Establish a Talk Partner routine so that pupils are given you use when referring to different types of pupils. Are
the opportunity to discuss questions with a partner there any surprises? Do these beliefs have any effect
before answering. on your choices in the classroom?
• To initiate the routine, ask pupils to turn to the person
next to them and say Hello. Have them ask each other 5 Commit to maximising engagement,
a simple question, such as How are you?. Once they comprehension and participation
have both asked and answered the question introduce
the term Talk Partner. FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
• Allow individual thinking time.
• Alternate between same-level pairs and mixed-level 1 How can I give clear instructions?
pairs, making sure pairs rotate regularly. Using mime, visuals such as symbols for speaking
• Extra thinking time can be especially beneficial and writing to support meaning, and breaking down
for those learners who need more time to process instructions into steps can help all the members of the
what they know. class understand the task. You can put these steps on the
3 Make sure everyone has a role board and tick them off as you go to help pupils who are
lost or distracted quickly see what they should be doing.
In group work, assigning individual roles to our
learners means that each learner has a responsibility, 2 How can I check that everyone has
so there’s less likelihood of one individual taking understood the content?
over and completing the task while others stay in Assessment for Learning (AFL) techniques such as
the background. whole-class surveys of hands quickly help you to see
Allowing groups to allocate their own roles gives pupils who may need some extra support and who may be
choice and opportunity to take responsibility for their ready for a ‘reach higher’ challenge. These work well with
own learning allowing them to select a role that is best both face-to-face and online classes. The class can give
suited to their skills. their answers through:
• raising their hands;
• standing up vs remaining seated;

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• doing fun poses, such as Stand like Superman if you ‘Call and Response’ statements are a quick and effective
think the answer is A, Fly like Superman if you think the way of transitioning between activities and focusing
answer is B; pupils’ attention in order to move on.
• writing their answers in their notebooks. For the technique, the teacher makes a statement and
the pupils reply with a pre-determined response.
Teacher Hocus Macaroni 1, 2, 3 eyes, Ready to
says: pocus cheese on me Listen

  Pupils Everybody Everybody 1, 2, 3 eyes, Ready to

You can use the Thumbs up strategy to see at a glance if reply: focus freeze on you Learn
the class has understood the instructions for the task.
Ask pupils to close their eyes when responding so they 4 How can I (re)present content in
are not swayed by the answers of their classmates. multiple ways?
I understand I’m not sure Varying the teaching approach to include whole class,
small groups, pair and individual activities allows pupils
to interact with material in different ways. Alternatives to
I don’t understand reading a story text could be to read and listen to audio
simultaneously, watch a video of the story, read with a
partner or act it out.
3 How can I make sure the whole class
is engaged? Visual Support
• Create a picture dictionary on a wall or window
Numbered heads together
using the flashcards and word cards from the unit for
This is a cooperative learning strategy which maximises lower-level pupils to use as reference.
whole-class engagement. • Build up a bank of word mats. These consist of
• Organise the class into groups of four and have pupils illustrated key words arranged on a single sheet
number themselves from one to four. Grouping of paper for pupils to use as reference in written
pupils allows lower-level learners to feedback to the work. Include sentence beginnings to help
class with ideas that they may not have thought of scaffold pupils’ work. For example, a word mat for
themselves leading to increased participation and personal description work would contain labelled
raised self-esteem. facial features and the sentence stems She’s got…
• Pose the question, allowing individual thinking He’s got…
time for pupils to note down their answers. • Keep the word mats in an easily accessible box and
• The group takes turns to state their answers and one allow pupils to use them if and when needed.
person is called on to share the whole group’s ideas. Incorporating other senses
Choose numbers at random to ensure everyone has a
chance to participate. • Clapping can be used to demonstrate things such as
word stress (loud and soft claps) and sentence rhythm.
Four corners • Skywriting, where pupils write a word in the air with
Learners discuss ideas in ‘expert groups’ and then their finger at the same time as saying it, can be a
return to their ‘home group’ to share their findings. The useful tool for many learners.
two-tiered approach to this activity allows lower-level Multisensory grammar
learners to be supported within the expert group and
participate actively in the home group. • To help pupils focus on sentence structure in a more
tactile way, cut up sentences you are teaching and
• Choose four aspects of the topic you are focusing on. allow pupils to order them in pairs.
• Assign each aspect to a corner of the classroom. • Cut up whole texts for pupils to order manually and
• Allow learners to choose which corner they go to. focus on the structure of the text type.
• Learners return to the home group and
share information.
Attention signals
After a group activity, it can be useful to have an
effective tool that can be used to gain the attention of
the class and bring the activity to a close.

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5 How can I provide flexible options for • Open-ended questions: require a longer response
my class to express themselves? and promote higher-order thinking, and allow pupils
with a higher language level to give a more elaborate
Open-ended activities allow pupils the opportunity to response. Asking questions such as why and how lead
select the way of working that best suits them for a task. on from knowledge and understanding to application,
They might be more comfortable showing understanding analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
in the following ways:
Balance the use of open and closed questions to allow
• a drawing pupils to express understanding at the level in which
• a diagram they feel the most comfortable.
• a written text
• a video 7 How can I best share learning
A brainstorming activity could offer the following options: objectives with my class?
• In pairs pupils take turns to name animals.
Stating learning objectives at the beginning of the
• In pairs pupils use a sentence structure for their ideas.
lesson allows all pupils to have a clear idea of what’s
• In pairs pupils write a list of animals together.
expected of them. Write the objectives on the board and
• In pairs pupils categorise the animals they name using
return to them at the end of the session so that pupils
different criteria, e.g. number of legs, wild or domestic,
can confirm that they have achieved them.
where they live, etc.
• Individually pupils write sentences on a whiteboard. Share success criteria with learners
The daily challenge Learners need to know what good work is to you and
how to achieve it. Sharing success criteria with learners
Another way of giving pupils flexible options is to provide
helps them know what they need to do and gives them
a menu of different activities that they can choose from.
confidence in their work. Use positive statements in
On finishing a task, pupils can access the menu and
the form of a checklist that pupils can use to evaluate
choose the activity that best suits them at that moment.
their work.
Pupils can:
An example of success criteria for writing a recipe could be:
• choose a learning to learn activity.
• make a Venn diagram to classify information learnt in I can list the I can write the
the lesson. ingredients.    instructions in order. 
• categorise information from the lesson, e.g. if the topic I include the I illustrate
is animals, pupils can chose to categorise them as wild materials.     my recipe.     
or domestic, according to habitat, number or legs, etc.
• write five sentences about the topic. 8 How can I encourage my pupils to
• write a list adding to the key vocabulary introduced in
the unit, e.g. a shopping list, sports activities, etc.
take responsibility for their own
• play Check your spelling with a partner. learning?
• play I spy with your pupil’s book. Giving pupils choice allows them to make decisions about
• play Draw and guess or Describe and guess with their own learning and lets them choose activities suited
a partner. to their current level.
• practise a Mindfulness exercise. Introduce learning strategies to help pupils build
up skills as well as knowledge. Providing a range of
6 How can I adapt my questions strategies keeps the activity open-ended, giving pupils
to support and challenge the opportunity to choose the activity they feel most
different learners? comfortable with at that moment, without limiting them
Using a variety of question types allows teachers to to choosing the same strategy in the future.
provide more support to those pupils who need it while Suggested strategies
at the same time stretching higher-level pupils. • Definitions: Writing a definition for a new word can
• Closed questions: often require only a Yes / No help pupils recall vocabulary. Allowing pupils to create
or one-word answer and are useful for checking their own definitions can aid long-term memory.
comprehension and recall. Questions such as who, • Picture dictionary: Pupils make a picture dictionary
what, where, when are open to all the members of in a notebook by illustrating new vocabulary.
the class. • Alphabetical order: Encourage pupils to list words in
alphabetical order in a notebook.