What is multigrade teaching ?

M
ultigrade teaching involves the teaching of children
from two or more grade levels in one classroom.
Such contexts requires the employment of particular
teaching methodologies and classroom administration.
Since Multigrade classes are smaller and can be
established more cheaply than complete schools, they
can be more numerous, therefore more dispersed and thus
located closer to the settlements where the children
live. This means both that younger children can attend
and that the time children spend travelling between
school and home can be reduced to an acceptable level.
This in turn means that there is sufficient time
outside school hours for the children to continue to
contribute to the family's economic activity .
Attending school is therefore likely to be more
acceptable to the families concerned, and thus both
increase the number of children receiving education and
reduce the failure rate.Multigrade schools, being
smaller and more dispersed, would enjoy much closer
links with the smaller communities that they would be
set up to serve.This would have a very positive effect
on local attitudes and access to education.
The professional teacher is a key resource person in
the Multigrade context. The local content is a
significant part of the curriculum, it is particularly
important to resolve the issue of appointing well-
trained and locally-oriented teachers.
Tips for the multigrade teacher
The main function of the Multigrade teacher is to teach
students by imparting knowledge .

The teacher is expected to be versatile and utilize

different strategies to make learning meaningful and
effective for all students in his or her classroom, no
matter what individual differences may exist among the
students.

The teacher should be able to understand differences

between pupils, be able to motivate them to learn and
guide them though their learning materials.

The teacher should be able to do this for all grade levels in

the classroom, no matter what curriculum subject is being
studied. The teacher should not only be a provider of
knowledge but should also be a facilitator of learning.

Planning is a critical function for the Multigrade teacher.

Appropriate planning by the teacher will result in classes
which are more productive for the learners and easier for
them to follow.

For each grade level for which the teacher is responsible, he or she
must determine the answers to the questions:

- Whom do I teach ?

- What must I each ?

- How do I teach ?

- When do I teach ?

- Why do I teach this ?

Once the teacher has determined the answers to these
questions, he or she must then devise an implementation
plan in order to achieve the objectives of the lesson. Such
implementation strategies include lesson planning,
selection of week activities, time- tabling . All these must
be carried out before the actual lesson is given.
Another role which the MT must carry out is to monitor the
progress of pupil's learning so as to ensure quality of
education.

Therefore, assessment should be consider a continuous

and integral part of the teaching process.

MT still need to develop their own additional materials

like:

*designing and making small boards, flash cards, etc. to

save time in the classroom and to maximize the time

which pupils spend on learning tasks.

*Using local materials to develop instructional materials

and to encourage learners to make their own.

*Designing workbooks which are suitable for student use

within the local context and conditions.

*Including within these locally designed materials and

workbooks activities and knowledge which are relevant to
the local culture.

A MT must also be a researcher, research questions could be:

*What makes instructional materials and aids useful in
teaching and learning in the local context?

*How can the enrolment rate be increased and the drop-

out rate reduced?

*What types of games and sports should be played in the

school ?

*What useful extra-curricular activities can be arranged

and when?

*Why certain students are not learning as well as might be

expected ?

*How to use local resources, including students and

monitors, efficiently and effectively?

*What classroom strategies and management enhance

learning for different activities?

Steps to undertake to prepare a week plan with the theme

Grade 3-4
Steps Subject/Sub Topic Grade Remarks
subject
Step 1 Language The teachers
Social Studies 3-4: visit the must do the
The fieldtrip bus station. concrete
fieldtrip before
the do it with
the children.

Prepare
questions and
new words.

Step 2 Language
Subject 1 a. Reconstruction of
Vocabulary the fieldtrip. The children
3-4: 15 words must find
Nummering the themselves as
new words and much as
giving the possible new
explanation. words.

Answering the 3-4: 15

b. Reading questions. sentences
Frequent
With the reading periods
sentences you for each child
prepared in the are necessary,
voc. lesson, you different times
can make a text. in the week.
This text can be
used as a
c. Writing reading text.

The pupils can

write the

- Vocabulary list
d. Spelling and

- The new
sentences.

Dictation of the
e. Grammar learned words or
sentences Use the
depending on sentences from
the grade. the text.

Structure.
Step 3 Mathematics
a.
Measureme Distance from the Let measure the
bus station to the children.
Subject 2 nt
school. You need 3-4 Measure
to measure the distance Let them explain
concrete. from the the way of
classroom to measuring.
the house of
the teacher.
Talk about
meter and ½
meter.

Talk about
meter, ½
meter and
centimetre.

Measure the
distance from
the classroom
to an
important
building. Talk
about

m, ½ m, cm,
dam, hm.km.

The
The different demonstration
b. Sets colours and marks lesson of the
of busses and table of
cars. multiplication
can easy fit in
Number of people, this topic.
male, female,
intersection.
3-4: drawing
the clock,
c. Time
Step 4 Social Studies
a. Science
The weather in The seasons,
town, the instruments to
Subject 3 province in 3-4: The measure, the
b. Geography Zambia. weather in the climates.
district,
The climates. province.

c. History

Early Farmers.

Step 5 Music Listen to the This music

Subject 4 sounds of the lesson is a
town. demonstration
lesson.
The song If you
are happy and
you know it clap
your hands.

Creative The colours of the

cars.
Subj activities
ect 5 -
Mixing
colours.

-
Making
Home funny
economic number
Subj
s plates.
ect 6
Types of food,
fruits, vegetables
at the market
place.

-
Making
a fruit
salad. This is a
demonstration
-
lesson. Use the
Making
vocabulary on
 a town for all the
vegeta exercises.
ble
soup.
Subje Physical
ct 7 Education In town.

3-4: Churches
Subje Religious in town.
ct 8 education

Creation

Zambian
Subje
ct 9 Language

Play roll: a little

shop in town.

Step 6 Have a look if

you
integrate
d the
twelve
skills in
the week
plan.
Step 7 Put all the
subjects
in a
weekly
timetable.
A typical Multigrade lesson preparation

Lesson preparation in
Multigrade Teaching

Grade = 3,4,5

Subjects = English/Maths

The story

The story of the mouse with the (7 tails)

A nice little mouse was very unhappy because it had no friends to play with.
Every day other children were laughing with the mouse, do you know why?

Because the mouse had seven tails.

Who can draw me a mouse with seven tails?

The unhappy little mouse complained to her mother, and asked her what to do?(all children
look unhappy)

Mammy told the mouse that she must laugh back when the other pupils are making fun of
her.

The mouse went to school with a big smile (all children a big smile), but all the children start
laughing again and shout, hahahaha a mouse with seven tails.

The mouse came back home and was crying

The mother must think about another solution.

That same day the mother cut three tails (a pupil erases the tails from the BB).
But still the children kept on laughing.

Now the mother cut all the tails.

The day after when the mouse came at school she started immediately playing with the
other children. But the children couldnt laugh anymore because the tails were gone.

So from that day all the children played with the mouse.

Since then the mouse comes home with a big smile.

Content/met Teach Childr Exercises/ga games

hod er en mes individ
activit activit ual
ies ies work
Introduction The The One of the children will
teacher children come and draw a
tells the sit in front mouse with seven tails
story of of the on the BB.
The story the little class on
mouse the
with the ground.
seven
Grade 3,4,5 tails. They will
be active
during the
 story

They will
be crying,
looking
happy,
and
looking
sad.

Development Table of multiplication

games:
Situation 1

How many All the

Gr ade 3 tails the children 1. One child in
mouse will be front of the
have? How saying one class and will
many were sentence say a table, the
Key-word list other students
cut the of the
first time, story. will answer.
Mouse, happy, school,
to laugh, tail, smile, to how many
the second The 2. Two children
walk, and more words in line, every
times? children
found by the children. time they give
will play
Can you the story. a good answer
tell me the they make a
story step forward.
again? Can The one who
you play will be the first Write the
the story? in front or back tables of
Grade 4 The of the class multiplication
The key children wins. of 2, 3,4,5,6.
words are read a lot
written of times 3. One child Write down
Grade 5 down on all the claps the table the story in 5
the BB. words. in her hands to 10
the others have sentences.
to answer.

4. Two children
will stand in
front of the
Situation 2 Write all the
class reciting
the table. If new words in
Grade 3
they make a your book.
mistake the
After writing
other pupils can
you will
put their finger
dictate the
 in the air. words to
your friend.
5. All the Correct the
children stand words and
up and the then start
teacher is over.
asking the
table. When a
Grade 4 pupil gives a
good answer he
or she can sit
1x7=7 down.

2 x 7 = 14 6. All the
children sit
3 x 7 = 21
Teaching The down. The
4 x 7 = 28 the table children teacher is
of read the asking the
5 x 7 = 35 multiplicat tables of table. When a
ion. multiplicat child gives a
6 x 7 = 42 good answer he
ion.
or she can
7 x 7 = 49
stand up.
8 x 7 = 56 How many
tails the Children 1.
9 x 7 = 63 mouse answer Concrete
has? individuall children in
10 x 7 = 70 y. a circle.
Seven
children A child will 2. Semi
stand in a draw a set concrete is
Grade 5 circle. with seven the story.
elements.
Teacher 3. Semi
will teach, Another abstract The pupils
Situation 3 by the child will sets on the finish their
same write BB. writing
method till exercises.
1x7=7 Abstract 3 x 7.
Grade 3 3 x 7.

And so on
till 3 x 7

Write all the

new words in
your book.

After writing
 you will
dictate the
Grade 4 words to
your friend.
Correct the
words and
then start
over.

Complete the
table of
seven.
Grade 5
Write also
the table of
Verbs/nouns/adjective six and learn
s like to laugh, to by heart the
walk, to cry, sad, bad, both tables.
and happy.

The
Situation 4
teacher
will write
down five
Grade 3 sentences.

We will
analyse
Grade 4 All the
the
sentences pupils will
and put read their
the words story or a
in verbs, part of the
Grade 5 nouns and story.
adjectives
columns. Complete the
table of
multiplication
and learn by
heart.
 Complete the
list of 20
words in
each column.
The
dictation Learn the
of ten The words.
words. children
Situation 5 write
down the
Grade 3
words
individuall
y.
Grade 4

Make a
Grade 5 drawing of
the story.

Complete the
Situation 5 list, correct
with your
friends and
prepare your

Gr ade dictation.

4/5/6

Reading
and
learning
the table
of seven
by games.
All the
children
sing the
table of
multiplicat
ion, but
grade of 3
can keep
on
drawing.