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In
small groups, consider the solution given by
the teacher in the first sequence to the problem
that some pupils finish the task earlier than
others. How might you respond to her suggestion?
Is it really a satisfactory way of dealing with
different pupils' pace of learning? Are the fastest
children always the most able?
Then consider:
- Many teachers in Hong Kong design worksheets
that cater for different ability levels, by
providing additional clues to the questions
they set. Are there disadvantages in this approach?
- For example, do you agree that one problem
with this might be that it is not actually
stretching those pupils' thinking abilities?
What else could be wrong with trying
to cater for differences by giving some
pupils easier tasks to accomplish?
- Are there better ways to cater for different
ability levels when designing worksheets that
you could suggest as a mentor? Perhaps one
important consideration is designing worksheets
where some of the questions are open-ended
(where they are not presuming one answer).
This will allow children to work at their own
levels and at their own pace.
- Perhaps, also, we can design questions that
actually cater for differences of ability,
but appear to focus on differences of interest
(e.g. where similar mathematical concepts are
taught in a range of contexts that will interest
different pupils in the class). Or, where pupils
do not have to answer all the questions and
can choose which they want to attempt.
- Perhaps the real problem for some pupils
is that the worksheet tasks are coming at the
lesson topic in ways that do not suit their
starting point; their previous learning and
pre-understandings. In this case it may not
be a problem of different ability levels, but
different ways of seeing and understanding
the same phenomenon. How can you cater for
this problem when designing pupil activities?
In considering the question posed above,
you may like to refer to the curriculum guideline
which notes that ‘teachers can use a diversity
of resources (print, human, electronic) rather
than focus only on textbooks when designing
classroom activities. Teachers can make use
of a spectrum of intelligences and multi-sensory
experiences to tap the different potential
of students, especially lower achievers’ (CDC,
2001 , p .92 ).
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