The
mixed abilities class can give not an easy problem to me. This is mainly
because of different learning styles, variations of learning speeds, differences
in motivation and the teacher has to overcome the problem of how to meet the
necessities of every student in the class. I always stress them the need for
teamwork and for the class to use English whenever possible in classroom
communication.
I was wrong to start up with group work. As
for the 10 year old children, I should train them with pairing work before they
get into group works. They argue much as they start up with group work. The questionnaires and interviews are always
use in production stage. I just love pairing off weaker and stronger students
and involving both in the preparation and implementation of the questionnaire.
I reminded the stronger students to see their role as the “helper” or even
mentor for promoting positive tone in them.
As I
marked their exercise books or worksheet, I will try to detect the students’ ability
and level. As I was in the class, I will give full attention to the slow
learner or lazy students until they finish their work.
I
also have an autistic Year 4 student at another class who have made a lot of
teachers couldn't control him. Despite that, he can speak English very well
with British accent and studied at the First class. His problems are he doesn't like to obey orders, he is over sensitive and likes to do a lot of abnormal act
such us eating paper glue, bat’s dung or throw a chair if he got mad. The
teachers at school know that he has autism and they tried to calm him down by
giving their hand phones or anything that he wants. Only the disciplinary
teacher doesn't calming him by giving anything that he wants. She treats him like a normal boy and he seems to obey every time he was scolded by her.
I
did have two chances of teaching at his class. The first day I was there, he
was crying hard because the boys at his class were teasing him for being not
accepted that he lose the game in the class. He cried louder and louder. I
think he would not stop crying if I don’t hit or scold the boys who tease him.
But, I did differently, I shouted at him “Calm down. I would not listen to you
if you don’t calm down. Show me you can calm down. Show me!” and then he
suddenly stopped crying. I said to him if he calms down he will get more
friends. I told the boys to respect him and I told him to respect them. I said
to the whole class that everyone is special in the class and not just one
person is special. I said that because I know that some of them might be
jealous for the autistic boy who is always being pampered by the teacher. After
the boy being scolded, he shows more positive tone. He knows the rule of taking
turns and he obeys me. I read some articles and book that autistic person like
graphic books. So, I bring a graphic book related to the subject that he is
weak. He is weak when it comes to religious mind subject. He started to ask and
interested to find the answer when he looked through the graphic book I showed
him.
I
tried to be diplomatic in my questioning techniques by avoiding putting weaker
students “on the spot” by naming them to be the first to answer a question in
open class. Instead, ask a stronger student first and then ask a weaker student
to repeat the answer. It can be time consuming but, once this style of
interaction becomes habitual and the students getting familiar with the
vocabularies or phrases, it can be very productive in terms of class dynamics.
