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International recognition
Benefits
Positive action
Multi-grade and differentiation
Challenges
Primary School Curriculum
Whole school planning
Organisational policies and procedures
Individual teacher preparation
Classroom organisation and management
Independent learning
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Most pre-service and in-service teacher
training systems prepare teachers to teach in
monograded schools
Teachers are expected to cover curricula and
fulfil assessment expectations as if the class
was monograded. General issues of quality
that arise in teacher preparation, curricula,
materials and assessment are exacerbated in
settings where the basic systemic premise of
one teacher per class of single grade learners
is not met.
(i) Schools in areas of low population density
(ii) Schools that comprise a cluster of
classrooms spread across in different
locations, in which some classes are
multigrade and some are monograde.
(iii) Schools in areas of where the student and
teacher numbers are declining, and where
previously there was monograded teaching
(iv) Schools in areas of population growth and
school expansion
(v) Schools in areas where parents send their
children to more popular schools
(vi) Schools in which the number of learners
admitted to a class exceed official norms on
class size, necessitating the combination of
some learners from one class grade with
learners from another grade.
A UNESCO/APEID study (1989:5) collated
perceptions about the benefits of multigrade
teaching from educators in twelve countries in
the Asia and Pacific Region. These included:
• Learners develop self study skills
• Learners cooperate across age groups, resulting in
collective ethics, concern and responsibility
• Learners help each other
• Teachers can organise both remediation and enrichment
activities for low and high achievers respectively more
discreetly than in monograde classes
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Increase awareness:
◦ Multigrade teachers should not be expected to
adapt the general system to their specific
multigrade circumstance, alone.
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Curriculum Adaptation:
◦ Curricula premised on a single graded structure
need to be adapted to meet the needs of the
multigrade classroom.
A more radical approach to curriculum is
premised on a shift in philosophies of
learning and teaching, from one that
emphasises learner homogeneity and
standardisation of teacher inputs to one that
acknowledges the diversity of learners and
the need for a differentiation of inputs.
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Multi-grade teaching refers to the practice of
placing pupils of a different standard or
grade under the care of a single teacher
(Teaching in Multi-Classes – INTO)
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‘Differentiation is a process whereby teachers
match the need for progress through the
curriculum by the selection of appropriate
teaching methods for an individual child
within a group situation’ (Visser 1990)
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Structure of the primary school curriculum
Whole school planning in the multi-grade
context
Long-term and short-term planning
Classroom organisation and management
Independent learning
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Time for planning – especially in Maths
Social development - big difference in abilities
and maturity across the classroom/differentiation
Having to stretch yourself to get around all
groups - how to keep children meaningfully
engaged, organisation of learning activities
Time for discrete teaching of Oral Language
Reading group
Children with special needs
What class level do I pitch my work at?
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Layout of curriculum statements
www.curriculumonline.ie
Glance cards
Curriculum awareness
◦ Menu curriculum
◦ Importance of differentiation and integration
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Over dependence on text-books
SESE – Science
Strand: Living Things
Strand unit: Plants and animals
Infants
First and Second
Class
Third and Fourth
Class
Variety and characteristics of living things
Variety and characteristics of living things
Variety and characteristics of living things
observe, discuss and identify a variety of plants
and animals in different habitats in the
immediate environment
• become aware of animals and plants of other
environments
• sort and group living things into sets
• recognise and identify the external parts of
living things
observe, identify and explore a variety of living
things in local habitats and environments
identify
• develop some awareness of plants and
animals from wider environments
• recognise and describe the parts of some
living things
• recognize that trees are plants
• group and sort living things into sets
according to certain characteristics
observe, identify and investigate the animals
and plants that live in local environments
• develop an increasing awareness of plants and
animals from wider environments observe and
explore some ways in which plant and animal
behaviour is influenced by, or adapted to,
environmental
• sort and group living things into sets
according to observable features
• use simple keys to identify common species of
plants and animals understand that plants use
light energy from the sun come to appreciate
that animals depend on plants and indirectly on
the sun for food
• discuss simple food chains
Fifth and Sixth
Class
Variety and characteristics of living
things
observe, identify and examine the
animals and plants that live in local
habitats and environments
• develop an increasing awareness of
plants and animals from wider
environments
• identify the interrelationships and
interdependence between plants and
animals in local and other habitats
• become aware of the sun as a
source of energy for plants through
photosynthesis
• observe and explore some ways in
which plant and animal behaviour is
influenced by, or adapted to,
environmental conditions
• recognise that there is a great
diversity of plants and animals in
different regions and environments •
group and compare living things into
sets according to their similarities
and differences
• become familiar with the
characteristics of some major groups
of living things
• construct and use simple keys to
identify locally occurring species of
plants and animals
Primary School Curriculum
Whole-School Planning
Individual Teacher Preparation
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Points of transfer
Two-year cycles (odd year and even year)
Sub-units - Geography
Assessment
Integration
Differentiation
Text books – parents
In-class support – e.g. English and Maths
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Influenced by the Whole School Plan
Themes for integration
Assessment – focus on developing selfassessment strategies
Classroom organisation – e.g. pupil groups,
classroom areas – free writing area.
Resources and text-books
Opportunities for independent learning within
the subject area
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Pupil-grouping
Timetabling
Classroom rules and routines – discussed/agreed
with pupils
Seating arrangements
Discuss and develop pupil skills e.g. Cooperation, team/group work, peer-tutoring,
independence
Sharing the responsibility of classroom
organisation with the pupils
Delegation of tasks to pupils
Resources – organised and accessible
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Opportunities for independent learning
identified in the long-term and short-term
plans
Pupils empowered to take responsibility for
their own learning
Developing intrinsic motivation
Accessibility of resources to facilitate
independent learning
Recording and assessing independent
learning
Opportunities for pupils to display or discuss
their independent learning with others
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Prioritise issues
What
Who
When
Text-book selection policy –
involve parents
All staff
Planning day –
8th Dec
Curriculum Plans – Review two
year programmes
Subject coordinator
Report at
planning day –
8th Dec
Mediate text book selection
policy to parent-body
Principal and
deputy principal
May 09
Purchase ICT software suitable
for independent learning
ICT Co-ordinator
Jan 09
Proposed - common template
for short-term plans to suit the
multi-grade context.
Susan and John
In advance of
planning day –
8th Dec
Develop theme teaching – Seek
support from PPDS
Principal
Dec 08
What
When
SESE Integration theme – explore challenges Dec 08
before receiving support from PPDS
Re-organise and display timetable
Dec 08
Plan opportunities for independent learning
in the long-term and short-term plan
Long-term – Sept 09
Short-term – Jan 09
Organise ICT software and hardware
Set pupils up on Lexia Reading Programme
Dec 08
Re-organise/grade books in the class
library
Jan 09
Purchase/make Maths games
Jan 09
Set up independent project work
Feb 09
Set up self-assessment portfolios as
outlined in school plan for assessment
Feb 09
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International recognition
Benefits
Positive action
Multi-grade and differentiation
Challenges
Primary School Curriculum
Whole school planning
Organisational policies and procedures
Individual teacher preparation
Classroom organisation and management
Independent learning