Strategies of multigrade teaching

There are various strategies which one can use in teaching mathematics. One of these is whole class teaching (Miller, 1991a) which is commonly used in many classrooms. In addition to this, Little (2001) noted four curriculum adaptation strategies that are effective for multigrade classrooms. These are:

• Multi-year curriculum spans which spread the units of curriculum content across two to three grades rather than one, and require learners to do common topics and activities. • Differentiated curricula which cover the same general topic/theme with all learners and

allow them to be engaged in learning tasks appropriate to their level of learning;

• Quasi monograde whereby a teacher takes turns to teach grade groups as if they were monograded. The same or a different subject is taught at the same time and teachers have a mandate of distributing time equally/unequally between grade groups, depending on the tasks they are busy with; and

• Learner and materials-centred which is heavily reliant on the learner and learning materials rather than on the teacher’s input. This strategy allows the curriculum to be translated into self-study graded learning guides, and allows learners to work at their own speed with support from the teacher and structured assessment tasks.

Moreover, Cash (2000) also identified “popular strategies for multigrade teaching” that are also suitable for the teaching of mathematics:

The individual workcard or workbook model is a set of instructional or problem based cards written out with the content to be taught in the specific lesson or topic. Learners are given the cards with instructions to work out the problems, and a learner who gets correct answers is required to pick another workcard.

Holding activities is when some children who are not in direct involvement or communication with the teacher are given something to do. This model requires a classroom assistant (employed assistant or adult employee from the community or a class monitor) who will look after the learners that are not in direct communication with the teacher. This is when it is correct to use the community members to assist in the teaching of multigrade class.

The staggered approach is used when the teacher teaches the first group of learners and gives them an activity before he/ she starts teaching the second group. The teaching may involve the introduction of a mathematical concept. When the concept is mastered, learners are given activities to complete while the teacher is teaching the second group of learners where he/she will present another mathematical concept. The teacher will keep on shifting his/ her attention depending on the need of the individual class groups or individual learners.

Differentiated direct teaching which begins with revision of previous work, a common introduction or quizzes which motivate children’s thinking and using the mathematical concepts and skills they will need for the lesson. The aim of the lesson is explained and the work is introduced through direct teaching with examples. The learners are involved by asking them questions and they are given chances to practice the use of the introduced concepts. The teacher visits individuals or groups to facilitate learning. The lesson will be concluded by asking learners to discuss what they have learned.

In my view, the strategies identified by Cash (2000) elaborated the learner–material centred strategy. However, Cash (2000) indicated that covering all multigrade teaching models is not important. Some models are very demanding in terms of preparation time, while others require additional human capacity. The staggered start is seen as a successful model for teaching mathematics in a multigrade setting but it requires good lesson planning and preparation. According to Kyriacou (1991, p. 27) “planning and preparation go hand in hand and many planning decisions are taken when preparation is going on”. But the work card model poses a rather demanding role for the teacher because he/she has to write all the instructions or questions with different High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS).

In addition to the above mentioned strategies, both Little (1994); Little (2001) highlighted three approaches of timetabling multigrade lessons as:

• Common timetable which involves teaching the same subject to all grades at the same time. It requires the teaching of a common topic, but recognizing the basic competencies of individual grades.

• Subject stagers which involve the teaching of two different subjects which have no relationship in basic competencies. E.g. teaching mathematics and religious education • Subject grouping. This is the teaching of basic competencies that are related to each

other from different grades and different subjects.

The Namibian Education Department has adopted these approaches in addition to the integrated day, the strategy in which learners are given permission to decide on the content they would like to learn provided that they inform the teacher who will assist them to identify the basic competencies. (Namibia. MoE, 2007b). These approaches can be used with various teaching strategies in multigrade classrooms such as individual learning, whole class teaching, small group teaching, peer group and self study. Little (1995) sees the last two as the mostly associated with multigrade teaching.

Most of Namibian schools seemed to follow the quasi monograde system with common timetable. This resulted from the lack of teaching and learning materials (because multigrade schools are rarely supplied with sufficient materials) as well as the lack of preparations of multigrade teachers (Namibia, MoE, 2009). The grade specific syllabus and the arrangement of basic competencies in the mathematics syllabus can also motivate teachers to practice this strategy. Moreover, the inflexibility in the Namibian school timetables can cause teachers not to use approaches other than the common timetable because teachers are mostly guided by the monograde timetables which are set in schools.

Despite the above-mentioned approaches and strategies, Miller (1991b, p. 3) noted that “the classroom organization, classroom management and discipline, instructional organization and curriculum, instructional delivery and grouping, self directed learning and peer tutoring as

instructional dimensions” can also affect successful teaching in a good multigrade classroom. However, (Cash, 2000) alluded:

Those who are in the business of education are there . . . to ensure that every child receives an education of the highest possible standard, regardless of gender, religion or social position. And regardless . . . that they . . . live in poor, rural communities where multi-grade teaching is necessary because of a lack of teaching staff (p. 6).

Multigrade teachers need additional and specific resource support in order to cope with the daunting task of teaching combined grades at the same time. According to Leshem (2005) “When ... teachers enter the multigrade classrooms, they are faced with instant and immediate situations that turn into need-driven and CPD” (p. 12). Even though, teachers need to know the core of educational practices which has to do with,

How teachers understand the nature of knowledge and the student’s role in learning, and how these ideas about knowledge and learning are manifested in teaching and classwork. The “core” also includes structural arrangements of schools, such as the physical layout of classrooms, student grouping practices, teachers’ responsibilities for groups of students, and relations among teachers in their work with students, as well as processes for assessing student learning and communicating it to students, parents, administrators, and other interested parties

(Elmore cited in Benveniste & McEwan, 2000, p. 35)

Based on the above assertion, mathematics teachers need to deliver effective lessons in whatever situation they find themselves. They need to be creative and innovative in producing their own materials (Namibia. MEC, 1993).

Mathematics, a practical subject, needs to be taught properly in multigrade classes. The subject is perceived to be difficult by many learners. But its success depends on the great effort which learners need to put into doing homework, class work and preparation for tests. Many times learners are grouped in mathematics lessons, but the method of teaching used is more teacher- centred. Lack of resources also contributes to the failure to do “self-instructional learning guides in mathematics” (Benveniste & McEwan, 2000, p. 36). Even though, Birch & Lally (1995, p. 10)

clearly state that “apart from the professional teacher, several other teachers for Multigrade Teaching can be identified”. These can be:

• Para-professional teachers such as monitors to assist the teacher, particularly when the former are drawn from the local community;

• Peer teachers using the capacity of children to teach each other is a rich resource to be used; and

• Community members and parents who can also be utilised positively in the teaching process, which also incidentally binds the community and school more closely.

In Namibia, some teachers are not qualified to teach, but they are teaching multigrade classes to assist the learners in their community. Note that multigrade classes exist mostly in poor and disadvantaged communities where people have less finances. Thus, although the Ministry of Education and some NGOs have been assisting these schools in terms of subsiding the teachers’ salaries, the community members still cannot afford to employ additional teachers due to the lack of finances.