STIR Education

Micro-Innovations
that raise results

MIXED
MIXED ABILITY
ABILITY
GROUPING
 FOCUS: LEARNING AND STUDENT SUCCESS

MIXED ABILITY GROUPING

CHITRA KASHYAP AND ANJUMAN
ISLAM - GANGOTRI PUBLIC SCHOOL
STIR EDUCATION
At STIR Education, our belief is that the best way to improve the Anjuman teaches English and Chitra teaches Hindi at Gangotri
quality of education is to empower teachers and principals. As the Public School. Both teachers believe strongly in the need for teachers
people closest to the challenges of providing all children a high to collaborate and cooperate with each other and in the need for
quality education, teachers and principals are uniquely placed to teachers to support each other to try new ideas.
lead change in the education system.
Gangotri Public School is located in Brahmapuri in Seelampur, a slum
STIR has two very simple ideas about how to do this: community in East Delhi. 800 students attend the school and pay
1. By identifying the teachers and principals who have created fees of Rs500 per month. The majority of students are first generation
successful, innovative practices – what we call ‘micro-innovations’ learners and the teachers at Gangotri are committed to providing
to improve education in their schools and recognising their them with an education that significantly improves their life chances.
efforts publicly.
2. By creating an ecosystem that enables those micro-innovations
Anjuman working closely
to be shared with other teachers and schools – through partner
organisations and teacher networks – and that encourages
and inspires the development of additional micro-innovations
By identifying teachers’ innovations and building the STIR
network of teachers – what will become India’s most creative
community of teachers - our aim is to improve the quality
of education for over 1 million children in the next three years.
This guide introduces just five of our micro-innovations:
We hope that it inspires you to introduce a similar idea in your
classroom, to share your own micro-innovations with STIR and
to join the STIR network of innovative educators!
 Chitra and Anjuman
DO THESE CHALLENGES developed a
SOUND FAMILIAR?
SOLUTION
that

BUILDS on the
LEARNING
of more
ABLE STUDENTS
by giving them
OPPORTUNITIES
to
HOW CAN I TEACH A LARGE CLASS OF SUPPORT
MIXED ABILITY STUDENTS? the less able.
Chitra and Anjuman managed to keep all students learning by
organising the students in their classes into small, mixed groups of high CHITRA AND ANJUMAN’S SOLUTION:
and low ability students. The more able students who finished their PEER LEARNING IN MIXED ABILITY
work quickly had to wait for others to catch up; at other times, the GROUPS IN SCHOOL
lower ability children would get left behind. In both cases, students Chitra and Anjuman managed to keep all students learning by
would often vent their frustration by disturbing the rest of the class. organising the students in their classes into small, mixed groups
“We really needed a way to help all students to learn of high and low ability students. They make it the responsibility
without preventing the higher ability students from of higher-ability students to help out their peers once they have
completing the curriculum.” completed their own task. The value of this micro-innovation is that
it benefits all students – higher ability students learn and develop
their own understanding by teaching others and lower-ability
students benefit from the additional support. This micro-innovation
recognizes that students are a valuable resource for each
other and that, often, students are able to explain concepts in a way
that their peers will easily understand. help students work together
in a positive way. It does take work to help them learn to do this and
at first they may not cooperate well with each other.”
Could you introduce mixed ability groups in your Anjuman and Chitra have three key pieces of advice for teachers
classroom? How can you ensure that your brightest planning to implement mixed-ability grouping in their classrooms:
students are not getting frustrated and that your low 1. For mixed ability grouping to be really successful, it is important
ability students are not getting left behind? to put real effort into creating a culture in your classroom where
You could form students are supportive of each other and are not afraid to
mixed ability make mistakes – that is how we learn!
groups in your 2. It is really important to give students very clear guidance
classroom in and expectations about how they should work together.
exactly the same You may wish to give students special training in supporting each
way that Chitra and other; students being supported at any time must know that the
Anjuman did (see supporting students can help them with their work and answer
Step by Step guide) questions but will not do the work for them.
or you could develop
3. Make sure that it is clear to students that different students
your own system to
can be in the supporting role at different times – students
make sure that all students in you class are learning throughout
who are at a higher level in maths may be different than students
the day. Whatever you do, making the most of all the available
who are at a higher level in english.
learning time for all students is very important!

ANJUMAN AND
CHITRA’S ADVICE
Anjuman and Chitra’s innovation has
been successful because it recognises
that students are a valuable learning
resource for each other and that, often,
students are able to explain concepts in a
way that their peers will understand. Mixed
ability grouping helps students to become teachers and to develop
their understanding through having to explain it to others.
MIXED ABILITY GROUPING
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
PREPARATION AND RESOURCES REQUIRED

1. DEVELOP A SEATING PLAN Anjuman and Chitra encourage peer learning in their classrooms in
FOR THE CHILDREN IN YOUR the following way.
CLASS THAT GROUPS STUDENTS
1. Ask students to sit according to your new seating plan.
ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITY
(THIS COULD VARY DEPENDING
Think about whether students will work well together as well as
ON THE SUBJECT). IF YOU CAN, about their learning levels when putting children in groups.
USE DATA FROM TESTS TO 2. Set very clear expectations with the students such as:
SUPPORT YOU IN CREATING
THE GROUPS – THIS WILL HELP a) Be polite with peers while supporting each other to learn.
TO ENSURE A GENUINE MIX OF b) Guide your buddies with the work but do not complete their work
LEARNING LEVELS.
for them.
2. PLAN TIME INTO YOUR
c) Ask the teacher if you are both stuck! It is a good thing to ask for
LESSON PLANS FOR STUDENTS
help as long as you have thought about the problem first.
TO WORK TOGETHER AND
SUPPORT EACH OTHER. 3. Assign work to students.
4. If certain students in each
group finish the task first, they
become responsible for helping
others. However, those finishing
their own work should check it
carefully first to ensure they have completed the tasks to the
best of their ability.
5. As a teacher, you should support them, and walk around the
room monitoring student progress. Encourage students not
just with their academic work but also to work well together.
WHAT DO OTHER TEACHERS SAY?

POSITIVE BENEFITS:
“I have noticed that students are now very keen to
support each other with their learning and that those
who finish work quickly are now more fully occupied
and continue to learn through helping their buddies.”

CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME:
“It can be really tough to help students work together
in a positive way. It does take work to help them learn
to do this and at first they may not cooperate well with
each other.”