A short discussion about Multi-grade teaching.

1. Multigrade Teaching
INTRODUCTION

2. What is multigrade teaching ?
 ‘Multi’ means plenty, many, or more than one.
The word ‘grade’ means level. Multigrade,
therefore, means many grades.
 Multigrade teaching is a situation in which one
teacher has to teach many grades, all at the same
time. It happens in all schools where there are
more grades than teachers.

3. What is multigrade teaching?
Some multigrade teachers may teach two grades,
but some teach three or four grades. In very small
schools, teachers may teach six or seven grades at
the same time under one roof. In the traditional
single-grade teaching, or monograde as it is
sometimes called, the teacher teaches only one
grade.
 The learners in each grade are usually of the
same age but may differ in abilities.

4. Factors Contributing to the
establishment of Multigrade
Teaching.
 Cultural factors
 Socio-economic
factors
 Benefits of multigrade
teaching
 Richer learning
environment
 Greater community
involvement.
Development of health
competition
 Greater understanding
between learners and
educators.

5. Multigrade teaching in the classroom.

6. Challenges of Multigrade Teaching and
ways to overcome them.

7. Challenges of Multigrade Teaching
and ways to overcome them.
 The curriculum
 Planning for delivery
 Attitude
 Isolation Due to the
Geographical Location
 Disadvantaged Local
Environment
 Learners at different
learning levels
 Teacher frustration
 The physical space

8. Teacher support for Multigrade
Teaching
Self-directed professional growth or
development should be encouraged by
providing distance education material at
resource centers.
 Materials should be given to small schools.

9. Teacher support for Multigrade
Teaching
 Education officers should visit these small schools regularly,
not to inspect but to advise.
 Teachers who have taught at multigrade schools should be
considered for promotion.
Community Support
The school is part of the community and the school is
established to serve the children of the community. Some
parents in the community may not have had much schooling,
but they have experience, and many have skills that can be
relevant to the school curriculum.

10. Teacher support for Multigrade
Teaching
•Organize parent-teacher meetings (PTM).
• Discuss with the community when and how it can
help.
• Establish good relationships and be willing to
cooperate with parents and the entire community.
• Ask the community to identify the parents who
are capable and willing to help.

11. Teacher support for Multigrade
Teaching
• Recognize that parents have their own work. Do not
always expect them to be available when you need
them. Plan ahead. Develop a good communication
system. Remind those who promised to help.
• Always make arrangements in advance if you need the
community’s help.
• Allow parents to have access to the school facilities. For
example, they may want to use the school for a meeting
or to hold church services.
• Show appreciation and encouragement. Always thank
parents for their help.

12. Teacher support for Multigrade
Teaching
• Resources
a. adequate classroom space,
b. portable chalkboard,
c. printed materials,
d. classroom library or reading corner,
e. electronic resources, and
f. other instructional resources.

13. Teacher support for Multigrade
Teaching
• Space
Multigrade teaching requires spacious classrooms so
that learners can move and interact freely without
disturbing one another. The classroom should be protected
from wind and rain. When the weather is suitable, learners
can also be taught outside the classroom.