Using Diverse Teaching Approaches in Mixed Ability Classes

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to propose a method for teaching English in mixed-ability classrooms, drawing from my own teaching experience. This method emphasizes a simultaneous focus on both the syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations of language. Although memorizing long lists of new words and learning grammatical rules can be tedious, they are essential components of language learning. With a limited amount of time available for learners to grasp these concepts, reading texts are divided into syntagms at the phrasal level to facilitate learning. As a pre-reading activity, students receive lists of these syntagms along with their meanings in their native language. Utilizing the native language helps create a supportive environment where students can build self-esteem while engaging with the foreign language. This list is reviewed and partially memorized in a session to ensure that students are comfortable with pronunciation and grammatical relations within segments. The teacher's personality is also crucial in this process, as the human element is central to all linguistic activities.