I am here to ask for your help again, please bare with the length of my post.

In my new class I have 10 students (12-15 year olds) with three distinguished levels: beginners (with VERY-VERY limited English), elementary and lower pre-intermidiate. 

The bottom group basically requires constant support as they cannot work by themselves at all simply because they �re unable to read yet. The top group needs challenging work that has to be FUN as well otherwise they get bored too soon. At the moment I prepare three lots of work for each lesson a day (I have them 3-4 times a day) and it seems exhausting. I simply cannot talk to the whole class cause some of them don �t understand what I am saying and some of them go bananas because they need challenging work. Discipline is the major issue in this class where kids throw chairs, storm out of the classroom, etc. if they are unhappy... 

I don �t want to sound that I am here just to complain, my question is: Is there any other way to work in this circumstances? Or do I always have to prepare 3 lots of work for each class? I have to follow the English course for Grade 7 in Chinese schools, so there is no much room for fun projects. Pairing up top and bottom abilities kids didn �t really work because of the discipline issues.

ANY IDEAS PLEASE??? Maybe something involved the outdoor lessons?

 

I agree with you per7; I think most of your energy should go to the middle level and try to adapt the lessons up for your top students and down for your true beginners. As an example, let �s say that you need to teach present continuous. You teach the lesson as planned to the middle group, you concentrate on the letters and phonics with your beginners, and ask your top group to make questions and make sentences negative. Bring the class together with charades. You might accept different answers as correct: beginners only need the correct verb, middle group needs a complete sentence with present continuous, and the top group may need to ask a question or include an adverb of frequency.

 

If you have to teach the three levels of students from different curricula, you have a bigger problem because you will continue to need three different lessons.

 

You may need to take elderberrywine �s suggestion of rewards for good behavior. You might even explain the situation to your class and ask for their suggestions as to what to do. Perhaps the class can draw up a behavior contract that they are willing to live up to. They �re teenagers, not kindergarteners. It won �t hurt for them to start disciplining themselves.

 

I �m in a similar but not as extreme situation; only two levels with adults, and they have overlapping but different curricula. I try to make sure that both groups have work to do, but I don �t mind if they listen in on the other class �s lesson. I also teach together whenever possible.

 

If all else fails, talk to your boss and explain what you �ve already tried. Maybe you can get some separate time with your beginners. Good luck!