Mixed Ability and the Task-Based Temptation
Ben teaches a 50-minute general English lesson to 14 adults whose levels range from A2 to B2. The topic is complaining in a hotel. The coursebook presents six fixed phrases, such as ‘I’m afraid there’s a problem with…’, through a model dialogue and then a role-play. A diagnostic role-play shows that six learners already use a range of complaint strategies fluently; five can produce only ‘This room is bad’; three are silent. Ben has one classroom, no teaching assistant, and a set of blank cards. The Director of Studies wants evidence of differentiation in the lesson plan and in the observed lesson next week. Ben is torn between PPP and a task-based cycle. The lesson aim in the scheme of work is ‘learn functional language for complaints’, and the coursebook page must be covered by the end of the week.
1. Which approach would you choose: PPP, a task-based cycle, or something else? Justify the choice.
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Choice. Neither pure PPP nor pure TBLT. PPP would fail the six fluent learners, who do not need six phrases presented as new. TBLT without support would leave the five low-level learners silent and the three silent learners further behind. A task-supported cycle is better: a short diagnostic task, noticing from the model dialogue, then a differentiated task with tiered support.
Why it fits. It fits 50 minutes, needs no teaching assistant, and gives the DoS evidence of differentiation. The aim should be functional: learners can make and respond to a hotel complaint, with accuracy secondary to communicative success. The model dialogue is useful as a noticing text, not as a script to drill. The cards can carry the differentiation: phrase bank and frames for A2, situation only for B1, a difficult-customer twist for B2.
What to avoid. Avoid presenting all six phrases to the whole class as new language. Avoid permanent strong/weak groups. Avoid a role-play that simply asks everyone to reproduce the dialogue, because that would give the strong learners nothing to get their teeth into.
2. Design the 50-minute lesson with differentiation.
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Plan. 5 min: pairs role-play a hotel complaint with no input; teacher notes. 8 min: read the model dialogue and highlight two useful strategies, not six phrases. 5 min: regroup by task card. 15 min: task cycle - A2 cards with phrase bank and sentence frames; B1 cards with bullet points; B2 cards with a customer who refuses the first offer and a requirement to negotiate. 8 min: repeat the task with a new partner and a different card, so learners can improve. 7 min: feedback on two or three emergent utterances; board corrections. 2 min: exit ticket - one sentence they would use.
Differentiation. Differentiation is by support and task demand, not by permanent groups. The strong learners are not given extra grammar; they are given a more demanding communicative job. The low-level learners get language support that lets them participate immediately. The silent learners are placed in a supported pair in the first task cycle, not left to volunteer.
Coverage. The coursebook page is covered through the model dialogue and the complaint scenario, but not by marching through all six phrases. That is a defensible adaptation because the aim is functional, and the diagnostic shows the phrases are not equally new to everyone.
3. How would you assess whether the aim was met?
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Success criteria. The learner makes a complaint, gives a reason, and responds to a solution; uses at least two strategies; adjusts register. I would assess through observation during the second task, with a simple tick sheet, and through the exit ticket. I would not use a written gap-fill, which would not tell me whether they can complain.
Evidence for the DoS. Show the tiered cards, the observation notes and two examples of learner output. The evidence should show that the low-level learners spoke and the strong learners were stretched, not just that the lesson was busy.
Limitations. One lesson is not enough to assess functional language. I would repeat a similar task in the next lesson with different cards and compare. If the low-level learners still rely on one phrase, the next step is more focused noticing, not more role-play. If the strong learners dominate, I would change the grouping rather than the task.