Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction
Multi-grade schools and multi-grade instructions are neither a new educational innovation

nor a recent experiment introduced by education experts. These have been adopted by over a

century, a reality based on geographical and economic necessity for many countries in the

developing world. The multi-grade approach has become an imperative in these countries,

particularly in poor, rural, and remote locations, as part of broader efforts to widen and improve

access to quality education for all.

The Philippine has embraced the multi-grade schooling approach subscribing to internal

research findings that multi-grade schooling is a cost-effective means of raising participation rates

and student achievement in poor, remote areas. It believes in the potential of the approach to bring

education closer to remote and marginalized communities. Thus, multi-grade schools in the

Philippines have increased in number and organization over the past decades. Multi-grade schools

have become an integral part of the Philippine education scene, making a real and significant

contribution of the country to the Education for All (EFA) goals of access and equity. As of 2016,

close to a third of the public elementary schools in the country have some form of multi-grade

instruction. Issues and challenges have emerged as consequences of rapid growth (SEAMEO

INNOTECH, 2016).

One of the challenges that the country is facing is the fact that there are some areas where

enrolment is low and there is a lack of teachers making it necessary for different grade levels to be

combined. Thus, in areas that are isolated and sparsely populated, geographically inaccessible, or

deficient in educational resources, multi-grade classes have been adopted as a strategy to ensure

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Education for All (EFA). As of the current year, there are about 37, 697 public elementary schools

and 12,225 of these or 32% are multi-grade in nature (Villalino, 2016).

Research shows that aside from providing access, multi-grade instruction delivers the same

kind of education as monograde classes and in some cases, improves the effectiveness of education

delivery and contributes to the social development of pupils (Little, 2017).

For multi-grade schools to perform better and therefore improve learning outcomes, the

curriculum should be made more relevant and responsive to the abilities of the learners. Classroom

management such as appropriate group techniques with appropriate teacher training will enhance

learning. To specifically address the needs of multi-grade schools in the country, it is necessary to

conduct a research.

The organization of multi-grade classes is an answer to the problem on access to education

for children in the remote and isolated villages the country. Multi-grade teachers are key factors

in providing meaningful learning experiences in these classes in order to sustain pupil’s interest

and to make learning more effective.

It is obvious that a combined class of pupils differs a lot from the conventional type of a

pupils class of a single grade. That means that the way that the students of the multi-grade class

should be taught must be different as well. It is true that the function of the teacher in the multi-

grade classroom is multidimensional or to be more accurate it is much more complicated and

demanding than the role of the teacher in the monograde school respectively.

The main function of the multi-grade teacher is to teach pupils by imparting knowledge

not just follow a curriculum. Teacher must be able to develop skills and inculcate desirable values

and attitudes among pupils. The teacher is expected to be versatile and utilize different strategies

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to make learning meaningful and effective for all learners in his or her classroom, no matter what

individual differences may exist among the learners.

The Schools Division of Marinduque is one the divisions in the MIMAROPA region that

cater multi-grade classes, especially in selected far-flung areas with very limited population of

school children. This is the division’s respond also to the mandate of the EFA. However, meeting

the demands of the EFA is not that easy. There are some challenges that teachers face in handling

multi-grade classes. As it has been observed, handling two or more classes at the same time is too

difficult for a teacher, thus, it is expected that they have challenges endure in teaching.

With this background, the researcher, as one of the multi-grade teachers in the Schools

Division of Marinduque would like to conduct a research to find out the challenges faced by the

multi-grade teachers. Results will yield to crafting a position paper for the welfare of the multi-

grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduque.

Statement of the Problem

This research aims to investigate the challenges encountered by the multi-grade teachers

in handling multi-grade classes in the Schools Division of Marinduque.

Specifically, it seeks answers to the following questions:

1. What is the profile of multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduque in

terms of:

1.1 age;

1.2 gender;

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 1.3 geographical location of the school station of the teacher;

1.4 highest educational qualification;

1.5 number of years handling multi-grade classes;

1.6 type of multi-grade classes handled;

1.7 number of multi-grade classes handled; and

1.8 type training attended related to multi-grade teaching?

2. What are the challenges encountered by the multi-grade teachers in terms of the

following:

2.1.classroom instructional preparation and management;

2.2.teaching pedagogies;

2.3. evaluation of instruction;

2.4. preparation and utilization of instructional materials;

2.5. school-community relations;

2.6. time management; and

2.7. homeroom guidance?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile and the challenges encountered

by the multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduque?

4. What are the remedial measures provided by the multi-grade teachers to address the

challenges?

5. How effective are the remedial measures provided by the multi-grade teachers in

addressing the challenges?

6. What policy formulation can be crafted to address the challenges and improve the

profile of the multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduque?

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Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study covers the challenges encountered by the 50 multi-grade teachers in the Schools

Division of Marinduque. The variables are limited to the profile of the multi-grade teachers in

terms of: age, gender, highest educational qualification, geographical location of the school station

of the teacher, number of years handling multi-grade classes, type of multi-grade classes handled,

number of multi-grade classes handled, and type training attended related to multi-grade teaching.

Similarly, the challenges are restricted to: classroom instructional preparation and management,

teaching pedagogies, evaluation of instruction, preparation and utilization of instructional

materials, school-community relations, time management; and homeroom guidance. In addition,

it covers the remedial measures and its effectiveness in addressing the challenges encountered by

the multi-grade teachers.

Significance of the Study

Given the underlying assumption that teaching in a multi-grade is very challenging since

it will be teaching multiple competencies in one execution, this gives sense how multi-grade

teachers manage the multi-grade class is worthy of researching for.

Specifically, it has the following significance:

The study will add to the number of studies already conducted in the past about multi-grade

teaching. The study will enable curriculum planners to identify problems with regard to multi-

grade teaching and to seek possible solutions to such problems.

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 If problems in multi-grade teaching are identified and addressed, teaching and learning in

multi-grade classes would improve.

Furthermore, the study would generate awareness and interest among other researchers. It

will open up areas for further studies.

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 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the review of literature and studies that have bearing on the present

study and are important in understanding the variables of the problems being investigated.

Multi-Grade

McEwan (2014:465) states that the MDGs specify that by 2015 children in every country

should be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. The EFA initiative promulgates a

similarly ambitious goal, with an emphasis on children in difficult circumstances, ethnic minorities

and girls. According to Brown (2010:193), in South Africa, the need for multi-grade teaching

remains essential, especially now that it is a signatory to various international conventions and the

United Nations agreement that emphasizes basic education for all. But case studies of multi-grade

teaching in South Africa point to numerous challenges in the process.

Little (cited in Brown, 2018:6), delineated what the term ‘multi-grade teaching’ means.

She refers to multi-grade teaching as the teaching of learners of different ages, grades, and abilities

in the same group. She distinguishes it from mono-grade teaching in which students within the

same grade are assumed to be similar in terms of age and ability. She also distinguishes multi-

grade teaching from multi-age within grade teaching, which occurs when there are wide variations

in age within the same grade.

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 Joubert (2015:1) refers to multi-grade teaching or multi-level teaching as the teaching of

different grade levels at the same time in the same setting, and that many terms are found in the

literature to describe multi-grade teaching. He indicates that the terms ‘combination classes’,

‘forced mixed-age classes’ and ‘forced mixed grade’ usually refer to settings arising through

necessity and the characteristics of enrolment.

According to Hargreaves, Montero, Chau, Sibli and Thanh (2014:1), multi-grade classes

are classes where one teacher has the sole responsibility for two or more grades or classes of

learners at the same time. These authors, further state that the term is broadly used to include

combination classes, multi-age classes, vertically grouped classes and family grouped classes.

Brunswic and Valerien (cited in Brown, 2018:6), state that multi-grade teaching is a situation

where a single teacher is responsible for pupils of various ages spread over several grades, and

who study different curricula .

Brown (2018:6) argues that multi-grade teaching does not appear to enjoy a common

interpretation among researchers and education practitioners. He indicates that for many, the

concept remains deeply contested, and this has made it difficult to build consensus about what it

means.

Motivations for Multi-Grade Teaching

Little (2014:2) states that multi-grade teaching arises through necessity or pedagogic

choice and that the description of multi-grade teaching settings in literature often fails to indicate

whether they have arisen through necessity or choice. The outline the conditions under which

multi-grade teaching arises as follows:

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 (i) Schools in areas of low population density are usually widely scattered and inaccessible

and enrolments low. Such schools may have only one or two teachers responsible for all grades;

(ii) Schools that comprise of a cluster of classrooms spread across in different locations, in

which some classes are multi-grade for the same reasons as in above and some are mono-grade.

Some teachers within the same ‘schools’ spend most of their time with multi-grade classes, some

with mono-grade classes;

(iii) Schools in areas where learners and teacher numbers are declining, and where

previously there was no mono-grade teaching;

(iv) Schools in areas of population growth and school expansion, where enrolments in the

expanding upper grades remain small and teacher numbers few;

(v) Schools in areas where parents send their children to more popular schools within

reasonable travelling distance, leading to a decline in the potential population of learners and

teachers in the less popular school;

(vi) Schools in which the number of learners admitted to a class exceeds official norms on

size, necessitating the combination of some learners from one class grade with learners from

another grade;

(vii) Mobile schools in which one teacher moves with nomadic and pastoralist learners

spanning a wide range of ages and grades;

viii) Schools in which teacher absenteeism is high and supplementary teacher arrangements

are non-effectual or non-existent;

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 (ix) Schools in which the official number of teachers deployed is sufficient to support

mono-grade teaching but the actual number deployed is less (for a variety of reasons); and

(x) Schools in which learners are organized in multi-grade rather than mono-grade groups,

and for pedagogic reasons, often as part of a more general curriculum and pedagogic reform of

educational systems.

Little points out that condition (x) above underlines a distinction between multi-grade

teaching that arises through necessity and choice. Condition (i – ix) above arise through necessity.

The necessity, which is commonly a motivation in developing countries, arises from the

characteristics of learners (i – vii) or teachers (viii – ix). Condition (x), mostly associated with

multi-grade in developed countries, is of a different nature altogether and reflects a choice made

by policymakers and/or teachers about how to change and improve the quality of pedagogy.

Brunswic and Valerien (cited in Brown, 2018:8)), theorized that when multi-grade teaching

is undertaken, it is often established as a result of necessity: often based on political or educational

rationalization. They argue that when multi-grade teaching is established for reasons of necessity,

the evidence suggests that it is motivated by geographical or demographic constraints (scattered

settlements, low population density, declining population density resulting from rural-urban

migration, schools that have a number of remote sites), or administrative or pedagogical problems

(absenteeism, leave or lack of teachers, insufficient numbers of students at higher grades,

competition between schools that are seen by parents as being of unequal quality).

Brunswic and Valerien (cited in Brown, 2018:8) further argue that, when multi-grade

teaching is established for political reasons, it is motivated by regional development and efforts to

stop the migration to the cities, that is, the desire to maintain a school site in a given locality. They

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further argue that when the choice is made for educational reasons, it is made by innovative

teachers, regardless of the status or type of the school.

Multi-grade classes and schools in the rural areas of industrialized countries arise largely

through necessity rather than choice. Accounts of and research on multi-grade teaching in rural

areas are available for several industrialized countries. These include Australia (Young, 2006),

Canada (Mulcahy, 2003 & Daniel, 2008), England (Galton & Patrick, 2010), Finland (Laukkanen

& Selventoinen, 2008), New Zealand (Draisey & Ewing, 2000), USA (Miller, 2001, 2002 & Prat,

2003; Little, 2014:489).

Accordingly, in developed countries such as USA, Canada, England, Finland, the

Netherlands and Sweden, where studies of mono-grade and multi-grade teaching have been carried

out, the majority of learners enter school at an official school entry age and move through grades

without repetition. Hence the ‘age’ and ‘grade’ identities of students converge to a common entity.

Furthermore, Little (2011) singled out Finland as a country in which innovations in the teaching

and curriculum strategies developed in multi-grade schools making it a fertile ground for the

development of ideas applicable in mono-grade schools.

Birch and Lally (cited in Little, 2014:485) are of the view that in Victoria, one of

Australia’s most populous states, policy makers decided that schools would employ multi-grade

teaching during the first three years of primary schooling, in the belief that it is the best form of

education for children.

Little (2014:490) further argues that, although the vast majority of multi-grade classes in

the education system of developed countries are located in rural settings, it does not mean that

children, their teachers, their parents and their schools and communities are disadvantaged

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socially, educationally and economically. Rural schools in industrialized countries generally have

adequate resources.

Multi-grade Teaching in Developing Countries

In many developing countries, the term multi-grade nearly always refers to classes where

grades have been combined for reasons of necessity rather than pedagogical choice. In the

developing world context, the emphasis on the word ‘multi-grade’ is on the word grade, in that

children are often grouped according to the grade they have reached in terms of curriculum and

syllabus coverage (Hargreaves, Montero, Chau, Sibli & Thanh, 2011:499).

Hargreaves et al. (2011:499) reviewed multi-grade teaching in three developing countries,

namely Peru, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. They describe the context of multi-grade teaching in each

of these countries. In Peru, multi-grade schools offer basic primary education and are the most

common form of site for children who are dispersed throughout the country side, or for settlements

with few children of school age. It is by means of multi-grade schools that the state is able to offer

educational opportunities for the most isolated, poor and predominantly indigenous populations.

Consequently, multi-grade teaching is closely associated with an impoverished and poor

educational service, with deficient resources as well as lack of capacity to promote learning. Peru

has about 21,500 primary multi-grade schools, 96% of which are located in rural areas.

In Sri Lanka, multi-grade schools tend to serve rural and plantation schools where children

from poor socio-economic backgrounds form the clientele. The existence of multi-grade schools

is explained as follows:

Decentralisation of education has resulted in a network of schools which reaches out to the

remotest areas of the country. However, due to low density of access and socio-economic

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parameters, which characterised under privileged groups, schools in some locations tend to be

small with low enrolments. In these schools, a single teacher has to manage a number of classes

which are often in the primary cycle, but sometimes the classes extend beyond primary (MEHE,

1986: Extract from Developing Multi-grade and Multilevel Teaching, Abhayadeva, 1989:1).

In Vietnam, multi-grade education is one successful way of providing primary education

to those children who are disadvantaged by living in remote and difficult geographical areas. It is

also economical in terms of teachers, thus, suiting the situation in Vietnam where there is a

shortage of teachers. There are four types of schools in Vietnam, namely day schools, satellite

schools, boarding schools and semi-boarding schools. Satellite schools are multi-grade schools

which serve pupils from several villages where pupil numbers are too low to warrant one school

per village and too low to warrant one teacher per grade.

Multi-Grade Education
Multi-grade education is one of the measures instituted to realize the global commitment

of 164 UN members to make education available and accessible to all (United Nations Education

Scientific and Cultural Organization (2015). This school system is combining two to three grade

levels in one class because the enrollees are few and is often carried out in remote villages (Sabian,

2013). This school system is intended for children in far flung areas. Teachers go to the remote

communities to ensure that education is accessible to all children.

Multi-grade teaching offers advantages aside from its main purpose of making education

accessible to the remote villages. Some of the benefits are opportunities for re-teaching becomes

real since teachers handle small number of pupils compared to regular schools; academic, physical,

and social competition between peers is reduced since cooperation is more emphasized rather than

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competition; older students have the opportunity to teach younger ones so they become more

responsible; longer time spent by the same teachers with students increases more trust,

understanding and positive relationships; and teachers could spend more time with the children

after classes since most teachers have to live in the place of their work over the period of classes

(Word Press, 2013).

On the other hand, MGT has disadvantages. These include more discipline, greater

concentration, and more focus in order to benefit from peer teaching, group work and self-directed

learning; less reliance on direct supervision by teachers; requires more initiative and

resourcefulness to function effectively; and students may have less trained teachers who may not

fully transfer the basic literacy expectations from the students. In addition, preparation of 11 to 12

lesson plans a day, preparation of multi-level instructional materials, lack of college training and

background in the multi-grade classes, lack of seminars, trainings and workshops, lack of

appropriate incentives and proper recognition, lack of interest and positive attitudes of teachers

and school administrators on multi-grade teaching, inconsistent monitoring and instructional

supervision of school heads, inadequate school facilities and supplies, location, status and

condition of the school site and lack of active parent and community participation are also

additional problems in multi-grade teaching (Vicente, 2014).

The strengths and weaknesses of MGT in Kalangala District, Uganda were analyzed. The

study found that low enrolment, fully sensitized key stakeholders, big-sized classrooms and an

adequate supply of teachers were favorable to the successful introduction of MGT in a school and

teachers had to be adequately trained, supplied with relevant instructional materials,

implementation guidelines and appropriate furniture for them to successfully implement MGT.

Furthermore, the study established that MGT has advantages over Mono-grade teaching but MGT

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has weaknesses in itself and in the way it was introduced; and that for perfect implementation,

certain issues needed to be addressed (Kazibwe, 2014).

MGT demands for both the capacity and will of all the stakeholders especially the teachers

(Miller, 2012). For success of MGT system, Hargreaves (2013) suggested needed training,

guidance that teachers must undergo adequate training. Moreover, Little (2014) also suggested that

knowledge of multi-grade teaching strategies is needed by all teachers and not simply those in

classes designated as multi-grade.

Several studies on MGT were also conducted in the Philippines, Ramos (2011), showed

that handling multi-grade classes was hardly manageable. Classrooms were sub-standard; school

furniture and textbooks were described not enough while school equipment and instructional tools

and devices were none at all. Pupils from Multi-grade classes excelled in mathematics and

performed fairly in other subjects. Fifty percent of the teachers had no seminar in Multi-grade

teaching. The administrative support on instruction development and instructional materials

development were only satisfactory. No less than the Undersecretary of Education in the

Philippines, Armin Luistro promised that there will be investments on trainings for teachers,

curriculum planning and development, and preparation of learning materials (Ramos, 2011).

Another study by Polvorido (2011) recommended that for MGT to be successful, (1) a

formal form of a flexible/varied class program showing the modified sequence and time allotment

of learning areas should be utilized; (2) integrative of subjects must be provided across grade levels

considering the commonality in skills to be developed, on the integrative threads; (3) Multi-grade

Instructional Package [MIP] for multi-grade teachers and Self-Instructional Multi-Level Materials

[MLM] should be provided for multi-grade pupils; (4) in-Service Trainings for multi-grade

teachers and district supervisors / administrators in multi-grade program should be conducted for

15
proper implementation and evaluation of such program; (5) Utilization of the Proposed Daily

Lesson Planning Program Form; (6) Specific curriculum for multi-grade classes; (7) Educational

institutions offering BEED courses should include in their curriculum specific training for such

multi-grade classes situation, also they should practically exposed to situation during their student

teaching internship; and (8) Additional compensation due to multi-grade classes should be given

priority attention and (9) allocation of items for Mastered teacher in multi-grade classes.

Positive Outcomes and Drawbacks of Multi-grade Teaching

Multi-grade teaching in these countries has been used to overcome the problems of

graded teaching and with the belief that MGT can have the following positive outcomes:

• It can enhance independent learning

• It encourages teachers to adopt pupil-centred approaches to teaching.

• It facilitates revision of materials covered in earlier grades.

• It increases pupil interaction.

• It provides opportunity to slow learners to make progress in his/her learning in his/her

own pace of growth.

• It utilizes the concept of monitoring and peer tutoring to assist the teachers.

• It also promotes group learning.

In spite of the above positive outcomes and pedagogical benefits, some drawbacks are

also observed as the following:

• There is the possibility of low student achievement in MGT schools if MGT programmes

are not supported with required resources and properly trained teachers.

• These programmes demand teachers’ more time and organizational capabilities.

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 • Teachers need intensive training with special focus on instructional materials.

• Students may receive less individual attention, and must often work independently.

Multi-grade Classroom

The multi-grade classroom can be more of a challenge than the single-grade classrooms.

Skills and behavior required of the teacher may be different, and coordinating activities can be

more difficult. A study of UNESCO in 2015 (Practical Tips in Teaching Multi-grade classes) cited

Ten Major lessons that are useful as a multi-grade teacher, in ensuring the best quality learning the

students: Understand the diversity and complexity of your students – by gender, age, family and

socio-economic background, language, ability, and special education needs – and see this diversity

not as a problem to be solved but as an opportunity to be used to produce better learning. (2.)

Personalize your teaching (and eventually your assessment methods) to respond to the different

backgrounds and learning styles/needs of each of your students. (3.) Make your classroom “child-

friendly”, especially for new students coming directly from their families to the school; this means

not only teaching what needs to be taught but also ensuring that the classroom is healthy,

welcoming, inclusive and protective of children of all different backgrounds and abilities and that

your teaching is sensitive and responsive to the needs of both boys and girls and promotes student

participation in the classroom. (4.) Adapt the standard national curriculum to both the local culture

and context and to your multi-grade situation. (5.) Be creative in Bour management of the multi-

grade classroom, arranging whole grades, mixed grades, large and small groups, pairs and space

for individual work. (6.) Be flexible in your use of time, moving from one kind of group to another

and balancing the attention you give to strong students acting as peer tutors and weaker students

needing extra attention. (7.) Be innovative in the development and reproduction of teaching and

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learning materials - use locally available resources and make them relevant to the local context

and culture. (8.) Use the students’ mother tongue as the medium of instruction, ensuring initial

literacy in that language (e.g. by Grade 3) and then, where appropriate, helping students transfer

the literacy skills in that language to the national language(s). (9.) Take advantage of whatever

resources there are around you to help you in your work – your principal/ head teacher, parents

and the local community, and other schools relatively close to your school which can form a cluster

and share useful experiences, materials and lesson plans. (10,) Master the other skills needed to

help a small, remote, often poor (and poorly-supported) school succeed. Multi-grade teaching is a

challenge in itself, but working with your teaching colleagues to make your small school “work”

requires other skills as well: making do with limited resources and trying to raise more; carrying

out a school self-assessment of its achievements and its needs and developing a school

improvement plan; mobilizing support from impoverished and often disempowered and

disinterested parents; and gaining the support of local community leaders – all of these are skills

useful in schools with multi-grade classrooms.

Veenman (2015) work is another of the often-referenced studies conducted on the topic of

multiage education. Veenman’s work synthesized the research of 38 other studies into cognitive

and non-cogitative effects on the elementary school level. His data inclusion criteria consisted of

“only studies involving explicit comparison of multi-grade and multiage classes with a single-

grade and single-age classes” (p. 326). In addition his study met a number of methodological

criteria including experimental and control groups, standard measures of academic achievement,

comparability samples, duration of multiage grouping, normality of students sampled, same level

of teacher training and equal numbers of experimental and control teachers.

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 The work of Mason and Burns (2016) is a counterpoint to Veenman’s publication. Mason

and Burns reviewed all the same studies as Veenman and came to a different conclusion based on

the contention he overlooked “selection bias, novelty effects, additional training, and other such

factors” (p. 309). Researchers looking for data and evidence regarding the multiage model are

best served reviewing the work of Veenman and Mason and Burns, which will be analyzed later

in this study most researchers and practitioners agree that successful strategies for multi-grade

teaching depend on adequate supplies of learning materials to support individual and group-based

learning. This enables teachers to spend time with some groups of learners while other learners

work alone, in pairs or in small groups. (p.16) Although having appropriate materials is imperative

for classroom success, the presence of them does not guarantee quality of learning. The materials

need to be high value and pertinent to the learning outcome. These materials are not a substitute

for effective teaching, but they do play a vital part in an integrated teaching strategy.

Teacher preparation is another vital area that needs to be properly addressed in order to

facilitate a successful multiage learning environment. According to Little’s (2014) study, multiage

teachers “generally have to rely on their training in the principles of diversity and differentiation

in coping with the demands of the multiage class.”

Instructional Strategy of MGT

Schools across countries have initiated the strategy to observe, think and write, at first

individually then in groups. For MGT programmed learning materials in the form of students’

learning guide and additional reading materials are found to be important learning corners in the

four corners of the classroom and a small school library with about 100 books including

19
dictionaries, reference books, children’s literature, books on rural development and health are

found standard facilities. Though work card and workbook strategy are highly used for teaching

in multi-grade situation, direct interaction with the children is reported to be the most effecting

strategy of teaching (Aryal, 2013).

Flexible promotion and intensive teacher training strategies are also important for MGT

situation. Both in-service and pre-service teacher-training practices are found important in

different countries. Three one-week in-service training for multi-grade teachers and several

follow-up workshops are very beneficial to the teachers teaching in MGT classes. Multi-grade

teaching components in teacher education courses and involvement of university faculty members

in teacher preparation for multi-grade teaching are adoptable experience useful for MGT strategy.

Similarly, organization of 1-5 curriculum into multi-grade curriculum with the production and use

of graded learning guides has proved to be helpful in different countries. Teaching practice in

mono-grade and multi-grade settings during training and teacher education programmes may

provide adequate exposure for multi-grade teachers. Teacher educators and supervisors are also

provided training in multi-grade teaching to develop their knowledge base in multi-grade teaching

(Neupane, 2014).

Instructional Practices in Multi-grade Classes

There are four (4) identified key instructional dimensions affecting successful multi-grade

teaching: 1.) Group strategically. This will encourage students of different backgrounds to include

each other in their work. You may then want to group students by age or grade for skill subjects

(such as reading and writing, arithmetic, and science) 2.) Prepare flexible and appropriate

materials. For grouping to be effective, materials and teaching must be varied and made

challenging to accommodate the learning needs of students with different levels of ability. Develop

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a variety of worksheets to be used with diverse groups in multi-grade classroom situations; these

could include teacher-guided activity sheets, group learning worksheets, individual practice

worksheets, and peer directed instruction sheets. 3.) Promote self-paced learning. While helping

students to perform activities together, at the same time ensure that they are allowed to move

through the curriculum at their own pace. This should help them achieve the set learning objectives

for each grade’s curriculum. 4.) Give extra attention to children with special education needs.

Ensure that students with disabilities, learning difficulties, and other needs can achieve milestones

as others do.

School and Community Involvement

Multi-grade schools are often located in remote and difficult to reach areas. They may be

far from the educational center and receive little pedagogical support (Berry & Berry 2014). The

communities in which they are located may not see the value of education, and may speak a

different language to the official one of the school. For these reasons, it is essential that the

community be involved in the life of the school. Parents can be asked to come in to act as a

resource, the curriculum of the school might extend out into the community, or the community can

be asked to support the school in other ways. Multi-grade teachers should be trained in approaches

that help to develop relations between the school and the community.

Learning and Teaching In Multi-grade Settings

Little (2014) paper prepared for the UNESCO 2015 EFA Monitoring Report described

multi-grade teaching often fail to indicate whether they have arisen through necessity or choice.

This is unfortunate since the conditions that give rise to learning and teaching in multi-grade

21
settings will themselves have an impact on the quality of the teaching-learning transactions. For

example, if the numbers of learners per class group is very large, and teacher numbers few then

parents‟ and teacher demands will, understandably be for more teachers. A description of the

conditions in which multi-grade learning and teaching settings arise is not the same as a judgment

about the conditions under which multi-grade is desirable. For example, consider a primary school

in which 100 learners are spread across 6 grades. The local education authority deploys only one

teacher. This teacher has, of necessity, to engage in multi-grade teaching. Though necessary, multi-

grade teaching is not, in this case, desirable. In a second example the local authority deploys 3

teachers, spread across six grades of 100 learners. The school divides these into 3 class groups, of

around 33 per class, each spanning two grades of curriculum. Here, multi-grade teaching may be

both necessary and desirable.

The Positive Impact of Multi-grade Teaching

Expansion of Access. Multi-grade teaching is extremely important in relation to the EFA

goal of access and the Millennium Development Goals designed to combat poverty. For millions

of children worldwide the only type of school to which they will gain access, if they gain access

at all, will be multi-graded. Economically and socially disadvantaged areas comprise

disproportionate numbers of multi-graded schools. To the extent that these children have a chance

of any schooling at all it is likely to mobile and multi-graded. (Aikman & el Haj, 2016).

Cognitive achievement effects.

Pratt (2016) reviewed 30 studies from the USA and Canada between 1983 to 2016. Multi-

grade classes spanned 2-3 years of age (Pratt, 2017). There was no general pattern in the

achievement results (usually, but not always, achievement in maths and reading). Learners in

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multi-grade classes showed higher achievement in maths and reading in ten studies, worse in five

and no difference in thirteen. Miller’s review of 21 studies in the USA confirmed the general

picture. Learners in multi-grade classes performed no better and no worse than students in

monograde classes. Veenman’s (2015) review of studies mainly from OECD countries

distinguished achievement results in different types of mono and multi-grade class – (i) multi-

grade, formed of necessity, from imbalanced or inadequate enrolments; (ii) single-grade and (iii)

multi-age, non-graded, formed for pedagogical or philosophical reasons[8]. He found no evidence

to suggest that learning in multi-grade or multi-age classes was inferior to that in monograde

classes. Mason and Burns (2017) confirmed the general picture of no consistent cognitive

achievement differences.

Social and personal learning effects.

Pratt (2016) identified 15 studies that addressed, variously, children’s friendships, self-

concepts, altruism and attitude to school. Overall, he claimed that the socio-emotional

development of learners in multi-grade groups is either accelerated or showed no difference, when

compared with learners in mono-grade groups, a conclusion confirmed in Miller’s (2016) review

of 21 studies. And in her review of studies from the US and UK, Ford (2017) reports positive and

negative findings on the reduction of anxiety levels, the maturity of friendship patterns and on

personal and social adjustment and positive findings on self-concept, self-esteem, and attitudes to

school.

Several studies focus on teachers’ perceptions of the benefits for students of learning in

multi-grade settings. A UNESCO/APEID study (2009) collated perceptions about the benefits of

multi-grade teaching from educators in twelve countries in the Asia and Pacific Region. These

included: a.); Learners develop self-study skills; b.) Learners cooperate across age groups,

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resulting in collective ethics, concern and responsibility; c.) Learners help each other; d.)Teachers

can organize both remediation and enrichment activities for low and high achievers respectively

more discreetly than in mono-grade classes.

A recent study of 47 multi-grade teachers and head teachers in an inner city area of London,

England, reported a number of positive “opportunities‟ presented by the multi-grade classroom

(Berry & Little, 2017). The most commonly mentioned (24/47) was the opportunity for „cognitive

stretching‟ of the younger, less able and lower achieving learners, expressed variously by teachers

as „stretching‟, „modelling‟, „moving on and developing‟, „extending‟, „looking up and

emulating‟. The second most commonly mentioned (13/47) was the opportunity for the use of peer

tutoring learning strategies. While such strategies are not unique to multi-grade classes, the

strategy appears to work particularly well in the multi-grade class. Unlike cognitive stretching,

which was considered a benefit mainly for the less able, the lower achieving and the younger

learner, peer tutoring was perceived to benefit all pupils, cognitively, socially and personally. More

able, higher achieving and older learners „cement‟ their learning through teaching and helping

others. The less able, lower achieving and younger learners look up to and learn from others. A

third commonly mentioned opportunity (12/47) was „behavior stretching‟, or the opportunity for

younger learners to learn appropriate social behaviors from the role models offered by older

learners.

Alongside the perceived benefits for learners must be noted the perceived challenges posed

by the multi-grade classroom for teachers. In the study of multi-grade teachers in London these

included: a.) the age-graded structure of the National Curriculum and the associated expectations

of curriculum coverage and assessment/achievement targets (24/47); b.)the range of ability of

pupils in those multi-grade classes where learners have been assigned on criteria other than ability

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homogeneity (14/47 ); c.) the pressure to prepare one group of learners within the multi-grade class

for critical public assessments (11/47) (in this case, Key Stage Tests for Years 2 and 6)

In the Peruvian Amazon multi-grade teachers perceive the monograde class as the desirable

norm; the multi-grade as the „second class‟ necessity. Teachers feel unprepared to work in multi-

grade classrooms, judge that children don’t „get the same‟ as in monograde classrooms and report

that they have insufficient educational materials to support learning in the multi-grade classroom.

The isolated and isolating conditions of work and the poverty of the communities served by multi-

grade schools reinforce teachers‟ negative attitude to the school (Ames, 2014).

Little (2014) made a study on Learning and Teaching Multi-grade Setting. The study

revealed that there is some evidence that learners in multi-grade setting may be at an advantage,

in terms of social and personal learning, over those in monograde settings; and at no disadvantage

cognitively.

Miller reviewed selected research studies of multi-grade classrooms in Canada, Finland,

eight developing nations (India, Korea, Maldives, Nepal, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and

Indonesia), and the United States[16]. Based on information about the perceptions of multi-grade

instruction of principals and teachers, the following issues are emphasized: (1) teachers need

special methods and must be well organized to teach; (2) teachers should be trained to teach multi-

grade classrooms; (3) teachers should be prepared to use cross-age tutoring; (4) social studies and

science instruction need special adaptations; (5) there is a need for teaching materials; (6) there is

a need for individualized teaching; and (7) incentive should be provided for multi-grade teachers.

Typically found in rural areas, multi-grade classes range from one-room schools spanning five or

more grades, to more typical elementary schools with combination classes of two grade levels.

Studies of instruction in multi-grade classrooms across rural America reveal that teachers use

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various methods to juggle the wide levels of student needs. Six key variables affecting successful

multi-grade teaching identified in the research were: (1) classroom organization that facilitates

student learning, independence, and interdependence; (2) classroom management and discipline

that emphasize student responsibility for their own learning; (3) instructional organization and

curriculum that allow for a maximum of cooperative and self-directed student learning; (4)

instructional delivery and grouping that improve the quality of instruction; (5) self-directed

learning strategies; and (6) peer tutoring.

Beukes (2017) emphasized that some significant negative effects on achievement

associated with multi-grade instruction. The data indicated that teachers lack management and

organizational strategies for multi-grade teaching. Effective multi-grade teaching involves the use

of a range of organizational strategies in the classroom. Curriculum, learning materials, teacher

education and assessment are necessary components of an integrated strategy for teaching and

learning. Surrounding these strategies is the need for national policies (for curriculum, materials,

teacher education and assessment) that recognize, legitimate and support learners and teachers in

multi-grade settings.

The natural varied composition of a multilevel classroom has specific advantages for

learners:

Multilevel programming recognizes that each student is at a different stage of learning and

focuses on the developmental stage of the learner; of necessity, the focus moves to individual

learning along a continuum; b.) Multilevel classrooms provide opportunities for students to gain

self-knowledge as they interact with older and younger peers; c.) Multilevel classrooms allow for

continuous progress. All learners can be challenged. d.) Multilevel classrooms provide students

with stability and an ongoing relationship with a teacher.

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Theoretical Framework of the Study

The study is guided by the theory of multi-grade teaching. It occurs in primary education

when a teacher has two teach two or more primary school student grades in the same class. More

general term and probably more accurate is that multi-grade teaching refers to the teaching of

students of different ages, grades and abilities in the same group. The multi-grade class structure

is known by various names in different countries; these include "composite" or "combination"

classes, "double" classes, "split" classes, "mixed-age" classes, "vertically grouped" classes,

"multiple classes", "family classes" or "multilevel classes". In multi-grade schools a relatively

small number of teachers try to be effective in their educational work while dealing simultaneously

with a number of pupils of different ages, educational levels and needs. It follows that for children

to learn effectively in multi-grade environments; teachers need to be well trained, well resourced,

and able to meet highly demanding teaching tasks and to hold positive attitudes to multi-grade

teaching.

Multi-grade classrooms ought to be taken seriously into account since such schools are

considered to play important role on providing access to education for all in remote, isolated and

underdeveloped rural areas. Such schools are more than a reality in primary education and very

common educational form in problematic rural areas, sparsely inhabited regions and urban areas

with adverse social conditions. In such areas multi-grade schools not only aim to give enrolment

and continuous attendance in school environments, but also to provide knowledge and pedagogy

of good standards and in addition to play a wider role in social development.

In most of the cases the multi-grade school is the only viable school formation in rural

environment and the effort should be focused on improving the teaching and learning conditions

in this school formation. Multi-grade teaching is presented as a powerful pedagogical tool for

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promoting independent and individualized learning. This kinds of teaching and learning seem to

have great advantages since the teaching programme is adjusted to the specific needs of the

individual student and thus contributes to better learning outcomes. Multi-grade school provide

the best test bench for research and investigation of the usefulness of individualised teaching since

personalised education is a basis that gives solutions at the multi-grade setting and thus is widely

adopted.

Multi-grade schools have potential and play important role as educational units in

underserved rural areas. In addition multi-grade schools could present good teaching and learning

practices useful and applicable in all kind of schools and classrooms. The unfortunate reality is

though that these schools form the most neglected part of the education system. National

educational authorities, ministries of education and pedagogical institutions most of the times do

not take into account or recognize or consider important the differentiation on the teaching and

learning conditions in the multi-grade environment. The formation of the school in multi-grade

classrooms is in most cases considered as a "necessary evil" situation that is adopted just to fulfil

the obligation of the official state for providing education for all. As far as this is the main goal of

the state, to fulfil an obligation, then much less attention is paid to provide quality education or to

support the specialized needs of the teachers working multi-grade schools. Due to the geographical

oddities, the socio-economic peculiarities and the lack of adequate school infrastructure and

personnel, these schools still remain at the education's world cut off.

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 Research Paradigm
Input Process Output

Profile of multi-grade Teachers in

the Schools Division of Marinduque
Age, gender;
geographical location
highest educational qualification;
number of years handling multi-grade
classes; type of multi-grade classes
handled; number of multi-grade
classes handled; and
type training attended related to multi-
grade teaching
Challenges Encountered
classroom instructional preparation and
management; teaching pedagogies;
evaluation of instruction; preparation
and utilization of instructional materials;
school-community relations; time
management; and homeroom guidance
Identification using Validated
Checklist and Documentation of the
Profile of Multi-grade teachers in the
Schools Division of Marinduque
Assessment using Validated
Checklist on Challenges
Encountered by the Multi-grade Proposed policy formulation to
teachers in the Schools Division of address the challenges and improve
Marinduque the profile of the multi-grade
teachers in the Schools Division of
Assessment using Validated Marinduque
Checklist on the Effectiveness of the
Remedial Measures provided to
address the Challenges
Encountered
Tabulation
Analysis
Interpretation

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Figure 1 illustrates the paradigm of the whole study following the IPO format. The inputs

are what the study survey such as the profile of the Multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division

of Marinduque in terms of age, gender, geographical location, highest educational qualification,

number of years handling multi-grade classes, type of multi-grade classes handled, number of

multi-grade classes handled, and type training attended related to multi-grade teaching. The

process includes the methods on how to collect data such as identification and documentation of

the profile, challenges, and effectiveness of the challenges encountered of the Multi-grade teachers

using validated questionnaire. Results will be presented in table, analyze, and interpreted.

Furthermore, results will yield to craft a policy regarding the enhancement of the profile and ways

29
to address the challenges encountered by the Multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of

Marinduque.

Research Hypothesis

There is no significant relationship between the profile and the challenges encountered by

the multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduque.

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 Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methods of research such as the research design, the research

locale, the population and sampling, the respondents of the study, the research instrument, the data

gathering procedure, and the data analysis or statistical treatment of the study.

Research Design

The researcher will make use of the descriptive quantitative method of research. It is

descriptive since the researcher will describe, document, tabulated, analyze and interpreted the

results of the descriptive survey related to multi-grade teaching. The researcher will use this

strategy because of the nature of the study which is meant to identify and describe profile and

challenges of the multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduque.

Research Locale

The study will be conducted in the Schools Division of Marinduque, specifically in the

nine districts namely: Boac North, Boac South, Buenavista, Gasan, Mogpog, Santa Cruz East,

Santa Cruz North, Santa Cruz South, and Torrijos where the 55 schools that offer multi-grade

teaching are located.

Population and Sampling

The study will make use of total enumeration sampling in getting the respondents of the

study. Total enumeration is best suited in this study since it covers all the population of the multi-

grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduque.

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Research Instrument

Checklist will be the primary instrument in collecting the data. This is will be subject for

validation of some research experts before its administration and distribution to the respondents.

It will contain three parts. Part 1 will be about the identification and documentation of the profile

of the multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of Marinduqe. Part 2 will be the assessment

of the challenges encountered by the multi-grade teachers. And Part 3 will be the assessment of

the effectiveness of the challenges provided to address the challenges encountered by the

respondents.

Data Gathering Procedure

Several steps will be undertaken in gathering first-hand information from the respondents.

First, permission to conduct the study will be sought from the Schools Division Superintendent.

Second, upon approval, the permit granted will be hand-carry to the Public Schools District

Supervisors for their approval to administer and distribute the validated checklist to the multi-

grade teachers in their respective districts. Third, there will be a short orientation with the

respondents to explain the reasons for conducting the research and to ensure the confidentiality of

their responses. Finally, is the retrieval of the checklist questionnaire. It will be personally

retrieved by the researcher to ensure that all questionnaires are retrieved and to ensure that

everything will be properly documented.

Data Analysis or Statistical Treatment of the Study

Some statistical treatment will be employed to process the data. For question no. 1,

descriptive statistics such as frequency count and percentage will be used to describe and identify

the profile of the multi-grade teachers in the Schools Division of Mariduque. In terms of question

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no.2, mean, weighted mean, and ranking will be used. As to question no. 3, it will employ mean

and ranking. Modified Likert scale will be used to interpret the mean results such as: 5 for Highly

Effective, 4 for Effective, 3 for Moderately Effective, 2 for Somewhat Effective, and 1 for not

effective.

In addition, it will employ t-test to test the significant relationship of the variables tested in

the research.

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