The Case For Mixed-ability Classes — IELTS Reading Answers

The writer describes the Romeo and Juliet lesson in order to demonstrate

1. Ahow few students are interested in literature.
2. Bhow a teacher handles a range of learning needs.correct
3. Chow unsuitable Shakespeare is for most teenagers.
4. Dhow weaker students can disrupt their classmates’ learning.

“He’s given some of the students copies of No Fear Shakespeare, a kid-friendly translation of the original. For three students, even these literacy demands are beyond them. Another girl simply can’t focus and he gives her pens and paper to draw with.”

The Romeo and Juliet scene shows the teacher giving different texts, drawing materials and questions to different students, handling a range of learning needs, so B.

What does the writer say about streaming in the third paragraph?

1. AIt has a very broad appeal.correct
2. BIt favours cleverer students.
3. CIt is relatively simple to implement.
4. DIt works better in some schools than others.

“The practice is intuitively appealing to almost every stakeholder.”

The third paragraph says 'The practice is intuitively appealing to almost every stakeholder', which means streaming has very broad appeal, so A.

What idea is suggested by the reference to Mount Qomolangma in the fifth paragraph?

1. Astudents following unsuitable paths
2. Bstudents attempting interesting tasks
3. Cstudents not achieving their full potentialcorrect
4. Dstudents not being aware of their limitations

“The brightest ones will never summit Mount Qomolangma,”

'The brightest ones will never summit Mount Qomolangma' implies that even able students fail to reach their full potential, so C.

What does the word ‘scaffolding’ in the sixth paragraph refer to?

1. Athe factors which prevent a student from learning effectively
2. Bthe environment where most of a student’s learning takes place
3. Cthe assistance given to a student in their initial stages of learningcorrect
4. Dthe setting of appropriate learning targets for a student’s aptitude

“The purpose of teaching is to provide and then gradually remove this ‘scaffolding’ until they are autonomous.”

Teaching provides 'scaffolding' and then 'gradually remove[s]' it 'until they are autonomous', that is, assistance given in the early stages, so C.

“‘tracking has minimal effects on learning outcomes’.”

The gap needs the reported finding on setting; the quotation 'tracking has minimal effects on learning outcomes' supplies it, so H.

“What is more, streaming appears to significantly – and negatively – affect those students assigned to the lowest sets.”

The gap needs the effect on low-set students; streaming 'significantly - and negatively - affect[s] those students assigned to the lowest sets', so D.

“These students tend to have much higher representation of low socioeconomic class.”

The gap concerns who is over-represented in low sets; such students have 'much higher representation of low socioeconomic class', so F.

“Less significant is the small benefit for those lucky clever students in the higher sets.”

The gap needs the small upside of setting; only 'the small benefit for those lucky clever students in the higher sets' is noted, so E.

“Streaming students by diagnosed achievement automatically limits what the teacher feels the student is capable of”

The gap needs the consequence for teachers' expectations; streaming 'limits what the teacher feels the student is capable of', so B.

The Vygotsky model of education supports the concept of a mixed-ability class.

“If we accept this model, it follows that streaming students with similar ZPDs would be an efficient and effective solution.”

Vygotsky's model leads the writer to say that 'streaming students with similar ZPDs would be an efficient and effective solution', which opposes mixed-ability classes, so NO.

Some teachers are uncertain about allowing students to take on MKO roles in the classroom.

“While teachers are traditionally the MKOs in classrooms, the value of knowledgeable student peers must not go unrecognised either.”

The text affirms the value of 'knowledgeable student peers' as MKOs but never reports any teacher uncertainty about allowing that, so NOT GIVEN.

It can be rewarding to teach knowledge which you have only recently acquired.

“There is also something exciting about passing on skills and knowledge that you yourself have just mastered”

'something exciting about passing on skills and knowledge that you yourself have just mastered' endorses the reward of recently acquired knowledge, so YES.

The priority should be to ensure that the highest-achieving students attain their goals.

“And today, more than ever, we need the many to flourish – not suffer at the expense of a few bright stars.”

The writer wants 'the many to flourish - not suffer at the expense of a few bright stars', rejecting priority for top achievers, so NO.

Taking part in collaborative outdoor activities with teachers and classmates can improve student outcomes in the classroom.

“Once a year, I go on a hike with my class, a mixed bunch of students. It is challenging. The fittest students realise they need to encourage the reluctant. There are lookouts who report back, and extra items to carry for others. We make it – together.”

The hike illustrates cooperation and mutual help, but the passage never claims that outdoor activity improves classroom outcomes, so NOT GIVEN.