The world is rapidly changing, adjusting everything around to new realities and forms. In this dynamics, the educational process becomes especially important as it continuously evolves to meet the needs of the time. Modern pedagogical activity faces unique challenges dictated by the general education system. And one of the most pressing problems is educational multi-level diversity, which includes not only cultural and social differentiation but also the needs of students with various physical, mental, and psycho-emotional characteristics. These diverse forms of education require flexibility, attention, and the ability to individualize approach from the teacher.
The issue of educational multi-level learning concerns all general education schools, and its solution is primarily in the focus of schools with proprietary teaching programs. When entering the classroom, a teacher faces a large gap in student preparedness. While in general education schools, teachers are limited by the state curriculum framework, which doesn’t always allow for a flexible approach to each student’s needs, in the educational environment of a proprietary program, the teacher is the author of their own program and must solve the task of working effectively with students of different preparation levels. The essence of the problem is that material that would be accessible and understandable to both beginners and “experienced” students is difficult to find. This is related not only to different levels of vocabulary knowledge but also to differences in the ability to interpret and use words in various contexts, with different linguistic perceptions. The solution to the multi-level issue lies in using a differentiated approach: through various types of assignments that correspond to individual student levels, as well as adapting educational materials so that each student can work at their own pace without feeling disadvantaged or isolated from the general group. The teacher can offer adapted materials in class that correspond to each student’s level. Let’s take, for example, the works of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and his famous work “The Little Prince,” which can be used both in an adapted (abbreviated version with simplified vocabulary) and in the original translated version for different language proficiency levels. This approach allows consideration of both those who are just beginning to learn the language and those who already have more advanced preparation. I should note that today there are numerous virtual programs that can adapt text material to make it more accessible to students with different levels of preparedness. I present programs for creating and editing educational materials: Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline, and H5P, as well as other AI tools. Multi-level assignments can be used, which can be adjusted to individual student needs.
Let’s understand what educational multi-level learning is about and how it is implemented. First of all, not all students have the same motivation to study. In classes, there are often students who show great interest in the subject and strive to deepen their knowledge, and those who have no particular interest or even actively avoid studies (dislike the given language or subject). This difference in motivation and interests also presents a significant challenge for the educator. To stimulate the interest of students with different motivations, it’s important for the teacher to diversify forms and methods of teaching. The learning process should be engaging, include game elements (depending on the age of students – solving crosswords, riddles, incorporating quizzes, flash mobs into the educational process), creative assignments (essays, articles, translations), and project activities. It’s important to create conditions where each student can reveal their strengths and not fall behind the general educational flow. It’s also important to establish a connection between the studied material and real life, showing that the problems solved by the project are solved by the student themselves, that the student themselves proposes solutions to the problems they often face in their real life, in everyday situations. It’s important to incorporate material with social context into the learning process, during which students can discuss important topics such as respect, friendship, tolerance, ecology, responsibility, and other aspects of social life. This not only helps develop critical thinking but also promotes civic awareness among young people. Examples of such projects and lessons may include topics: public transportation issues, social inequality questions, how to live in the present, what a modern teenager’s day should look like, why beauty will save the world, and more. The importance of connecting studied material with real life in the educational process cannot be overestimated. When students see how the knowledge and skills they acquire in lessons can be applied in everyday life or play an important role in their future, the learning process becomes more meaningful and motivational.
The project “Interconnection of Russian and Armenian Phraseological Units” is an excellent example of how language can be studied at the level of intercultural communication. Within this project, students can study phraseological units of two different languages and cultures, which contributes to a deeper understanding of cultural differences, linguistic features, and historical context. The project also promotes the development of analytical thinking skills, as students will look for parallels and differences between phraseological units, their meaning, and application in life. This project represents an excellent opportunity for developing and implementing pedagogical tasks related to multi-level learning. Within this project, different levels of task completion can be offered. At the initial level, it is important to introduce students to basic phraseological units, develop their interest in the studied material, and teach them to correctly use phrases in context. The main task is to create a foundation for further study. Tasks for the initial level can be very basic. For example, guess the phraseological unit: students should guess the phraseological unit from a brief description or picture in the blog (for example, “grey cardinal” – a person who acts covertly, or “Achilles’ heel” – a person’s weak spot). You can also offer a task with filling in gaps or using phraseological units in context: provide sentences with missing phraseological units so that students can choose the right one from the suggested options.
At the intermediate level, students should already be able to not only recognize idioms but also analyze their meaning, origin, and use them in speech. Tasks for the intermediate level will be more challenging: students should compose their own sentences using idioms and be able to find analogues in the Armenian language. Students can be asked to create dialogues that use idioms. At the advanced level, it’s important to develop the ability to use idioms in different contexts, as well as explore their characteristics and origins. Students can also be asked to create a collection of ten to fifteen idioms, investigating their meaning and context, as well as finding analogues in Armenian and English. This way, collaboration with teachers of other languages within one project will be achieved.
Secondly, there can be many students with different levels of academic preparation in the class. Strong students help weaker ones by acting as teacher’s assistants. This method not only helps to deepen the knowledge of stronger students but also develops their skills in explanation, tolerance, and responsibility. When students with higher knowledge help their classmates, they not only reinforce and systematize the learned material but also learn to express their thoughts and find accessible explanations for others. This, in turn, helps develop their communication and pedagogical skills, which is beneficial both for the learning process and their personal growth. In this case, the same educational material is presented in different forms to meet the needs of all students.
Our educational complex also has experience in teaching among students with an advanced level of language learning. Native speakers themselves take on the role of a teacher during the lesson. Within the framework of the project “Interconnection of Russian and Armenian Phraseological Units,” students need to conduct preparatory activities. During this work, students compose tasks for the lesson, determine the stages of its implementation, and distribute roles among participants. We select phraseological units in both languages with students in advance, which have absolute equivalence (playing cat and mouse – շուն ու կատու խաղալ), partial equivalence (Let the goat into the garden – Աղվեսին հավապահ կարգել), non-equivalence (To chase dogs – Անգործ թրև գալ), and through these examples, we show how phraseological units change under the influence of cultural characteristics of each language. Then students begin developing tasks based on studying phraseological units. During the work, roles are distributed, each of which involves active participation in lesson preparation and delivery. The first student develops tests where one needs to choose the correct translation of phraseological units. This task will help students learn to distinguish phraseological units of different languages and find exact correspondences between them. The second student composes exercises where it’s necessary to find equivalents of phraseological units in Russian and Armenian languages. The task is to identify which expressions in these two languages have similar meanings, which will help students better understand the features of each language and its phraseological fund. The third student organizes a discussion about how phraseological units can change in different contexts. This stage is aimed at analyzing cultural differences and unique features of each language. Additionally, they develop a game with antonyms (for example, Wind at your back – Against the wind) and synonyms (To hang noodles on ears – To feed with tomorrows), which contributes to a deeper perception of expression meanings and their various uses. Students can also be offered a task to explain phraseological units so that their classmates can guess which expression is being discussed. Such a task develops not only logical thinking skills but also creativity, as one needs to convey the meaning of a phraseological unit in other words.
This work not only increases the level of student engagement but also develops their organizational and team skills. Working in a group, they teach each other, share knowledge, and help with completing tasks, which ultimately forms a strong and cohesive team. I present the project “Today – I am a teacher” and reports of conducted lessons that were chosen by students: “History of Matryoshka,” “Creating QR codes” (Middle School students conducted a lesson at the South School), “Greek Gods” (lesson conducted by Mary Nersisyan), “Red Book of Armenia” (Lilit Ghazaryan), etc. Thus, such a project will become an excellent tool for developing knowledge and skills of all students if there is a competent approach to task differentiation and support at different levels. Carefully selected assignments and projects where strong students can work with others should be interesting and stimulate development for both those who help and those who receive help.
A teacher’s arsenal should include a diverse set of tools, including visual and audiovisual materials that will help students effectively learn a foreign language. One such tool can be video materials that show and pronounce the letters of the target language. This is especially important at the initial stage when students need to reinforce the association between symbols and their sound representation. Videos containing images and names of everyday objects and living beings will be useful. Such videos can include materials describing fruits, vegetables, clothing, stationery, family members, names of animals, and plants. Bright and visual images (pictures with words) accompanied by simple and understandable texts will help students connect words with real objects and concepts. This helps improve vocabulary and broadens horizons, giving students the opportunity to interact with the language in different contexts. It’s also worth including game elements and interactive tasks in lessons where children can practice pronunciation and repeat new words and expressions. These methods not only increase motivation but also create a comfortable and safe atmosphere for students, which facilitates easier material absorption. Thirdly, there’s cultural and linguistic multi-level diversity associated with students arriving from other countries. Incoming children may face difficulties both in mastering educational material and adapting to a new cultural environment. In our educational complex, there are many students from Syria, Iran, USA, China, and other countries where students had no prior interaction with the Russian language. Students who are not fully proficient in the language of instruction (Russian in this case) may encounter a language barrier and experience significant difficulties in understanding subject material if the teacher does not speak an alternative language to provide material or translate into another language – English, Armenian. This is why it’s necessary for the teacher to have a package of tasks for language beginners. As an additional assignment, students can be offered to work at home with platforms featuring adaptive tasks in the language that is closer to them (German, Chinese, Persian) if they don’t speak Armenian or English. Today, there are many free online applications that can help students with different preparation levels work at their own pace without falling behind the program. These applications are Duolingo, Pimsleur, Lingodeer, Rosetta Stone, Babbel, and computer programs – “Russian for Everyone! 1000 Practical Exercises”, “Professor Higgins.
These programs are designed for learning Russian as a foreign language at any level. Summarizing all the above, I note that in a classroom with educational multi-level diversity, it’s important to encourage teamwork, where strong students help weaker ones, as this contributes to improving the social atmosphere not only in the classroom but also in the city and the state as a whole. It’s necessary to allow each student to feel their importance and value. Teaching in a multi-level classroom is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for educators to develop new methods and approaches in their practice. It’s important that teachers not only master pedagogical methods but also be ready for constant self-development and adaptation to changing conditions. Overcoming the complexity of teaching in a multi-level classroom requires time, patience, and creativity, but it opens up broad opportunities for teachers to develop their professionalism and work efficiency.