Ep. 167 Mixed Groups? How to Prepare and Plan

Welcome educators! Before we get started, I want to share the amazing resources I have available.

To learn more and download some engaging resources, go to myadventuresinesl.com/store.

I just want to take a moment to remind you: the work you’re doing matters. The time you’re investing right now—planning, preparing, dreaming—is planting seeds for a smoother, more intentional school year. Even if it’s just a few small steps at a time, it counts. You are showing up not only for your students but also for yourself, and that is something to be proud of.

So take a breath, give yourself some credit, and know that you are not alone in this. You’re doing an amazing job—and I’m cheering you on every step of the way. 💛

The goal of today’s episode is to provide you with practical and effective strategies on how to prepare for mixed-level groupings in your classroom.

I can remember back to some of my first years teaching. One of my biggest struggles was having such a wide learning gap in my mixed-level groups. There would be newcomers who have just arrived in the U.S. in a class with students who are on the verge of exiting the ESL program. 

I struggled with planning and preparing for this group because I had no clue how to do so. There were so many scheduling restrictions that I rarely had the option of grouping the students by level. This posed the problem of what I was to do with these students. I wanted them to get the most out of the class, but planning for all the levels was time-consuming and, in some instances, ineffective.

Before I dive deeper into this episode, I want you to hear this—you’re doing incredibly hard and meaningful work. Differentiating for multiple levels isn’t easy, but the fact that you care enough to try? That’s what makes you extraordinary. Taking the time to be proactive and learn what you can do before the school year starts is admirable.

Do you struggle with planning for mixed-level groups?

One of the most common challenges ESL teachers face is managing a classroom where students are all at different stages in their language journey. You might have one student who just arrived last week and is learning to say “hello,” while another is writing full paragraphs and ready for academic discussions. This is the reality of many ESL classrooms—and it’s why preparing for mixed-level groupings is not just helpful, it’s essential.

When we plan for these groupings, we’re not only setting ourselves up for smoother lessons—we’re ensuring that every student has access to learning, engagement, and growth. Without a plan, it’s easy for newcomers to feel left behind or for more advanced students to get bored. But with the right supports, scaffolds, and intentional grouping, we can create a classroom where every learner is challenged, supported, and valued.

Preparing in advance also helps reduce our stress. It means less scrambling in the moment and more confidence knowing we’ve got strategies in place to meet everyone where they are. Mixed-level groupings can feel intimidating, but with the right mindset and tools, they can also be one of the most powerful ways to build inclusive, responsive instruction.

Tiered Activities

Over the summer, spend time building a collection of activities that can be easily adapted for multiple levels. For example, choose a topic and create a tiered reading activity. The activity can be tiered for newcomers, one for intermediate students, and one for advanced learners. You can also include leveled vocabulary, visuals, and leveled comprehension questions. 

Developed Scaffolded Supports

Taking some time to develop commonly used scaffolds can be helpful for your mixed group preparation. To do this, you can build sentence frames, word banks, and visuals that can be used across subject areas. For example, for my leveled writing centers, I created laminated sentence strips that help the students write sentences.

Before we jump back in, I want to take a quick moment to tell you about something that can truly change your summer planning game…

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to figure out what to do first, how to get organized, or how to confidently walk into the school year with a plan, you are not alone. That’s exactly why I created The ESL Teacher Master Plan.

This self-paced course walks you step-by-step through how to plan and prepare for the upcoming school year as an ESL teacher. From setting up your classroom systems to creating lessons that work across language levels, it’s all in there—broken down into simple, actionable steps.

So if you’re ready to feel calm, clear, and excited to start the year, head to My Adventures in ESL to check out The ESL Teacher Master Plan Wait List. I’d love to support you this summer!

Alright—let’s get back into it.

Plan Flexible Assignments

Think of one or two writing or speaking assignments you can use with all levels, but with differentiated expectations.

• For example, A “Describe Your Day at School” journal could include drawing with a word bank and sentence starters for newcomers, sentence starters for intermediates, and paragraph responses for advanced students.

🔄 This flexible assignment lets you address different levels without having to design completely separate lessons.

Here are some simple action items you can do over the summer:

✨ Choose One Topic and Create Tiered Materials

Pick a common ESL topic—like community helpers, holidays, or weather—and create 3 versions of the same reading passage or lesson (newcomer, intermediate, advanced).

✅ Goal: Have one go-to set of differentiated content ready for the school year.

🛠️ Design a Flexible Assignment Template

Create a writing or speaking prompt that can be used across all levels with built-in scaffolds. Include sentence starters, a word bank, and extension ideas.

✅ Goal: Have one assignment you can adapt again and again.

📚 Prepare Your Scaffold Bank

Gather or create visual aids, sentence frames, graphic organizers, and vocabulary cards you can reuse throughout the year.

✅ Goal: Have a “grab-and-go” support folder ready for your first week.

And if you’re looking for more support, don’t forget to check out The ESL Teacher Master Plan—my step-by-step course designed to help you plan and prepare with confidence all summer long. You can find the link in the show notes.

You’ve got this, and I’m cheering you on every step of the way. 💛