I Have a Group of Mixed Proficiency Levels and Mixed Grades ELL Pull-Out Group… HELP!

There was a point in my teaching career where I was the only ENL teacher in a K–8 school. I was overwhelmed and overworked, trying to plan for so many different grades and proficiency levels. Then I found a way to ease that overwhelm.

I started teaching thematically—the same or similar units in all of my classes. At that time, I had K–2 pull-out, 3–5 pull-out, and 6–8 pull-out groups. Basically, for grades 3–5 and 6–8, I prepared the same units/lessons with the exception that the older students were able to produce more complex writing and move at a faster pace.

So, if you find yourself in the same situation, here are some of my favorite strategies for teaching English to a class with a range of proficiency and grade levels.

***Disclaimer: In this blog, the terms ESL students (English as a Second Language), ELLs (English Language Learners), and ML (Multilingual Learners) are used interchangeably. While “Multilingual Learners” is becoming the more widely accepted term, “ESL students” and “English Language Learners” are still commonly used in various contexts. My aim is to be inclusive and clear to all readers, regardless of the terminology they are familiar with.

1. Warm-Up Routine in ELL Pull Out Group

Regardless of proficiency level, students can all start class the same way. I suggest a regular warm-up activity or language-learning routine. My favorite way to begin each class is with Interactive Digital Calendars and Student Morning Meeting Workbooks (calendar, weather, idioms, and seasonal vocabulary.) You can read more about this routine here. Want to try some FREE activities from this resource click here?

What’s most important is that your warm-up routine includes all students and is predictable. This predictability helps your more novice learners mentally prepare for the start of class. Over time, this routine became the cornerstone of my teaching, and I found it benefited students of all ages—from the youngest learners to the oldest. 

With time, as students adjust to this routine, let them take control and do it for you. I tell them, “You got so good at this—you get to be the teacher now!” They love taking on this role, and it truly empowers them when they’re able to build the calendar, ask about the day of the week, use dates, and talk about seasonal vocabulary. It also gives you those 5–7 minutes at the beginning of class to gather your thoughts and prepare materials for your lesson. Try some FREE activities from this resource here?

2. Teaching Thematically in ESL classroom

When you have mixed-level classes, teaching thematically is a game changer. Instead of teaching each proficiency level a completely different topic, teach them the same topic—but at different levels.

I always begin with a mini-lesson where I model the task. Then we practice together (active engagement), and finally, students work independently (read more about ESL Lesson Plan Template Based on a Gradual Release of Responsibility Model here). During that time, especially at the beginning of the school year, I usually pull aside newcomers or recent arrivals since they need the most support. Over time, I rotate to include other groups.

It’s important not to forget the students working on their own. Your time with them doesn’t have to be long—just a quick check-in, one point of feedback, then move to the next group.

For example, in my All About Me Autobiography Writing Unit (by the end of which every student ends up with their own finished “Autobiography” book)  on Day 5, we do a lesson on personality traits. One of our mentor texts is the autobiography of Barack Obama. Most biographies highlight traits because they help people achieve their goals—whether it’s determination, perseverance, hard work, or compassion.

I model how authors show these traits in the mentor text, then I show them how I describe my own personality traits. After that, students look at a Personality Traits Picture Word Bank and choose which words best describe them. For active engagement, they either point, discuss with a partner, or explain why they chose a certain trait. I often group newcomers with peers who share the same L1 so they can collaborate in their home language.

For independent work, students complete a “My Personality Traits” page. I create three versions of this page:

• Drawing boxes + sentence stems (for newcomers)
• Drawing boxes without stems
• Just lines (for advanced students).

This way, every student produces writing at their own level while working toward the same end product.

3. Scaffolding in ESL classroom

Accessibility is key. What intermediate and advanced students can do may not be possible for novice learners without the right supports. SCAFFOLD SCAFFOLD & SCAFFOLD!

For example, in the same autobiography unit, our next lesson is about challenges and accomplishments. Since this is a common theme in biographies and autobiographies, I want all my students to engage with it. However, my ELL newcomers won’t succeed without proper scaffolds.

I provide a Vocabulary Word Bank with sentence starters such as:

• I had a hard time when…        I learned to ride a bike.

I also provide achievement starters like:

• My accomplishment is…
• I was proud when…

These sentence frames act like a “menu” of options, paired with images to further aid comprehension. Once again, students get three versions of the writing template based on their proficiency level.

Be sure your activities are scaffolded like this—two or three versions of the same task with supports and images adjusted for each level. This takes prep work upfront, but it pays off during class time.

4. Utilize Partnerships in ESL Mixed Proficiencies and Mixed Grades Classroom

Partnerships are incredibly powerful for mixed-level groups. At the beginning of the year, I usually pair new arrivals with buddies who speak the same home language. This gives them immediate access to support.

But—you want to be careful that buddies don’t spend the whole time translating. I try to pick empathetic, independent partners who can encourage, not overwhelm. And when that’s not possible, I rotate partners once a week or every other week so everyone benefits.

Good partnerships support both sides—novice learners gain confidence, while advanced learners grow as peer mentors.

If you’re an ENL/ELL teacher with mixed grades and proficiency levels, you don’t have to feel overwhelmed the way I once did. By building predictable routines, teaching thematically, scaffolding effectively, and using thoughtful partnerships, you can make your instruction accessible and meaningful for all learners.

It’s not about planning a dozen different lessons—it’s about finding flexible ways to teach one lesson that works for everyone.

Quick Tips Recap

• Start every class with a predictable warm-up (calendar, weather, idioms, seasonal vocab).
• Gradually let students take over the routine—it empowers them and gives you 5–7 minutes to prep.
• Teach thematically across grades—same unit, different levels of output.
• Scaffold activities by providing multiple versions of the same task (sentence stems, word banks, picture supports).
• Use partnerships strategically—pair newcomers with supportive buddies and rotate often.

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Happy BTS Teaching!

ESL Resource Meet