Thomas Müller & Ulrike Lichtinger 
The MultiGradeMultiLevel-Methodology and its Global Significance 
Ladders of Learning – Scientific Horizons – Teacher Education

The Multi Grade Multi Level-Methodology (MGML) offers students and teachers a reliable learning framework for both individualized and community-oriented education. With ‚ladders of learning‘ guiding children through their tasks, MGML allows mixed-age groups to work together in one classroom (multigrade) at various achievement levels (multi-level) according to a defined curriculum. MGML allows teachers to spend less time teaching and more time supporting their students individually and working with them personally. In this publication the authors introduce MGML’s origin and international variations localizing them within scientific horizons. As a core result MGML’s significance stretches far beyond individual processes or single classrooms no matter if the school is in Germany or in Kenya, if the students are at primary or at university level. MGML has shown its potential to impact not only schools and students, but the global community.

Über den Autor

Dr. Thomas Müller, University of Würzburg, Germany, is member of the institute for special needs education, member at the chair of pedagogies at behavioral disorders. His work focuses on social discrimination and exclusion, trust and education as a special education issues, impaired childhood under the social conditions of the 21st century, teaching and education at behavioral disorders.


Dr. Ulrike Lichtinger, University of Regensburg, Germany, is board member of the Regensburg University Centre for Teacher Training, head of the office for practical training in teacher education, faculty member at the department of education. Her main interests are in flexible learning for multigrademultilevel classrooms and school development.

Dr. Ralf Girg, University of Regensburg, Germany, is Academic Director at the Chair of Education working in teacher education. His philosophical and research interests focus on integral education and integral schools in global contexts. He initiated Team Research Integral and cooperates in several international long-term collaborations working with MGML-Methodology.