How to handle when a year group splits off into two for a particular subject?

[panyadee]

Hello.

I have a particular year group (year 10 for example) that split into two separate groups during their maths lessons (e.g. normal and gifted), and split into two different groups during their english lessons (e.g. english for native speakers and english as a foreign language).  Students in this year group are together for all of their other subjects each week.  What is the proper way to incorporate this into FET?  I have tried creating 4 groups (normal maths, gifted maths, english for native speakers, english as a foreign language), which did not work.  Creating 2 groups, with 2 sub-groups each also did not work.  Would I have to manually create four groups (possibly employing activity tags), one for each permutation (e.g. group 1 = normal maths and english for native speakers; group 2 = normal maths and english as a foreign language; etc)?  Any help would be appreciated.  It may be a simple solution which I am overlooking--it is late and I have been staring at this for hours :-)

Additional info that may or may not be relevant in this case:

Year 10 maths lessons occur 4 times per week.
Year 10 english lessons occur 5 times per week.

[Liviu Lalescu]

Divide the year Y by two categories (divide the year automatically by categories - there is a button in the years dialog). In the first category, two divisions: Math 1, Math 2, in the second category: Eng 1, Eng 2. Then use groups Y Math1, Y Math2, Y Eng 1, Y Eng 2.

[panyadee]

Great thanks so much--that did the trick.

[panyadee]

I actually have a related follow-up to this issue.  I now face a similar issue, but now instead of a year group that is split off into two separate categories, I have a group that must be split off into two separate categories.  So I have split off my year group (year 10) into two groups:  y10-a and y10-b.  y10-a and y10-b function as separate and distinct classes in terms of timetabling.  Now y10-a needs to be split off into two different groups during their english lessons (e.g. english for native speakers and english as a foreign language), and y10-b requires the same split. 

The solution offered before is not available, as I cannot split groups into categories.  Do I have to create subgroups?  Or do I have to start over, this time creating y10-a and y10-b as separate year groups?

Thanks in advance.

[Liviu Lalescu]

Either have two years: y10-a and y10-b, or divide year y10 by three categories: a and b, Math, Eng.

[panyadee]

Thanks so much for the prompt reply.  To clarify though:

Option 1:  I understand how the first option would resolve my issue.

Option 2:  I'm still a little confused as to how to carry this out.  Once I created the three categories, how would I then create sub-categories for English (as it needs to be split into English for native speakers and English as a foreign language)?

The added wrinkle in all of this (something I left out earlier), is that my timetable is nearly complete with the year groups and categories I have setup.  I'd prefer a solution, if possible, that did not involve the removal of any activities/constraints already present.  BUT, most importantly, I want the *correct* solution.  This is in-part a training exercise.  So if I have to go back and re-do some things because I did them improperly, I understand and accept that. 

[Liviu Lalescu]

So, there are two solutions.

To have years y10-a and y10-b (divided each by two categories) is the best for you, I think.

To have year y10 and divide by three categories - it might work, but if you want to add to an activity only the Math1 of y10-a, you need to add the two subgroups y10-a-math1-eng1 and y10-a-math1-eng2. So you need to use subgroups, which is not elegant. If you want to add in an activity all the Math1 of both y10-a and y10-b, this is possible using group y10-Math1.

When you divide a year automatically by categories FET will tell you which students sets will be removed, so you can try to see. The students names which will retain their name after a new division will not be removed. You might think of tricks to keep the old students. Or you might send me your .fet XML file and there are even more tricks to keep the old structure, which I can do, and send you back your file.

[panyadee]

Thanks for your help.

>> To have years y10-a and y10-b (divided each by two categories) is the best for you, I think.

In this case, I agree that I should go with this option.

>> Or you might send me your .fet XML file and there are even more tricks to keep the old structure, which I can do, and send you back your file.

Thank you very much for that.  I may ask you for such assistance in the future, but so far I am getting there on my own.

I have one more small issue, but I will create a new forum topic.

[Liviu Lalescu]

Thank you very much for that.  I may ask you for such assistance in the future, but so far I am getting there on my own.

See the .fet file, "<Students_List>", and replace these with a corrected structure. Be careful and make backups.