International research has examined the challenges teachers have in meeting an increased range of needs across multiple grades/year levels within multigrade teaching; however, the practice of increased responsibilities continues to be widespread (e.g. Berry, 2006; Berry & Little, 2006; Erden, 2020; Grimes, 2019; Robiños et al., 2020). Due to many factors, including immigration, learning needs are reportedly increasing even in age-banded classes. Using Bourdieu’s theories (social, cultural, and economic capital) and evidence of experiences of New Zealand teachers, school principals and teacher educators, in this symposium, as a foil to prompt comparison through similarities and contrasts to European experiences to stimulate ideas for potential research, we will argue that the benefits of multigrade teaching provide children with invitations to learn (Tomlinson, 2002).Tomlinson’s invitations address five key needs “to make learning irresistible: affirmation, contribution, purpose, power and challenge” (p. 8). Affirmation is the need to feel needed and significant. Contribution is the need to contribute to the world with learners looking for a way to contribute to the classroom and school. Purpose is the need for learners to understand what they are doing and see the significance and relevance of the learning for themselves. Power entails the need for learners to feel that learning is useful and that they have agency and may assess quality of the outcomes of study, and challenge is the need for learners to study at an appropriate level for their current ability. These opportunities build relational knowledge and agency. Multilevel teaching supports schools in being safe places and in developing learner engagement, participation, and cooperation along with an understanding of learning, selves, and others (Earl Rinehart, 2020). Multigrade teaching also contributes to the vision societies have for what they want for their young people. In New Zealand the National Curriculum states that our Vision is for young people to be confident, connected, actively involved and lifelong learners (MoE, 2007, p. 8). In essence, multigrade teaching practices help young people learn to live together, one of the four pillars for education in the 21st century (Delors et al., 1996). Learning to live together is about awareness of similarities and interdependence of people, and respect and appreciation of diversity to be able to learn and work together towards reciprocal understanding and cohesion in societies.

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