CC BY
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А.К. МУКАРАПОВА
A.K. Mukarapova ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4887-1556
Kyrgyz National University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
УДК 811+37.04
THE IMPORTANCE OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING DOI: 10.29025/2079-6021-2018-4(32)-171-175
The article deals with an approach to teaching called differentiation as creating a balance between academic content and students' individual needs. In the article, the authorfocuses on describing what differentiation is and providing the reasons for the use of differentiated instruction. The author highlights the importance of making a differentiated lesson, where a teacher will be able to create different ways of learning the educational content. The teacher also designs multiple ways students can create a product to prove that they have learned the material. The author mentions that at a traditional lesson the same material is taught only through one process ending with the same productfor everyone in the class. For example, in many classes the students come to the lesson and listen to the teachers'lecture about some topic. Then they take tests and leave. The next day the same thing happens. The author highlights that at a differentiated lesson, the teacher creates different versions of the same lesson to meet the needs and skills of all students, from the most challenged to the most gifted ones.
Key words: language learning, differentiated instruction, choice, multiple intelligences, motivation, pre-assessment.
Introduction. Nowadays, a person cannot be considered well-educated if he does not know foreign languages, particularly, English. Hundreds of people attend language courses to fill this gap in their education, and many educators look for the ways of making the learning process easier, more effective, and less time-consuming. Since the world-wide demand for English has created an enormous demand for quality language teaching, the demand for an appropriate teaching methodology is as strong as ever.
Scholarly papers review. Methods. Teaching has always been considered an art since there has never been one best way to teach everything, and teaching has never been as simple as using one best way to teach everybody. If teaching meant using one textbook and fulfilling all exercises in it in the order given in the book, then, using 'a one-size-fits-all' approach to education, anyone could teach. However, it is common knowledge that there are no students that are absolutely alike and that there are no students learning absolutely the same way, even though the curriculum may be the same [6].
According to Diana Heacox, to ensure that learning happens, the teachers need to differentiate their instruction; i.e., enhance learning for all students by engaging them in activities that would better respond to their particular learning needs, strengths, and preferences [2, p. 5]. Therefore, the teachers need to ensure that if one strategy does not work, they need to «pull out» other strategies they know, have ever experienced in their teaching, or have seen their colleagues use, and try them. However, the fact is that too often the teachers follow only one strategy. For example, at many lessons the teachers tend to lecture about smth., and despite the fact that it does not work for all students (especially for visual learners who need to see new information in order to truly learn it), they continue using it instead of changing and responding to students' needs.
This is where differentiated instruction comes in. The teachers need to create a variety of starting points to ensure that student differing abilities, strengths, and needs, are all taken into consideration [6]. For example, finding out students' learning styles and intelligences and responding to them by including diverse activities, like FSW or doing a treasure hunt with hidden objects for learners with bodily-kinesthetic[1, p. 205] and interpersonal intelligences [1, p. 237], or having linguistic smart [1, p. 73] or music smart students [1, p. 99] create a rap, some lyrics from a story, etc.
To avoid misunderstanding, it should be pointed out that differentiation is NOT [4, p. 2]:
• simply leveling students by academic ability only. When differentiating students, the teachers take into account not only their academic abilities but also their interests, needs, and physical condition;
• modifying only the amount of work and not its type. It does not mean simply taking fewer activities; it means taking diverse activities to cater to the needs and intelligences of all learners;
• an individualized lesson plan for each and every student. Differentiated instruction does not mean preparing an individualized lesson plan for every student or explaining each topic separately to each student. It presupposes preparing the same lesson, but adjusting it depending on students' level, skills, etc. Thus, every
student is not learning something different; they are all learning the same thing, but in different ways. For example, Tom's Diner plan (below).
In other words, differentiation means creating different versions of the same lesson to meet the needs and skills of all students, from the most challenged to the most gifted ones. It can be achieved by the following formula identified by Diane Heacox for differentiating instruction: «First analyze your current methods of instruction; then modify them in response to students' needs, interests, and learning preferences» [2, p. 7].
Another important aspect of introducing of differentiated instruction into the process of language learning and teaching is understanding the reasons for differentiation. The reasons may be the following:
• The most classrooms include students of different ability levels. As we have mentioned above, there are as many ways of learning as there are students. There are no absolutely equal students. The teachers need a way to get through to all their students and ensure that everyone learns something new every day.
• Students have different learning preferences and interests. Some students are strong in linguistic intelligence and learn better through talking, writing, and reading [1, p. 73]; the other students are strong in logical intelligence and enjoy critical thinking tasks, problem solving [1, p. 128]; the thirds are spatial [1, p. 170] and kinesthetic [1, p. 205]. Thus, teachers need to be flexible with their teaching methods to cater to all learning styles and intelligences.
• Students have different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. It is important for teachers to be sensitive to cultural issues and to promote cultural awareness in everything that they do.
• Students come from different socio-economic backgrounds. Economic factors of their families affect the type and qualities of experiences students have outside the school. If instead of scolding a pupil for not fulfilling some tasks the teacher helps him, understands him, and gives appropriate tasks that the pupil can cope with, he will be motivated, and as a result, he will study well.
• Students learn by improving the existing skills. By differentiating, teachers help students to learn from where they are, at their level of understanding.
• Differentiation encourages confidence and optimism.
However, some questions are still raised on how to differentiate, how does it work, and what to start with. In order to answer them, the educators suggest carrying out needs analysis to find out what do the students know and how do they prefer to work [5, p. 25]. The teachers can also interview students to be aware of their needs and wants, strengths and weaknesses they exhibit. As a result, teachers can get information about who has a sound knowledge of the topic to be covered during the term, and who needs revision; who likes working in groups, and who prefers individual work; who is confident in learning, and who lacks confidence and needs more support on part of the teacher; who likes drawing, and who is good at solving problems; who likes speaking activities, and who prefers written work, etc. Thus, student differences are studied as a basis for planning. Then the teachers adjust their instruction accordingly.
According to Professor Carol Ann Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate at least four lesson elements based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile [3, p. 39]. They are content, process, product, and learning environment. Content is comprised of the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students need to learn based on the curriculum [3, p. 77]. While conducting pre-assessment to get the information about what learners know, teachers might find out that some students have already get some knowledge of the topics the teacher had planned to cover during the term. Then in order to keep those students interested in the topic, teachers can develop a more advanced content for them to extend their knowledge, at the same time teaching the original content the other students, who still do not have a grasp of that content. Process includes activities in which the student engages in order to make sense of or master the content [3, p. 80]. In other words, it is the way teachers help students to learn. Teachers create lessons that contain auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and other elements. Products are culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse, apply, and extend what he or she has learned in a unit [3, p. 83]. In other words, it is giving students options of how to demonstrate their knowledge, for example, by encouraging students to create their own product assignments as long as the assignments contain required elements. Finally, learning environment includes the conditions for learning [3, p. 85]. Teachers should make sure that in each class the students have opportunities to work individually, quietly and without distraction, as well as to collaborate with peers during group work or mingling activities.
Results and discussion. Whereas all these elements of differentiated instruction are valuable for language learning and teaching, there are some key features that characterize differentiated instruction, following which is of crucial importance in the process of language learning and teaching [8].
A.K. MyKAPAnOBA
Thus, teachers should create a positive, student-centered learning environment that encourages students to take the risk of learning. It is important to create an atmosphere that is supportive and non-threatening. This helps students to recognize and value individual differences in such a way that they support each other in their learning. This can be achieved by establishing the 'golden rules' through discussion and negotiation. Students need to be aware of the fact that not everyone works at the same pace, and those who are quick thinkers should not dominate others.
Flexible learning groups determined by the teacher and students randomly, assist a lot in differentiating instruction. The students are grouped and re-grouped during the course or the academic year in flexible groupings. It is essential for the groups to be flexible and ever-changing, what allows students to work with different peers in a variety of situations. Students need opportunities to work in groups that they are comfortable with, as well as those that challenge them to learn and grow.
Another important characteristic of differentiated instruction is giving the students a choice in learning activities. Teachers should offer students choice in what they are going to learn (content), the learning activities (processes) and/or the results of the learning (products) along with where they want to learn (environment).
To differentiate instruction, teachers should also use variety of methods to meet student learning needs and, thus, use a variety of learning materials, multiple resources including technology. Create instructional activities using multiple intelligences and encourage individual projects, as well as provide constructive and supportive feedback.
Moreover, to differentiate instruction, teachers should use Bloom's Taxonomy since Bloom's Taxonomy enables the teacher to develop students' critical thinking skills and categorize activities and questions by level of complexity [7]. This model supports the need to differentiate the curriculum in such a way that all students are able to participate in the same content area during a lesson. The structure allows the teacher to accommodate a variety of students' needs by applying the appropriate questions and activities for children so that they may equally participate in the lesson. For example, it is possible to discuss how students get home from school: one third of students can draw a map and explain the method of travelling, while the other two-thirds of students can extend their knowledge by analyzing which way of travelling is better (walking, by car, by bus, etc.) and create a Venn diagram. Thus, the model allows students with limited English proficiency to respond to one group of questions and activities, while the higher-level students respond to another set of questions and take part in the activities which are all related to the same topic of study.
Finally, below is given the activity that reflects the principles of differentiated instruction outlined in the present article, and it can be used for all level students.
Tom's Diner plan
Teacher divides learners into groups of 3 or 4 students. Each group has a different task to fulfill while listening to the song "Tom's Diner." The tasks should be given and clarified before the students start listening to the song and fulfilling their tasks.
• Group 1 is given a rose with words (taken from the song) written on its petals. Students have 5-10 minutes to make up a story using those words. They share their story with the class before listening to the song. Then they listen to the song "Tom's Diner" and compare the content of their story with the content of the song.
• Group 2 is given pictures (one reflecting the content of the song correctly, the second containing mistakes). Before listening, students should circle the differences in a pair of pictures (1-2; 3-4; 5-6; 7-8). While listening to the song, students should find the correct picture. Later they have to prove why that picture is correct according to the song.
• Group 3 is given lines of the song cut into pieces. Before listening, students should try to put the lines in order looking at the context and language hints. Then they listen to the song "Tom's Diner" and check.
• Group 4 is given an information gap activity. Before listening, students try to guess what words can be put into gaps based on context. Then they listen to the song and check.
• Group 5 is given a blank paper and pencils. They listen to the song and draw what they hear.
Finally, the teacher re-groups students so that the representatives of all 5 groups come together, check their answers, and sing the song.
So, how does this activity differentiate instruction? First, it can be used in a mixed-ability class. The tasks are created based on Bloom's Taxonomy since students develop their critical thinking skills by predicting the content of the song, by analyzing and finding out the correct picture and proving their point, by guessing the words basing on context, etc. The tasks also range in difficulty from easy (information gap) to more difficult
(making up a story). Moreover, it gives students a choice of how they fulfill the task (some create stories, others draw, etc). Besides, it takes into account students' multiple intelligences (verbal-linguistic, visual spatial, interpersonal). Additionally, it encourages the sense of team and belonging during the activity since group members create one group product (a story, a picture, the song lines), and each student plays a part in obtaining their major goal.
Conclusion. To conclude, we should note that, obviously, it takes a great deal of time and effort to organize and implement differentiated instruction. It requires from a teacher a careful preparation to the lesson. However, once teachers are comfortable using different levels of activities for different level students, they will find the time is spent effectively, and the students respond in a favorable way.
Differentiated instruction is a cyclical process of finding out about the learner and responding by differentiating. It is based on the belief that teaching strategies should vary and be adjusted according to individual and diverse students in classrooms. It means that teachers need to reach out to an individual or small group to vary their teaching in order to create the best learning experience possible. Therefore, differentiated instruction requires teachers to be flexible in their approach to teaching. Differentiation is not apart from good teaching; it is a part of good teaching.
References
1. Gardner H. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books, 1983, pp. 73-237.
2. Heacox D. Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom: How to Reach and Teach All Learners, Free Spirit Publishing, 2014, pp. 5-7.
3. Tomlinson Carol A. Deciding to differentiate instruction in middle school: One school's journey. Gifted Child Quarterly, 1995, pp. 77-85.
4. Tomlinson Carol A. How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms / Carol Ann Tomlinson-2nd ed. by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), 2001, pp. 2-5.
5. Tomlinson Carol A. and Tonya R. Moon. Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), 2013, pp. 25-26.
6. Watson Sue. Differentiated Instruction and Assessment. 2017, April 22. Available at://www.thoughtco. com/differentiated-instruction-and-assessment-3111341 (access at 17 September 2018).
7. Ziff B. Utilizing Bloom's Taxonomy in Your Classroom. Helpful Hints: Series №11, California State University, Los Angeles, Education Specialist Intern Program. 2009. Available at: http://www.calstatela.edu/ sites/default/files/centers/spedintern/hints11bloomtaxonomy.pdf (access at 17 September 2018).
8. The Differentiated Instruction SCRAPBOOK. Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2010. Available at: http:// www.edugains.ca/resourcesDI/EducatorsPackages/DIEducatorsPackage2010/2010DIScrapbook.pdf (access at 19 September 2018).
Asel Mukarapova, Ph.D., Kyrgyz National University named after J. Balasagyn, Faculty of Foreign Languages, English Studies and Cross - Cultural Communication Department, Associate Professor, the address: Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, Turusbekova, St-116; e-mail: [email protected].
For citation: Mukarapova A.K. The Importance of Differentiated Instruction in Language Learning and Teaching. Aktual'nye problemy lilologii i pedagogiceskoj lingvistiki [Current Issues in Philology and Pedagogical Linguistics], 2018, no 4 (32), рр. 171-175 (In English). DOI: 10.29025/2079-6021-2018-4(32)-171-175.
ЗНАЧЕНИЕ ДИФФЕРЕНЦИРОВАННОГО ПОДХОДА В ИЗУЧЕНИИ ЯЗЫКОВ И ПРИ ОБУЧЕНИИ ИМ DOI: 10.29025/2079-6021-2018-4(32)-171-175
Асель К. Мукарапова ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4887-1556
кыргызский Национальный университет им. ж. Баласагына, г. Бишкек, кыргызстан
A.K. МУКАРАПОВА
В статье рассматриваются основы и важность дифференцированного обучения как разноуровневого подхода, т.е. работы по одной программе, но на разном уровне сложности с целью развития личности каждого учащегося.
Автор акцентирует внимание на том, что при осуществлении дифференцированного обучения повышается интерес к учебе со стороны учащихся, учащиеся подходят к изучению предмета более осознанно, и, как следствие этого, наблюдаются продуктивность, эффективность и разнообразность учебного процесса. Если традиционно мы привыкли к тому, что учитель в классе объясняет новый материал одинаково для всех учащихся, не учитывая их индивидуальные особенности (например, различия учащихся по уровню восприятия учебного материала, темпераменту, физическому здоровью), то при дифференцированном подходе педагог учитывает многие факторы, которые влияют на усвоение материала и его закрепление.
При дифференцированном подходе к процессу обучения учащимися выполняются индивидуальные и групповые задания различной степени сложности в зависимости от уровня знаний, способностей и потребностей учащихся. При этом обучение не приспосабливается лишь только к индивидуальным особенностям учащихся, но и способствует максимальному разностороннему развитию полноценной личности.
В данной статье автор раскрывает основную цель дифференцированного обучения, которая заключается в том, чтобы обеспечить каждому учащемуся необходимые условия для максимального развития его способностей. Автор подчеркивает, что именно при дифференцированном подходе обучение каждого учащегося происходит на доступном для него уровне и в оптимальном для него темпе.
Ключевые слова: обучение языку, дифференцированный подход, выбор, теория разностороннего развития, мотивация, предварительная оценка.
Асель Камчыбековна Мукарапова, кандидат филологических наук, Кыргызский Национальный Университет им. Ж. Баласагына, факультет иностранных языков, кафедра англистики и межкультурной коммуникации, доцент, адрес: Кыргызстан, г. Бишкек, ул. Турусбекова, 116; e-mail: amukarapova@ mail.ru.
Для цитирования: Мукарапова А.К. The Importance of Differentiated Instruction in Language Learning and Teaching // Актуальные проблемы филологии и педагогической лингвистики. 2018. № 4 (32). С. 171-175. DOI: 10/29025/2079-6021-2018-4(32)-171-175.
