A fresh perspective on differentiation in classrooms
THE CLASSROOM is evolving with integration of technology, the emergence of tools making teaching easy and, at times, fun. But still, there are some challenges that need to be addressed, both in the physical spaces and with regard to the outcomes of the processes.
Education in many countries is defined by the outcome of exam results and not the skill or the best possible chance a student has of learning.
It is natural to identify lack of resources, which could be the teacher-to-student ratio; the constant mandate for assessments; or the pressure on the teachers, students, and school administrations to churn out the highest results.
Delivery of education can be defined as a business process wherein the school ensures that the children are given the best possible chance of learning. This is where the concept of differentiation comes in.
Differentiation is not the counter-argument to establishing standard achievement levels. In fact, differentiation is quite the opposite.
But how do teachers who teach the average 200-250 children per week with varying learning needs give access to their students in a way that they all increase their growth potential and get high grades in the examinations?
Let’s look at three possibilities.
PRE- AND POST-ASSESSMENT
Let’s say that a mathematics teacher is teaching inequalities to a group of third-formers and sees them three times in the week, and there are five topics that need to be covered.
A pre-assessment would mean something as simple and standard as taking the first 10 minutes of instruction to explain concepts and asking basic questions across the classroom to assess understanding. It then allows the teacher to consider the next technique: grouping.
GROUPING
This is not always received favourably because the argument exists that again, some students may not access the standard level of achievement. However, there is enough evidence to support the notion that the same children would not access the information via “preach and teach” methods.
Within groupings of mixed abilities, the benefits may that shy students are able to participate more confidently in the classroom setting, and that stronger students are able to lead and delegate roles.
Think of it as a structure that is implemented in any organisation. Everyone is not asked to a) perform the same tasks; b) have the same skill sets; c) achieve the same outcomes.
Instead, each department is a