Page 156 - Teaching English at Primary Level: From Theory into the Classroom

Inside the Language Classroom

Table 9.5 Examples of Activities Catering For Different Differentiation Elements
Elements Examples of activities
Content • When dealing with a specific content, the teacher provides additional scaffold-
ing for struggling learners (e.g. Extra visual support when reading stories).
• Using dictionaries or vocabulary lists as a support for struggling learners.
• Dealing with content at different readability levels (e.g. Allowing advanced
learners to read original rather than graded works).
Process • Use the think-pair-share strategy which will help learners to share their
thoughts before presenting them to class.
• Use reading buddies.
• Organise pair and group work by combining advanced and struggling learners.
• Give instructions in both spoken and written form.
• Plan activities with different levels of support or complexity.
Products • Give learners the possibility to present their knowledge in different ways: as a
written report, a graphic organizer, an oral report, an artistic work.
• Give the learners the possibility to express what they have learnt individually or
in pairs/groups.
• Allow advanced learners to present their knowledge in a different form (e.g. By
summarising or continuing the story rather than answering questions about it).
Learning • Develop a learning space in which learners can get quick access to necessary ex-
environ- planations (e.g. Having dictionaries, computers and other resources available in
ment the classroom).
• Equipping the classroom with materials and resources for different levels
(books, magazines, posters, lap books, etc.).
• Develop classroom routines which will allow pupils to express themselves at
their level (e.g. Advanced learners taking on the role of the teacher in the morn-
ing routine song).
• Create spaces in the classroom where learners can work quietly on their own.

showtheirprogressandthelearningenvironment reflectstheatmospherein
the classroom, the ‘physical and emotional context in which learning occurs’
(Tomlinson, 2014, p. 19). Table 9.5 presents examples of activities in which
teachers of YLs can differentiate their teaching according to these elements.
In order to understand the theory and practice of DI, it is useful to look at
what DI is not (Tomlinson, 2017). First of all, the author points out that DI is
not ‘individualized instruction’ in the sense that it does not imply designing
customised lessons for each individual student. The idea behind DI is to en-
gage all the students, be that at class, group or individual level, in meaningful
learning. Another important aspect of DI is that it is not chaotic or disorderly.
Although leaners may be working on different levels and tasks, discipline and
organisation are as important as in any other school setting. Classroom man-
agement based on DI is based on flexible rather than homogenous grouping

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