Introducting differentiated instruction in secondary education

Results of a teacher professional development program

Wouter Smets

Katrien Struyven

EARLI SIG11 21/JUN/2016

Table of contents

1. Introduction

2. Method

3. Results

achievable and realistic strategies

concerns and successes

4. Discussion

Introduction

Student diversity:

‘a problem in the classroom?’

introduction

References:

(Crul and Holdaway 2009)

(Meissner and Vertovec 2015)

(Geldof 2013, Geldof 2015)

Introduction

Trend towards inclusive education

learning disorders

special needs

roots in migration

theory practiceLarge gap

Basic teaching competences(Vlaams ministerie van Onderwijs, 2007)

Introduction

Differentiated instruction (‘binnenklasdifferentiatie’) is anapproach to teaching that takes into account differencesbetween students in a proactive, positive and planned way in order to gain the maximum learning effect for eachstudent.

(Coubergs, Struyven et al. 2015)

Adapted from: Oaksford & Jones, 2001

Research questions

1. Which choices did the participating teachers make when trying to realize differentiated instruction?

Which strategies and teaching methods are regarded by the participating teachers as (not) achievable or realistic on the short term.

2. Which concerns and successes did the participating teachers encounter hen trying to realize differentiated instruction?

Method

Sample

• 24 Teachers

• 4 schools: 3 urban, 1 peri-urban

• Teaching teams:

school A: diverse

school B: French, all grades

school C: (1) French, 8th grade

(2) history, all grades

• School D: team dropped out

Intervention: A differentiated instruction Professional development Program

3 training days

- 1: (flipped) theoretical frameworks

- 2: DI as part of a learning cycle

- 3: DI as a teaching technique

‘Implement achievable and realistic strategies’

Follow up: coaching 4 months

Data

Interviews and fieldwork

Multiple-case: analysis within- and cross-case

Thematic analysis

Results: Achievable andrealistic strategies

Achievable and realisticstrategies

Teacher-controlled

Low student self-regulation

Teaching strategies A B C1 C2 D

cooperative structures x

collaborative work x X x

contracting work x X X

extended instruction

individualised tasks

project work x

case studies x

problem based

learning

Upper left =

Achievable and realistic for beginners

Lower right =

Longer term professional development

Teacher professional development towards differentiated instruction

skills development:

•differentiated teaching techniques and class management

teaching cycledevelopment:

• begin assessment and assessment of differentiated instruction

mindset development

•differentiated instructionas a philosophy

• theoretical frameworks on differentiated instruction

The cycle of teaching: on the role of assessment

pre-assessment

formative assessment

differentiated summative assessment

not realistic?

no need?

no priority?

Realistic and achievable strategies: pragmatic phasedapproach

Results: concerns & successes

Concerns & successes

Facilities

• Classroom

• ICT

• teaching tools

Teachers’ concern not teachers’ absolute need

Concerns & successes

Urgency for innovation

More and longer experience with diversity

More urgency for innovation

More experience with student-centered learning techniques

More enthusiasm for introduction of differentiated instruction

Concerns & successes

Support

• Standards

• Team

• Externals: handbook writers, pedagogical consultancy,…

Concerns & successes

Mindset

• Teacher

• Students

>> Growth mindset: (Dweck 2008, Dweck 2015)

>> Selfdetermination: (Deci, Vallerand et al. 1991)

Implications forteacher education

Implications for teacher education

Professional development towards differentiated instruction

• Lies in the hands of a variety of actors (teacher education, curriculum developers, handbook writers, school management, teaching teams,…)

• Takes a lot of time to be integrated as a basic attitude

or competence

• Should not be postponed until ‘experienced’

• ‘Mindset’ may be crucial succesfactor

Discussion

Discussion

Differentiated instruction is both a basic teaching skill and an expert-teacher skill.

Differentiated instruction requires appropriate mindset combined with extensive range of teaching techniques.

How to adapt teachers’ and students’ mindsets?

Thank you.

Contact

E: wouter.smets@kdg.be

T: @wouter_smets

RG: Wouter_Smets