How effective is a differentiated approach in teaching foreign languages?

The modern foreign language teacher must promote excellence and a supporting learning environment to all students, despite their different characters, different learning styles, different motivations, or uneven language levels within a class. It is our duty to achieve our objectives following the syllabus. However, modern education involves not only expanding our students’ knowledge but also developing them as individuals. A differentiated approach in teaching foreign languages helps not only to achieve higher academic results but also has a positive impact on our learners as personalities. C.A. Tomlinson mentions:” Children already come to us differentiated. It just makes sense that we would differentiate our instruction in response to them." (Tomlinson, 1999, p. 24) 

In this article I will try to elucidate the concept of differentiated learning in a foreign language classroom and how effective it might be while engaging all students in the learning process.  

The term “Differentiated teaching” might be ambiguous and not fully clear.  The readingrockets.org defines "Differentiated teaching" in the following way: “Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, ongoing assessment and flexible grouping make this a successful approach to instruction.” 

 Imbeau, M.B., & Tomlinson, C.A. (2013), mention in their work:” Managing a Differentiated Classroom”: “Differentiated instruction is as much a philosophy of teaching as it is a model for teaching. It is rooted in the premise that student variance is both normal and desirable and that teachers who are respectful of students’ learning needs proactively plan for and attend to those needs with the goal of offering all students the maximum opportunity to develop their potential as learners.” 

Firstly, it is necessary to mention that the students have different learning styles. Douglas B. Reeves says in “Six Principles of Effective Accountability, Harvard Education Letter: “All children can learn" does not mean "all children are the same." This suggests that we should apply the differentiated approach, we must give our learners the opportunity to process the content in the learning style that fits them best. Evidently, in order to apply the differentiated approach, we must get to know our learners well enough, we must understand who they really are and how they learn best. In order to support their learning, we must adjust our methods and materials in a foreign language class. Some students possess strong social and communicative skills and prefer working in pairs, groups, and teams, participating in debates, and expressing their points of view publicly. They feel good when they stand out in a crowd. Others, on the contrary, prefer not to be verbal, but instead, they express their thoughts very well in written form. The others have strong digital skills and learn best using educational online platforms. Or, some students learn easily by doing crosswords or playing board games.   By no means does somebody work more or less than the other. Our task as teachers is, certainly, to identify the learning styles of our students. Consequently, all students will be equally involved, meeting the same objectives of the lesson. On the contrary, if we teach all students the same way, giving them all the same tasks or assignments, we, somehow, disregard their learning styles. 

Let us take a look at one practical example of a differentiated approach in teaching German as a Foreign Language, the topic being “ Sports in Germany.” In the first phase of the lesson, the teacher will present the new vocabulary. Following this, the objectives of the lesson will be achieved by applying the differentiated approach. The class is divided into several groups of 3 or 4 students, each group is challenged to do varied tasks, depending on the learning style. One group will read a text on the given topic with tasks to be done, the second group will make a mind map of popular sports in Germany or celebrity athletes representing each sport, the third group will watch a video and do tasks while or after watching, whereas the fourth will think of a German Sports star and prepare an interview with this celebrity. Therefore, each group will present a differentiated product and feel valued, and supported, simply because the learning format represents them best. It is equally important to mention that each student will, in this case, achieve the objectives of the lesson.  

As revealed, in order to achieve maximum student results, we should implement the differentiated approach in practicing all linguistic skills, vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, and speaking. Ignacio Estrada says: “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” Differentiated Approach in Teaching Vocabulary 

Teaching vocabulary nowadays is far easier than it used to be. The variety of modern methods and information we have at our disposal, without any doubt, make it easier to apply a different approach in order to meet the needs of our learners.  

For instance, if we plan to assess the vocabulary when finishing a new chapter, we could differentiate the tasks we give our students. One group could be asked the new vocabulary frontally using flashcards, the other could be assessed in written form, and the third group could do a test on a digital platform.  The key factor at this point is to involve all the students in the learning process, no one should be left out. If a student, for instance, prefers to write rather than speak, the teacher’s task is to give him or her the opportunity to express their thoughts and knowledge in his preferred learning style.  

Let us exemplify how a differentiated product could be created in a language class where, for instance, the topic is “Environment Protection.”  

At the end of the chapter, one group could make a presentation or a project in the target language on how to protect the environment, the other could make an exhibition of recycled items, and the other could prepare a quiz for the whole class on the respective topic. Another group could prepare an interview or a role-play activity.

Similarly, when giving homework, we could apply a differentiated approach depending on the student’s learning styles. Giving a differentiated homework task might also be a successful approach. Those students who possess good writing skills could write an essay, other students, who have good drawing skills,  could make a poster on the same topic as the ones who write an essay, the other group could retell a text, whereas the fourth group may complete tasks based on a text. By giving our students this flexibility, we support them and help them learn at their own pace.  

Evidently, we are no magicians in order to implement a perfectly differentiated teaching approach every time we have a class. Moreover, what works with one class, might not work with another. The idea is to try your best and support each student using different methods and approaches so as to achieve academic goals. It should be mentioned that we, as teachers, by applying the differentiated approach, grow as professionals,  cross our boundaries and become more creative.  

I truly believe that our mission as teachers, among many others, is to find the best path to our students’ successful results. If you do find this path and your students meet the objectives, then you truly are a magician.  

Carol Ann Tomlinson, “Differentiating Instruction: Why Bother?”, 2005, National Middle School Association 

“Children already come to us differentiated. It just makes sense that we would differentiate our instruction in response to them." (Tomlinson, 1999, p. 24) 

https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/differentiated-instruction/articles/what-differentiated-instruction 

 

 

 

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