Planning for differentiation: The experience of teachers in Northern Ireland primary schools

Abstract

Journal of Curriculum StudiesPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:This paper describes how a group of primary schools in Northern Ireland plan a differentiated curriculum, and the extent to which subject co-ordinators offer guidance to teacher colleagues in planning for English, mathematics and science. The views of headteachers, subject co-ordinators and teachers on the ways in which plans are translated into classroom practice for higher and lower attaining pupils in both classwork and homework were obtained. The curriculum support staff described how far they consider teachers are applying the principles of differentiation, including progression and continuity. The results showed that, although most teachers were said to understand the meaning of differentiation moderately well, help was needed in drawing up schemes of work and providing for the extremes of pupil attainment.Recent educational reform legislation in the UK, with its demand for the provision of a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum, has focused teachers' attention closely on the concept of differentiation. A working de nition of a differentiated curriculum might be one which offers opportunities for progression for all children, regardless of ability. In Northern Ireland, the Education Reform (NI) Order (1989) stated that the curriculum should provide children with continuity of educational experience commensurate with their needs and attainment, in terms of the programmes of study and attainment targets for each subject. The programmes of study outline what is to be taught and are organized for four key stage age ranges (4

Exploring the Relationship Between Principal, Policy, and Gifted Program Scope and Quality

“…The NSW revised gifted and talented policy (DET, 2004) was developed based on an extensive body of literature that has shown that successfully implemented gifted programs require a definition, philosophy and criteria, goals and objectives, differentiated curricula, professional learning for staff and parents, a budget, and an evaluation process to ensure program accountability, validity, measurable outcomes, and a common understanding of the aforementioned items by all stakeholders (Adams, 2006; Brown, Avery, VanTassel-Baska, Worley, & Stambaugh, 2006; Cooper, 2000; Forster, 2005; McGarvey, Marriott, Morgan, & Abbott, 1997). Gifted program provisions in schools are commonly described in terms of scope and quality.…”

Le sens construit autour de la différenciation pédagogique dans le cadre d’une recherche-action-formation

“…Notre objet de recherche, la différenciation pédagogique, se présente ainsi comme l'une des clés d'accès à un niveau de réussite plus élevé (CSE, 2002;MEQ, 2004;MELS, 2006). Or, les écrits sur la différenciation relèvent qu'en dépit d'un corpus de connaissances abondant les enseignants différencient peu (Gaudreau,Legault,167 volume XXXIX:2, automne 2011 www.acelf.ca Brodeur, Hurteau, Dunberry et al, 2008;Humphrey, Bartolo, Ale, Calleja, Hofsaess et al, 2006;McGarvey, Marriott, Morgan et Abbott, 1997;Tomlinson, Brighton, Hertberg, Callahan, Moon et al, 2003). D'emblée, une analyse historique du concept de différenciation permet de l'associer à une préoccupation ancestrale consistant à adapter l'enseignement aux différences individuelles qui se manifestent dans un groupe scolaire (Prud'homme, Dolbec, Brodeur, Presseau et Martineau, 2005).…”

“…En effet, ces dénominations se réfèrent à des perspectives théoriques multiples et à un cortège de croyances qui créent des ambiguïtés et des tensions, quand elles ne relèvent pas de définitions incompatibles (Perrenoud, 1997). Ensuite, il semble que les dispositifs de formation à l'enseignement demeurent incomplets tant sur les enjeux de la diversité et de l'équité (Goodnough, 2010;McGarvey et al, 1997;Moran, 2007) que sur la rareté des cours ou portions de cours portant sur la question. D'autant plus que ceux-ci sont souvent présentés de manière décontextualisée, qu'ils s'attardent aux traits des élèves et négligent les méthodes d'enseignement pouvant soutenir la prise en compte d'une diversité (Lesar, Benner, Habel et Coleman, 1997;Tomlinson et al, 1997).…”

“…à celles de la différenciation de différents auteurs (McGarvey et al, 1997;Stradling et Saunders, 1993;Tomlinson, 2004), les participantes constatent que la diversité est omniprésente dans les définitions et qu'elles ont avantage à ce que leurs élèves en prennent conscience. Que ce soit par la construction de jeux, l'exploitation de contes ou par l'adaptation de L'école des animaux (de Peretti, 1987), elles s'engagent dans la planification d'activités visant à stimuler le respect des différences au sein de leur groupe-classe.…”

Questions to assess learning as a communicative routine for inclusion

“…However, a synthesis of empirical evidence regarding differentiation supports equivocal results. Research on teachers' experiences of differentiation in primary schools in Northern Ireland found that their perceptions of an achievable vision of differentiation at the planning stage ‘was not necessarily the reality noted during case study observation’ (McGarvey, Marriott, Morgan & Abbott, ). A study investigating curriculum access for children with special educational needs in a mainstream Irish primary school found that large class size, teaching multiple classes and time constraints were impediments (Coffey, ); among the senior classes, teaching approaches that allowed teachers who felt under pressure to cover subject content but relied on whole‐class teaching, textbook learning and pencil and paper activities, did not readily lend themselves to differentiation.…”