Barriers to Promoting Differentiation in ESOL Courses

Introduction

The aspect of education is chosen to be ESOL courses that I am currently teaching. In today's world, teachers are not essentially seen to be promoting differentiation. The assignment aims to investigate the primary factors that prevent teachers from promoting and implementing differentiation within the classroom. Proceeding with the ESOL courses is purposeful as teachers might get a chance to look into real-life school situations. As commented by Gueldner, B.A., Feuerborn and Merrell (2020), teachers along with a committee of people can work to ensure the improvement of students and bridging the gaps between the research process and practice. Teachers apart from their practices should become focused on learners' development via using Brookfield four lenses model. The hypothesis is identified as "Does teachers promote effective use of differentiation within the classroom". This particular subject is associated with the consumption of time while taking notes and the blackboard world. However, there is less time reserved for interaction with students (Bondie, Dahnke, and Zusho, 2019). The investigation is going to be done by collecting secondary data available on the internet and reliable academic resources. Examining ethical considerations associated with differentiation inside the classroom will be done via using different lenses like autobiographical, peers, learners, and the theoretical one.

Autobiographical Lens

Differentiation is a method of teaching that ensures the tailoring of instructions for individuals. According to Ougan et al. (2014, p.164), "normally those students who find research difficult and stressful develop greater research anxiety thus, sacrificing their grades in the course". Now, it becomes important to identify the teacher's contribution concerning differentiation to its core. I realized that from a teacher's perspective, all students are equal and they require equal treatment inside the classroom. When I was in school, I remember how the feedback sessions were taken by teachers to assess our mistakes in ESOL courses. Interactive conversations were going on with teachers so that I can learn more.

According to Cha, and Ahn (2020), utilizing the observations and asking formal questionnaires had been essential in terms of generating maximum research skills. Understanding the spectrum of positive and negative attitudes towards the subjects has been essential at that point of time from teachers' perspectives. I also was triggered towards choosing the subject as a teaching profession because there are certain possibilities observed for future action development in terms of reflecting the structures of differentiation in the classroom. From a teacher's perspective, it can be explained that seasonal teachers usually do not practice differentiation inside the classroom (Chandra Handa, 2019).

A primary factor of not implementing differentiation in the classroom is that the teachers are given instructions from management to ensure more passing rates than the learning of essentials. As discussed by Barkley (2018), management enforces such orders to ensure that their funds are appropriately taken care of. I have also come across the fact that excessive workload and lack of time become a constraint of planning the differentiation. As a new trainee teacher, some penalties are observed for not being able to promote differentiation in their classroom in some education sectors.

"The use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction" is believed by many people. Differentiation from my autobiographical perspective is not a product of inclusion. Nero-typical people are the limitations of differentiation. According to Lynch, Hunt, and Lewis (2018), the primary obstacle to promoting differentiation in the classroom is that most of the curriculum is designed for Nero diverse people and mainstream classroom activities are based on the curriculum. Now, due to lack of time teachers do not bother designing differentiation to the lesson. Therefore, one section in the classroom is deprived of this feature.

Learner’s lens

Learners to some extent had objections to the implementation of this procedure, as they wanted to score more passing marks. With a singular curriculum and no specifically tailored instructions, it will be easier for the pupil to gain maximum passing marks. However, showing enthusiasm and engaging in high levels of activity might not be seen. As highlighted by Kirby (2017), learners can see through their lenses the applicable concepts of research in their daily lives and acquire closer awareness of developing a positive attitude. Activity is motivated through intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as learners. On the other hand, some learners that show less interest in taking part in extracurricular activities, as well as the class activities, become an obstacle in the creation of differentiation inside the classroom of ESOL courses. During this pandemic situation, over workload on students are making them less interested in designing differentiation.

While working on learner's perspectives getting their consent is important as per the BERA guidelines. As per the discussion of Blau, Shamir-Inbal, and Avdiel (2020), some learners might be under the age of 18, which identifies them to take permission from colleges to participate in interviews. Sometimes students do not even understand why the module is being taught in school and they have to do it to pass the course. Moreover, the time allocated for each course is lesser, and additional implementation of differentiation in the classroom becomes impossible. Differentiation is identified because of progressivism on Dewey. The classroom of ESOL is divided into diverse pools and the student population is becoming an obstacle in the way of differentiation. As per the learner's lens, small groups can be arranged for the management of the learning needs of a small group of students. According to Haggarty (2002), "differentiation is the response to pupil differences". Not all pupils might want to be part of the race of becoming mathematicians, scientists, or well-qualified engineers. Hence, stretching each of the pupils for being a part of differentiation is not accepted by all and becoming an obstacle towards the process.

Although teachers have the concept of differentiation, they are seldom seen to be using them in classrooms. On the other hand, students sometimes are least interested in the concepts of differentiation and this lowers the morale of teachers trying to implement it (Valiandes, Neophytou, and Hajisoteriou, 2018). Showing less interest in formative assessments makes it more difficult for teachers.

Peers lens

Peers were not interviewed, however, there were informal discussions conducted on this issue. Ethical consideration for the research includes giving the liberty to express from peers' side and not influencing their statements. I also analyze other teacher's perspectives that are not committed to the work. As evaluated by Suprayogi, Valcke, and Godwin (2017), peer's lenses were indulged in promotion of ethical consideration followed in this research and evaluating the hypothesis. Most of the peers supported my strategy of DoNow questions in class. In case all teachers promote this process, then differentiation will be promoted and students will be assessed in small groups to identify their issues. ESOL learners might find it appropriate to use colors and visual aids. Peers have also suggested that pointing out planners to RAG helps in the support needed for completing the DoNow process (Nagro et al. 2018). Several formative assessments can judge the ability of students. Differentiated worksheet ideas are well acknowledged by peers. However, all peers found out it to be difficult to give personalized feedback to the students every time they become successful in tasks due to current educational aspects.

Rigid rules for issuing the same type of curriculum for all are becoming a hurdle in the pathway of differentiated instructions. While ESOL courses are conducted, four different teaching profiles can be created. As implemented by Yuen et al. (2018), the differentiation will be marked upon content, products, learning environment, and process. Peers identified the perspectives of differentiating content at the elementary level and considerations made as:

Uses of reading materials that are adjusted with readability levels

Presentation of ideas through audio and visual methods

Small group studies for better handling of students

Recorded text materials for saving the note-taking process (Peeters et al. 2016)

Spelling and vocabulary judgment for students

As explained by Bryant, Bryant, and Smith (2019), characteristics of differentiation include the complexity of change management and quality improvisation of teachers. Peers were impressed with the idea of completing the process:

Developing personal agendas

Interest centers for exploring the talents hiding inside students and evaluating

Tiered activities for judging the learner work

Peers were engaged in the idea of products that allowed students to be marked according to their rubric (Gaitas, and Alves Martins, 2017). A learning environment is observed for managing a variety of cultures and guidelines are must settle around the concept of differentiation.

Theoretical lens

Teachers have reported on two types of differentiation and these are lack of time and insufficiency of sources. As explained by Timmermans, and Rubie-Davies (2018), the limited availability of differentiated resources and no schedule of student-teacher collaboration are hurdles that prevent teachers from implementing differentiation even if they want to. Carol Tomnlison has essentially identified personalized learning theories. This has made differentiated teaching and learning quite famous. Constructivism as a process of encouraging differentiation in learning helps in taking out the talents to the limelight. Piagetian Theories are namely the ones that are highly associated with differentiation in higher education and teaching. In this theory, learners are identifying new concepts and investigating aspects for boosting their research of ESOL. For example, creating an imaginary situation and asking what learners will do in that situation is effective outside textbook knowledge. According to Ryan and Deci (2000, p.56), it can be explained that a natural motivational tendency is one critical element that a person can grow in cognitive, physical, and social development. The significant theories mentioned above give an idea of differentiated instructions, tasks, and activities to be conducted for promoting differentiation in the classroom (Pozas, Letzel, and Schneider, 2020). Though there are primary obstacles that prevent teachers from creating, a differentiation in class following the process like extension task can ensure giving a student the appropriate support that is needed.

The theorists appreciate all differentiation processes discussed here. Such responses from students and good results were beyond expectation. For example in ESOL subjects, there are three levels used for student capability assessments. According to Griful-Freixenet et al. (2020), the first level is writing essays on a given topic. The second level is participating in activities and being creative. Students need to represent their ideas through using small presentations they have made in the third level as these give an idea of what they have learned and how effective it is.

Differentiated worksheets are identified to be a great choice when it comes to the identification of the subject grip of each student as supported by theories. For students with low ability, active participation in classroom activities has been analyzed (Brevik, Gunnulfsen, and Renzulli, 2018). It typically forces on the concepts of being engaged inside class work and score more in internal assessments. However, students that are identified as having a stronger grip on subjects are given chances to solve difficult levels of the questionnaire.

Analysis

Analysis can be conducted on the variables that have been introduced in this context. Differentiated success criteria are another way to address issues on different levels. However, the initial obstacles like time barriers have been contaminating the differentiation in ESOL classrooms. Even in further education, some pupils are not active and they are focused on their degrees. As derived by Muñoz Martínez, and Porter (2020), learning and gathering extra knowledge is something that they are not accustomed. Hence, teachers also become de-motivated and continue teaching in the same old curriculum. Students should take a self-evaluation process and support it to become better people. In a mixed group setting, working with peers is effective for learners. There is strengthening of students and generating acceptability is done through supporting the hypothesis of teachers trying to promote differentiation in class. For example, differentiated topics were given to students for their high-level presentation (Schmuck, 1997). Flexibility in a mixed setting learning environment allowed completing the work with peers and presenting them in groups.

For example, an informal discussion can be represented with a learner where three learners will be assessed. Learner A was satisfied with the process of differentiation as he thought it would be difficult to pass the subject. However, with tailored instructions for him, it became easy to conquer the challenges. As discussed by Shaukat et al. (2014), instructions were easy for him to follow within the setting of a differentiated environment as initially; the student thought that he is lower ability. In the case of learner B, the satisfaction level was low. There was a lack of participation observed as the learner was satisfied with mediocrity and did not want to excel in a particular domain. The customized instruction was a burden for that student and was not in support of differentiation. On the other hand, learner C was giving a mixed reaction to this entire differentiation process. This student was more biased on differentiation methods. However, the engagement of the regular teaching process was also satisfactory from his perspective. An analysis can be done on the tasks and activities being performed to promote differentiation (Ismajli, and Imami-Morina, 2018). Differentiated formative assessment can help teachers to get maximum support from the learner and promote differentiation. For instance, questioning was different. For a low attainer, questions with direct answers will be given. While in the case of top attainers, highly interactive and reasoning-based questions will be given for continuous assessment.

A prior knowledge check is identified to be an obvious method for the management of success criteria of differentiation. According to Goddard et al. (2019), conducting small class tests is identified as an important aspect of understanding a student's levels of knowledge. For example, students can be given instant topics to start a conversation or write an essay on it. Moreover, personalized feedback can ensure that all students are equally finding out the effectiveness of differentiation. Feedback regarding the strengths for each of the pupils and identifying the next steps are important. Identification of different levels of student struggles is important in terms of managing the differentiation structures. The level of interpretation and identification of the ability of an individual is an important factor for engaging each student in a differentiated classroom (Burton, Golding-Lloyd, and Griffith, 2011). Promotion of a realia inside classroom brings about confidence in both teacher and learner aspect.

According to Wheeler (2001), a possible danger is derived from accommodating differentiation. Teachers are advised to view student abilities as temporary. This might change with time. Therefore, teachers should not give them any permanent label of high potential or low potential student. They should get respect as individuals. It is the responsibility of teachers to bring in a diverse environment in the student population. These were the effects of promoting differentiation in the classroom. Even though my mentors found it an excellent idea to add some realia to my classroom, there were obstacles in addition of differentiation. There was agreement and disagreement both seen in the global context. University rules bound teachers in such a way that they have to teach the examination paper only (Mills, 2011).

Promoting differentiation through providing different levels of tasks and activities and having different marking systems is essentially resisted by many factors. Teachers' commitment is often questioned. Sometimes they are not ready to go the extra mile for students and promote differentiation. Inhibition of proper planning and preparation has been observed as a part of affecting differentiation. In mainstream classroom set up the implementation of differentiation could bring about a rage between learners with special abilities and Nero-typical ones. In my opinion, the promotion of differentiation has become a deep-rooted concern for an entire set of people (Mohammed, 2016). Giving student’s relief from anxiety and creating a positive experience is identified as an important step for improvising the learner's interest.

Conclusion

Learning initiatives are taken such as giving students the work surveying can also help in self-development of necessary skills. Teachers nowadays are expected to stimulate learner's interest and "raise their appreciation by creating an alternate pedagogy to relate with real-life situations". Designing student competition within the classroom is an effective idea to encourage learners and ensure differentiation is promoted. The maximum number of learners should get the chance to develop their competencies. Teachers are asked to put an introduction of each module and get a test done so that competency levels are analyzed of students. Anticipating student differences while evaluating the outperforming students in class identified to be an important aspect. Peers had supported the concept of “maximize the potential of all learners by proactively designing learning experiences in response to individual needs”. Different tasks and activities given to the small group of students help in challenging their standards. It is a great opportunity for students to gain maximum identification of their talents and future leading capabilities. Hence, there are assumptions presented that might become a concern for teachers trying to promote differentiation. It entirely depends on education systems whether there differentiation generated or not. Therefore, the hypothesis of this essay is justified.

Take a deeper dive into Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory model with our additional resources.

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