Differentiation and equal opportunities

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Differentiation and equal opportunities

• Can they be equal and different too?

2
Relevant QTS standards

• S.3.3.4 differentiate your teaching to meet the
  needs of pupils, including the more able and
  those with special educational needs
• S.3.3.5 able to support those who are learning
  English as a second language
• S.3.3.6 take account of varying interests,
  experience and achievement of boys and girls and
  pupils from different cultural and ethnic
  backgrounds

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In what way do pupils differ?

• Learning capability
• Prior experience
• Preferred learning styles
• Motivation
• Gender
• Language status

4
Intended Learning Outcomes

• Develop a secure understanding of the meanings of
  the concepts of differentiation and equal
  opportunities
• Situate the place of these concepts in the Key
  stage 3 and 4 learning strategies and be able to
  argue for their importance
• Address and apply principles of equal
  opportunities and differentiation in planning
  teaching and assessment of learning

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Meanings of conceptsDifferentiation

• Tomlinson and Allan (2002) when a teacher
  reacts responsively to a learners needs
• NCC (1993) the process by which curriculum
  objectives, teaching methods assessment,
  resources and learning activities are planned to
  cater for the needs of individual pupils

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Equal opportunities

• Origin social class issues
• More recently encompasses issues of race,
  gender, ethnicity and disability
• Related legislation
• Sex discrimination Act (1975)
• Race Relations Act (1976)
• Disability Discrimination Act (1995)

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Equality and Equity

• Equality focuses on quantitative measures which
  can be addressed through policy initiatives such
  as widening participation, minimizing drop outs,
  equal treatment of pupils, equitable distribution
  of resources and access to a common curriculum
• Equity focuses on qualitative issues of justice
  and fairness.
• Secada (1987) says that equality establishes the
  rules while equity invites us to evaluate the
  fairness of those rules

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Types of equalityTurner B.S. (1986)

• Ontological equality the fundamental equality of
  persons
• Equality to achieve desired outcomes
• Equality of the conditions for learning
• Equality of the outcomes or results
• Use Turners four types of equality to examine
  the extent to which the secondary school science
  curriculum in the UK reflects those concerns

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Opportunity to do what?

• To attain to the best of ability
• To be treated fairly
• To attain comparable outcomes
• To utilize needed resources
• To be provided with sufficient encouragement to
  learn to the best ability
• To be assessed fairly
• To be recognized as a unique individual similar
  to others but different in ones own special way

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Research on Equal Opportunities and
Differentiation

• 1.Assessment, equal opportunities and
  differentiation
• Bradfoot, P (1996)
• Harlen, W.(1994)
• Osborne (2004)
• 2.Gender and equal opportunities
• Murphy (1997)
• Collins and Cook (2001)
• Preece, Skinner and Riall (1999)
• Murphy and Elwood (1998)
• 3. Ethnicity and Equal opportunities
• Maringe (1996)
• Gillborn (1990)
• Tomlinson S (1992)

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Broad principles for differentiation and equal
opportunities

• Content differentiation
• Resource differentiation
• Task differentiation
• Outcomes differentiation
• Differentiation by support and manipulating the
  learning environment
• Differentiation by assessment

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Strategies for differentiation (see Naylor and
Keogh 1998)

• Using a range of learning styles
• Taking pupils ideas into account
• Adjusting the level of scientific skills required
• Adjusting the level of linguistic skills required
• Adjusting the level of mathematical skills
  required
• Varying the amount and nature of teacher
  intervention
• Varying the degree of learning independence
• Using a variety of questioning styles
• Valuing the contribution of everyone
• Varying the method of presentation or recording
• Providing a range of teaching resources

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Creating a climate for differentiation

• Emphasis on active learning
• Involving pupils in the assessment process
• Creating a questioning climate
• Establishing routines that develop independent
  learning
• Creating a flexible learning environment
• Creating a person centred rather than curriculum
  centred instructional climate
• Creating a departmental approach to ensure
  continuity in approaches

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Lesson Plan Checklist for Differentiation
Adapted fromCarol Tomlinson University of
Virginia (1996)

• Be clear what you want the pupils to learn
• Vary the content and resources
• Pre-assess pupils readiness to learn
• Vary groups and group assignments
• Differentiated activities should be equally
  interesting
• Outcomes should reflect entire continuum of
  learning competencies e.g. Blooms taxonomy)
• Consider using a variety of instructional
  strategies

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Some final remarks

• Equality does not mean treating pupils in the
  same way
• It means removing all obstacles that may impede
  learning of pupils
• Its purpose is to attain equity by ensuring that
  every pupil is sufficiently supported to
  experience success in their learning
• Differentiation offers a broad philosophical and
  strategic focus for pupils to have a fair chance
  to experience success and attainment to the
  fullest extent possible, It is in my opinion the
  fairest strategy for attaining equality of
  educational opportunity

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Statutory sources

• DfEE (1999) The National Curriculum Handbook
  Inclusion providing effective learning
  opportunities for all pupils
• DfEE (2000) National numeracy and literacy
  strategies guidance for teaching able children
• DfEE (20000 Supporting pupils with special
  educational needs
• Ofsted (1999) Raising attainment of minority
  ethnic pupils
• TTA (2000) Raising attainment of ethnic minority
  pupils