Differentiation, also known as differentiated learning, teaching or instruction, is a pedagogical and philosophical approach around the adaption, shaping and individualisation of curriculum, topics, sessions and resources. This differentiation is focused on the specific needs of an individual to allow them to access the content and activities of a session. Differentiation, in practical terms, aims to provide a more equal opportunity for an individual to gain the same knowledge, skills and behaviours on offer within a session as their peers and, as such, enables them to reach their full potential as their peers. However, a specific definition and description of what differentiation is can be difficult to draw together due to the meaning being different to different people, and this is again impacted by the universal flexible application of the term within educational practice. The description above is the view that the Nottingham Education Network holds on the term differentiated learning.
When differentiation is discussed, it is often used as a verb and talked about in a practical manner where an educator actively tailors their teaching to meet the specific individual learning needs of a pupil, such as any adjustment in the environment, materials for learning, assessment of learning and support strategies. The reason the view of this is taken is, as mentioned above, one of the main aims of differentiated teaching is to enable individuals to access and participate in learning and support them in gaining the knowledge, skills and behaviours on offer.
Furthermore, due to differentiation being seen as a broad pedagogical and philosophical approach, it is often seen that to differentiate is to go beyond just focusing on an individual’s learning needs and instead to focus on the individual holistically, considering their cultural, social, physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs. Doing so enables the educator to ensure the active participation of an individual in learning and access to the knowledge, skills and behaviours on offer.
Information on similar topics:
NEN Summary: Adaptive Teaching
Nottingham Education Network 