Differentiated teaching and teacher development

Research questions, objectives and theoretical frameworkThis paper reports from a research project on differentiated teaching and the professional development of teaching in diverse Classrooms. The study was conducted from January 2014 until December 2015. The study consists of two different parts. The first part (2014) was a sociological, critical practice research project on teachers’ practices (Bourdieu, 1977; Bourdieu & Wacquant, 1992) and the second part (2015) was a collaborative practice research project on the possibilities for developing teaching practices in diverse classrooms (Norwich & Jones, 2012; Bjørnsrud, 2005). The debate about special education among researchers has developed. In the first medical perspective learners’ individual differences was associated with specific types of learning difficulties or impairments. This view contained an emphasis on diagnostic-prescriptive teaching and different kinds of tests and interventions (Florian, 2008). The sociological critiques of special needs education have emphasized the problematic sides of segregated provisions: injustice, marginalization, stigmatization and exclusion (e.g. Booth and Ainscow, 1998; Skrtic, 1999; Slee, 2011). From this emphasis inclusive education has been embraced in the theoretical debate as an alternative as it suggests that local schools should provide for all leaners – regardless of differences, disabilities or other social, emotional, cultural and linguistic differences. The current debate on special needs education and inclusive education has a focus on teaching to diversity. The discussion is about teachers’ ability to make sense of individual differences in their teaching without relying on specific disability categories. It’s acknowledged in the research discussion that responding to differences between pupils involves good teaching for all (inclusive education) and at the same time, that what works for most does not work for all (Norwich & Jones, 2012; Black-Hawkins, Florian & Rouse, 2007). Differentiated instruction is defined as responsive instruction and to teachers’ proficiency in understanding their students as individuals and to their expertise at teaching flexibly (Tomlinson, 2003; 2011). In this paper we report on findings on teachers’ knowing, doing and believing (Rouse, 2008) in the practice of teaching to diversity and on findings on possible development of teaching practices.Research questions are:•How do teachers understand differences among pupils and how do they respond to differences?•How do pupils participate in the classrooms?•What is going on between pupils and how do their relations influence teaching?•How is it possible to develop the practice of teachers in close collaborations between researchers (and research findings from studying practice) and teachers? MethodThe overall methodological approach to the study is a case-study approach (Flyvbjerg, 2001) as the study has conducted and in depth examination over two years of one school, two groups of teachers and to classrooms (third and fourth grade). The case is an extreme case, as the school is a high performance school in an area in Denmark with a high degree of diversity (ethnical and social). The two parts of the study is drawing on different methodological assumptions. The first part draws on a classical practice research approach (Bourdieu, 1977; Bourdieu & Wacquant, 1992; Archer, 2007) and study the knowing, doing and believing of teachers. The second part primarily draws on a collaborative practice research approach (Bjørnsrud, 2005) including a lesson study approach (Norwich & Jones, 2012). In the first part of the study interviews and observations is the empirical background for analyzing teachers understanding of differences among pupils and their response to pupils’ different way of participating. In the second part of the study analyses of practice in classrooms are presented to the teachers and thus a ‘trade-off’ between practice and research has been conducted. In this the researcher uses analytical approaches – concepts and methods – in order to deliver a description of practice as well as problems and dilemmas in practice to practitioners. In this approach practitioners benefit from the project because they will get a deeper understanding of their practice and they will be able to develop theories about their practice (Bjørnsrud 2005, 38). From this outset new ideas and theories about teaching is developed in order to improve practice. These ideas on how to teach differently are implemented in practice and evaluated by the teachers and in collaboration with researchers in a lesson study approach (Norwich & Jones, 2012). The aim of this part has been to improve the practice of teaching to diversity and to examine how teachers can collaborate about evaluating and improving teaching in order to respond to diversity.FindingsIn the first part of the study it’s found that teachers practice and their understanding of their role as teachers – in spite of the best of intentions – are excluding students who are not adapting to the implicit expectations of the teachers. The classroom consists of a multitude of different students and the practice of the teachers is directed towards the average student. Some students, some professional perspectives and some challenges and incidents in the classroom are not discovered by the teachers during teaching and this, it’s found, has to do with the teachers’ professional understanding of their role as teachers.In the second part of the research process teachers have been presented for critical perspectives on their teaching practice. In research-labs between teachers and researchers new ways of collaborating with the students (in preparing for lessons, in lessons and in evaluating lessons) have developed different paths of participation for different students. Teacher development towards differentiated teaching is supported by a lesson-study approach and this approach can illustrate how team collaboration can work well. 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