Table 1: Organization of differentiated instruction in a mathematics
Class
A B C D
Grade 1 High Middle Low, Below-low Below-low
Grade 2 Above-high, High Middle Low, Below-low Below-low
Grade 3 Above-high, High Middle Low, Below-low Below-lowSource: Min et al., 2012, p. 156.
Analysis of differentiated instruction in several subjects reveals that there
are three ways of organizing learning tasks and achievement goals (Korea
Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, 1998). In the first way of organizing
tasks, the students complete different tasks according to their levels, but
everybody aims to reach the same goal. For example, in a primary school
practical arts (technology and home economics) class, the goal was to
‘experience robots’, and three activities were undertaken by the students.
Activity 1 was to find everyday supplies with robot technology; Activity 2
was to classify daily supplies with robot technology according to different
types of sensors; and Activity 3 was to make a robot with a simple sensor
(Min et al., 2012). Students ranked as being ‘high’ and ‘above-high’ performers
undertook Activity 3, while the other students undertook the other activities.
In the second way of organizing tasks, the students not only complete
different tasks but also aim for different goals, depending on their levels. In
the third way of organizing tasks, the students complete the same task, but
aim for different goals. Each student uses their own strategy to complete a
set task and can achieve different goals depending on how far they are able
to progress.
In some subjects, different teaching modes are applied depending on
students’ traits. For example, a teacher of a physical education class might
choose to use a ‘direct’ approach with ‘evasive’ students, while using an
‘inquiry learning’ approach with ‘participatory’ students (Min et al., 2012, p.
267). For this approach to work, it is necessary for teachers to make correct
and appropriate judgements about their students’ traits, so that they can
choose relevant teaching modes. Thus, within one subject teachers can
employ different teaching modes according to the students’ learning styles.
Table 2 lists the various instruction modes appropriate for the student traits.