Secondary Form 4 Scheme of Work 15
Open-ended discussion tasks (e.g. Tell me about life in cities and life in the country, or What will happen next?) allow more proficient pupils to
contribute with more unusual words, more complex language, or more original ideas.
Project work is particularly good for differentiating tasks. You can give slightly different tasks to less and more proficient pupils, e.g. a stronger
group may be asked to create a booklet and presentation on historical places in Malaysia; less proficient pupils might be asked to create the
same for one historical place. (See also additional ideas in Strategy 4).
Strategy 3: Differentiate by the type and amount of support provided
The teacher can support pupils to understand and use language with:
i) your own ‘teacher talk’ (e.g. ‘Look at the words in the box. Which one is a number?’)
ii) with gestures or mime
iii) utilising more proficient pupils to reinforce, e.g. you set an instruction or clarify a new word - to check the instruction or reinforce the word,
then choose a more proficient pupil to repeat or explain again. This will encourage more proficient pupils to produce language and add
challenge for them and the repetition will also support less proficient pupils.
iv) with visuals (e.g. flashcards on the board to help pupils understand or use vocabulary),
v) with written words (e.g. written words on a worksheet to help pupils with spelling)
vi) when giving tasks, have two worksheets – add in a clarification of important and/or difficult vocabulary in basic English or mother tongue.
vii) where pupils are doing project work, encourage more proficient pupils to do more, e.g. research content themselves. Support less proficient
pupils with input, e.g. give them handouts of information to start using rather than expect them to find this themselves.
Different types and amount of support can be given to less proficient pupils, depending on their needs, or can be used to provide extension
challenge for more proficient pupils.
Strategy 4: Differentiate by the outcome expected from pupils
You may expect more language from some pupils, and less from others. The main aim is that every pupil says or writes something, so that they
feel successful. Four useful strategies here are:
i. Compulsory plus optional
Here, you set pupils targets such as, With your partner, write 2 sentences or more, or In your group use two new words. The minimum target
(2 sentences, 2 new words) is compulsory, and everyone needs to achieve this to be successful. But the ‘or more’ is optional, and gives a
chance for more proficient pupils to challenge themselves. Some pupils will stop at the minimum target at first, but with more practice, they
will soon get the idea of going beyond the minimum target. This can be simple, e.g. ‘There are 10 true and false questions for the reading.