Annamária Kótay-Nagy: DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION WITH TECHNOLOGY IN THE HUNGARIAN EFL CLASSROOM
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2 Theoretical and Empirical Background
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2.1 Differentiated Instruction
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2.1.4 The Benefits, Challenges and Enablers of Differentiated Instruction

2.1.4 The Benefits, Challenges and Enablers of Differentiated Instruction

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As Tomlinson and Allan (2000) point out, since DI is “an amalgamation of beliefs, theories, and practices, research supporting the model also comes from a variety of sources” (p. 23). Studies conducted in various parts of the world in different subjects have reported several positive outcomes (Tomlinson et al., 2003). Readiness-based DI, i.e., differentiating tasks to be in students’ ZPD, was reported to result in better academic achievement (Brimijoin, 2001; Gayfer, 1991; Johnsen, 2003; Mastropieri et al., 2006), increased self-efficacy (e.g., Arslan, 2012; Scigliano & Hipsky, 2010) and student motivation (Bransford et al., 2000). The implementation of differentiation based on students’ learning profiles also indicated improved learning outcomes (Campbell et al., 1999; Grigorenko & Sternberg, 1997), while interest-based DI was found to boost motivation and productivity (Amabile, 1983; Collins & Amabile, 1999) and generate flow (Csíkszentmihályi, 1990).

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Although the literature extensively documents the positive effects of DI on students, it is important to recognise that some inherent characteristics of the approach make DI challenging for teachers to implement. First, it entails substantial upfront planning, which “does require additional time” (Blaz, 2016, p. 161). Furthermore, as de Graaf et al. (2018) highlight, teachers who differentiate must juggle with multiple responsibilities simultaneously, such as “establishing and maintaining work order and lesson momentum, building trust, and covering mandatory content”, all of it “within a certain time frame and with groups of 25–30 students who are not necessarily motivated to cooperate, as they often have different goals” (p. 7). This often results in a “workshop-style environment” (Blaz, 2016, p. 160), which might appear as unfamiliar or even chaotic for teachers who are more accustomed to traditional, frontal teaching methods (Willard-Holt, 1994).

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Additionally, students also need to get acquainted with the principles of DI, which requires the teacher, among others, to establish clear expectations, create a sense of community and teach cooperative skills (Blaz, 2016). Finally, as ongoing formative assessment is a core element of DI, teachers also need to make sure that they design appropriate assessment tools and interpret the results of each student on a continuous basis and in a way that informs further teaching, all of which are often time consuming and challenging (Randi & Corno, 2005).

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Several factors have been identified that can help alleviate the above-mentioned challenges. Attending subject-specific training events and forming partnerships with colleagues at schools (Blaz, 2016; De Neve & Devos, 2016; Theisen, 2002; Tomlinson & Allan, 2000) may provide teachers with spaces to reflect on their experiences and learn hands-on DI strategies. Communicating with parents about the principles of DI is another important enabler (Theisen, 2002; Tomlinson, 1999), as well as school administrators’ commitment to supporting DI endeavours among staff (Hertberg-Davis & Brighton, 2006; Lewis & Batts, 2005; Tomlinson & Allan, 2000). Above all, strengthening teachers’ DI self-efficacy beliefs seems to be of vital importance, as several studies have revealed a direct impact of these beliefs on teachers’ decisions to implement DI (e.g., Kalinowski et al., 2024; Suprayogi et al., 2017; Whitley et al., 2019).
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