Student voice as part of differentiated instruction: students’ perspectives

Abstract

ABSTRACT Inclusive teaching places importance on teachers providing opportunities for students to have some input in their learning, and this is often referred to in the literature as student voice; with Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child typically used to justify this practice. However, student voice is defined and implemented differently by teachers and researchers. This paper seeks to position student voice within the inclusive teaching approach of differentiated instruction. This qualitative study features the voices and perspectives of Australian primary school students (aged between 11 and 12 years) on student voice and their teachers' responsiveness to this consultation for one unit of work. Data collection included an end of unit survey and focus group interviews. Two themes were identified through thematic analysis: student choice and engagement. Overall, the students in this study expressed that they want more voice and choice in their learning in the future. With increasing expectations on teachers to differentiate instruction in response to the diverse needs of students, teachers may consider adopting voice-inclusive practice to inform planning and adopt more participatory pedagogy.