Heterogeneous Classrooms Research Articles

Investigating differentiated instruction and the contributing factors to cater EFL students’ needs at the collegial level

Teaching language has challenges for many reasons, including learners’ backgrounds, learning styles, motivation, and socio-economic status. However, EFL students can benefit from differentiation across the learning continuum to a large extent. This study investigated Afghan EFL learners’ perceptions of differentiated instruction and the factors that contributed to catering to their needs. This study revolved around five main elements of differentiated instruction: learning environment, content, process, product, and assessment. In this study, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to 102 EFL students at Herat University, Afghanistan, to record their perceptions of differentiated instruction in their classes. Three teachers of the English department at the same university were also interviewed to understand their experiences implementing differentiated instruction and identify their tensions. Data from the survey and interviews highlight that while DI requires significant teacher commitment and time, properly designed classes catering to learner specifics can enhance efficiency and be reused in future heterogeneous settings. The study’s results suggested that it is practical to implement differentiated instruction in mixed-level, large, heterogeneous classrooms.

Beyond Magic: Fostering Literacy Resilience in Diverse Classrooms through Home-Based Approaches.

The classrooms in Israel are very diverse, with students differing in learning styles, their handling of literacy tasks, personal and socioeconomic backgrounds, and more. These differences significantly impact the curriculum aimed at promoting literacy resilience, explicit teaching processes in the classroom, and imparting metacognitive strategies and actions to overcome learning difficulties. This qualitative-interpretative study reveals the pedagogical perceptions, challenges, and coping strategies of fourteen Hebrew teachers in five elementary schools in central Israel regarding integrating home literacy in language lessons and cultivating literacy resilience among their students. The research data were collected through in-depth interviews with the teachers. The analysis of the teachers' reports reveals two main perceptions regarding literacy resilience: (1) Literacy resilience is a tool for life; (2) Home literacy significantly contributes to fostering literacy resilience. Furthermore, cultivating literacy resilience presents three significant challenges for the teachers: (1) Teaching in a heterogeneous classroom, (2) Encouraging parental involvement, and (3) Fostering independent learners. To cultivate literacy resilience in a heterogeneous classroom, teachers must be sensitive to each student's unique needs and plan teaching-learning processes based on principles of self-directed learning and peer dialogue. They must establish a personal-emotional connection that is a significant anchor for the students and outlines a path for integrating and strengthening the sense of competence in handling literacy tasks. It was also found that parental involvement is a significant factor influencing the cultivation of literacy resilience, and teachers undertake various actions to increase their level of involvement. This study adds an essential layer to the body of knowledge regarding the understanding of the factors affecting the development of pedagogical literacy perceptions that promote the integration of home literacy in the classroom. These perceptions may promote the nurturing process of literacy resilience among students from various cultures, accepting and understanding them. In this way, we can attempt to address literacy and language challenges in Israel.

Teacher instructional arrangements for supporting social and academic needs of students with special educational needs in regular classrooms

ABSTRACT This study investigates how regular teachers support the inclusion of students with special educational needs in heterogeneous classrooms, focusing on instructional arrangements for fostering both social and academic inclusion. Conducted as two descriptive case studies in primary school classrooms, the research involved classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with teachers. Observations focused on instructional arrangements while interviews provided deeper insights into classroom dynamics. Results highlighted the importance of peer interactions in fostering an inclusive learning environment. In Classroom A, teachers paired students with moderate needs with proficient peers, promoting cooperation and support. In Classroom B, weekly reassignment of seating and partners for a student with severe needs emphasised diverse social experiences and reduced isolation. Teachers employed differentiated instruction approaches, such as adapting tasks and using peer support, to address varied needs. The findings underscore the critical role of teachers in creating inclusive classrooms through thoughtful instructional arrangements and peer support strategies, revealing the intertwined nature of academic and social inclusion. Despite the valuable insights, the scope of the study was limited to two classrooms. Future research should address the perspectives of SEN students and their peers and examine how inclusive practices evolve in secondary education and beyond.

The NEDC-GTOPSIS Node Influence Evaluation Algorithm Based on Multi-Layer Heterogeneous Classroom Networks

To address the deficiency in the analysis of individual students within existing research on in-classroom social networks and the constraints of traditional centrality metrics in identifying influential nodes, this paper presents the NEDC-GTOPSIS evaluation method for evaluating node influence in multi-layer heterogeneous networks. Initially, students' friendship, interaction, and attribute information are leveraged to compute neighborhood overlap and attribute similarity between nodes, to construct the Composite Relationship Network. Subsequently, the Seat Similarity Network is constructed by applying the Nearest-Neighbor Effective Distance Criterion to compute seat similarity across various class sessions among nodes. Finally, the structure characteristics of two networks serve as influence decision indicators, and the GRA-TOPSIS algorithm, based on the combined weight method, evaluates nodes' influence. Experiments demonstrate that, compared to traditional single-layer relational networks and classical algorithms, this method can more effectively assess influential student nodes.

Examining How Semantics Influences Communication in the Classroom

This study explored how students’ cognition is shaped by their cultural background and the function of semantics in classroom communication. To examine open-ended questions, the researcher employed a qualitative technique called thematic analysis. Fifty participants from level 4, English Language Unit, Preparatory Studies Centre, the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Salalah, the Sultanate of Oman involved in the study. Some important conclusions emerged from the analysis. Students first stressed the need for semantics in maintaining comprehension and preventing misconceptions. Second, students’ interpretations of meaning were impacted by their cultural origins, underscoring the importance of culturally sensitive instruction. Third, when it came to understanding semantic ideas, students favored interactive learning techniques like role-plays and conversations. Fourth, teaching semantics was not like teaching other language issues; to close the theory-practice gap, additional real-world examples were needed. Lastly, students thought that adding exercises to enhance semantic awareness would help them communicate more effectively. These results imply that using participatory, culturally aware teaching strategies might enhance students’ communication and semantic awareness in heterogeneous classrooms.

Measuring Preschool Teachers' Language Use During Shared Book Reading With Children With Developmental Disabilities: A Pilot Study

Purpose: Opportunities to actively engage in literacy instruction should be accessible to all students in the classroom. Shared book reading provides a literacy-based context in which teachers may adapt their communication to allow students with a range of abilities to participate. The current study examines teacher communication during shared book-reading activities to understand what specific strategies teachers are using when children with developmental disabilities are included. Method: A shared reading activity was video-recorded in one classroom with and one classroom without students with developmental disabilities. Quantity of teacher communication was measured using the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) tool, while communication functions were measured by adapting the Systematic Assessment of Book Reading. Survey methods reported teachers' typical classroom literacy instruction. Results: While both teachers used similar amounts of language, the teacher with students with developmental disabilities in her classroom used more literacy-related functions (e.g., referencing letters, phonics, decoding) to discuss print concepts and slightly greater communication to support comprehension of the story. Both teachers reported rarely—if not at all—using technology as an instructional strategy. Conclusions: SALT, an adapted assessment, and survey methods may capture differences in teacher communication during shared reading within heterogeneous classrooms. Understanding more about teacher communication yields important implications for intercollaborative practice to allow support for students with a range of abilities within inclusive literacy-based instruction.

Who benefits most from language-responsive learning materials in mathematics? Investigating differential effects in heterogeneous classrooms

Students’ proficiency in the language of instruction is essential for their mathematical learning. Accordingly, language-responsive instruction, which includes adapting teaching material to students’ language needs, is thought to promote mathematical learning, particularly for students with lower levels of proficiency in the language of instruction. However, empirical evidence for the effectiveness of this type of instruction in heterogeneous classrooms is scarce, and potential differential effects for learners with different learning prerequisites still need to be studied. The present study examines whether language-responsive instructional materials can promote students’ learning of fractions. We conducted a quasi-experimental intervention study with a pre- and posttest in Grade 7 (N = 211). The students were assigned to one of three instructional conditions: fraction instruction with or without additional language support or to a control group. The results showed that both intervention groups had higher learning gains than the control group. However, students with lower proficiency in the language of instruction benefited more from fraction instruction with additional language support than without it. The opposite was true for students with higher proficiency in the language of instruction. Moreover, learning gains depended on students’ levels of mathematics anxiety. Our study contributes to a more detailed understanding of the effectiveness of language-responsive instruction in heterogeneous classrooms.

Are teachers meeting students' needs in untracked science classrooms? Evidence based on a causal inferential approach.

Tracking has been criticized for relegating disadvantaged students to lower track courses in which students encounter a greater lack of instructional support. While an end to tracks through detracking is a possible solution, there are concerns that detracking will create more heterogeneous classrooms, making it harder for teachers to provide adequate support to their students. Using the 2015 PISA dataset, this study conducts a causal inferential analysis to understand the differences in student perceptions of teaching in tracked and untracked environments. The results provide evidence that students' needs, with respect to adaptation of instruction and provision of individualized feedback and support, are being met to the same extent on average in tracked and untracked science classes, suggesting that teachers may not necessarily have a harder time meeting the needs of students in untracked classes.

Achievers, explorers, wanderers, and intellectuals: Educational interaction in a Minecraft open-world action-adventure game

A common dilemma in educational game design is identifying the right balance between freedom and structure. Too much structure limits constructive learning and curiosity, while too much freedom diverts focus away from the educational content. How can we create a feeling of freedom while encouraging students to interact with learning material? We argue that a compelling, open-world action-adventure game with a branching storyline could provide just the right balance. To test this idea, we created a single-player custom map action-adventure game, Ulfberht's Sword, using the popular Minecraft game. Our objective was that the game would support prehistory education and we piloted it with 151 students in their history classrooms. To determine how effective our game was for delivering educational material, we collected and analyzed the students' log files in combination with students' Minecraft experience. Our structure discovery revealed four interaction types, (1) intellectuals, (2) wanderers, (3) explorers, and (4) achievers, which reflect the students' interaction with the educational content and perseverance in challenging situations. Ultimately, the game design engaged Minecraft-experienced player types and guided them toward primary educational materials. Less-experienced player types remained curious but would have benefited from more direct in-game scaffolding, demonstrating the importance of players' pre-existing gaming skills and thoughtful choice architecture. In conclusion, the player types provide insight into how we can best support different types of students in the open-world game environment. In turn, this information allows us to identify design challenges and suggest better ways to strike the structure-autonomy balance in realistically heterogeneous classrooms.

Bridging Cultural Gaps: A Study of Cultural Intelligence in the Formation of Teacher Identity in Hyderabad

This study scrutinizes the intricate challenges encountered by faculty members from diverse Indian states in engineering colleges in Hyderabad, with a specific focus on Cultural Intelligence (CQ) as perceived by teachers. While CQ is conventionally esteemed for fostering multicultural adaptability, the research reveals its underutilization and the ensuing challenges in teaching adaptability. Data, which is collected from 50 faculty members via focus group discussions, indicate that administrative involvement is pivotal but often lacking, thereby exacerbating the difficulties in leveraging CQ effectively. Moreover, the present study identifies the broader cultural ramifications of this underutilization beyond the academic setting. The paper underscores an urgent need for targeted interventions, advocating for administrative-backed cultural training programs aimed at harnessing faculty CQ to augment educational effectiveness. Also, the paper identifies five major factors that impact teaching adaptability in heterogeneous classrooms, thereby contributing a novel perspective to the existing literature on multicultural education and teaching efficacy. Keywords – Cultural Intelligence; Engineering Colleges; Faculty Challenges; Multicultural Education; Teaching Adaptability.

Understanding The Challenges Associated with Cooperative Learning: An Empirical Study with Primary School Teachers

Cooperative learning includes effective methods for increasing student learning in primary school and heterogeneous classrooms. However, teachers do not use it very frequently. The present interview study investigates on which levels of the educational system primary teachers perceive difficulties associated with these methods to be located, and what kinds of conflicting demands they associate with it. The study provides important insights into how challenges related to cooperative learning may be addressed.

Analysing ESL Proficiency and its Nexus with Higher Education: A Comprehensive Study on English Language Competency among Indian Engineering Students

This empirical study analyses the role played by Indian National Curriculum Framework and its instructional materials in imparting English language as in relevance with the academic achievement and career development of Indian engineering learners. This endeavour has been studied with an impartial assessment of ESL (English as a Second Language) proficiency among Indian engineering students, encompassing those from both regional and English-medium educational backgrounds. The study used random sampling method to identify 150 mechanical engineering students as its target papulation. It tested the English language proficiency of engineering students from both regional and English medium school backgrounds separately and compared the frequency and mean values of the results. The observations from the tests results (IELTS practice tests - Band Score) showed that students who were educated in an English-speaking environment fare somewhat better than their peers educated in a regional medium background. The outcome and findings from the result opines that ESL teaching and learning among students in regional medium schools in India has not attained its zenith. It is below par excellence when compared with English medium schools. This is owing to a curricular structure that does not appear to be suitable for India's diverse classrooms (Indian heterogeneous classrooms). Therefore, the researchers proposed a curriculum which is flexible, impartial, and capable of supporting all sorts of students’ educational needs by pairing with English language skills

Kazakhstani In-Service Schoolteachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Learning in Heterogeneous EFL Classrooms

In the era of the fourth industrial revolution, it is necessary to create a new model of a teacher and learner to provide global competitiveness. This study aims to explore Kazakhstani in-service English as a foreign language teachers’ perception of awareness, implementation, and managing differentiated learning, lesson planning, and designing in heterogeneous English as a second language classrooms. The present study was done during the academic year 2020-2021 among the in-service English as a foreign language teacher from three regions of Kazakhstan, namely, Astana City, Kokshetau City, and Akmola Oblast (district). The participants’ work experience ranged from 2 to 20 years and included 82 female (79.6%) and 21 male (20.4%). The data were collected via a Google Form questionnaire and interviews. The data were analyzed descriptively using frequency and percentage gained from the questionnaire and interpretation of interview results. All results were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The result has confirmed that the Kazakhstani in-service English as a foreign language teacher is aware of differentiated learning as an effective strategy in catering to students’ differences in the classroom. The results of the study have shown that 90% of Kazakhstani English as a foreign language teachers who participated in this study support the idea of using the differentiated learning approach in heterogeneous classrooms, as they agree that differentiated learning contributes to an increase in motivation and quality knowledge and make the English language learning enjoyable and accessible; however, lesson planning and preparation of study materials for differentiated learning in heterogeneous class is troublesome. The study discovered that a considerable number of English as foreign language teachers still struggle in applying the differentiated learning approach due to some factors such as large workload, lack of knowledge, insufficient training, large class sizes in the class, shortage of funding, and shortage of facilities for differentiated instruction.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Diverse Classrooms

Inclusive education recognizes and celebrates the diversity of learners, fostering an environment that values and respects individual differences. In order to foster inclusive learning environments, this study explores the transformative potential of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the context of heterogeneous classrooms. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is based on offering a variety of ways for students to be represented, engaged, and expressed. It acts as a catalyst to help address the various learning needs of students right away. The study looks at how UDL concepts are used in practice, examining how teachers might modify their lesson plans, instructional strategies, and assessment protocols to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for students from all backgrounds and skill levels. The early detection of learning abnormalities, proactive intervention techniques, and the use of adaptive technologies are important elements of the study. The study examines how UDL affects students’ participation in class, their academic performance, and their general well-being, and highlights the significance of the valuable insights into the successful implementation of UDL in diverse classrooms.

A Review of Culturally Responsive Teaching for Bridging the Gap of Teaching Efforts and Performance of Culturally Diverse Learners

Diversity of age, language, culture, norms, standards, and demographics is prevailing in educational institutions in Pakistan. The cultural diversity of learners in a classroom is the blessing of varied experiences the students bring with themselves if that can be used properly and smartly during the educational activities of students and projects of different types in the shape of assignments. For this purpose, the teacher must be competent to avail of such types of opportunities. On the other hand, the diversity of learners hurts the overall results, the reputation of management, and teachers’ performance. To deal with the cultural diversity of learners, the researcher has reviewed articles with a sample of 17 articles, theses, and reports that have presented some strategies and steps to deal with diverse learners in a classroom. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Protocol was adopted for article selection, finalization, and data analysis with the objectives of finding out the steps required for a conducive atmosphere in ethnically diverse learning classrooms which may be helpful in the performance of the students and practices, activities that may assist a teacher in better learning outcomes in ethnically heterogeneous classrooms and to explore such strategies which may lessen the trust deficit of parents in public institutions. A period of 1995-2020 was selected. Findings were drawn through tabulation, and all objectives were met. After a detailed discussion, conclusions of the study were made. Practices, strategies, and steps were recommended for the teachers, with a discussion on the limitation of data. Future researchers were also given fields to be explored by them. The article concluded with the remarks that the teacher may respect the norms and cultures of the learners, engage learners in those activities that relate to their cultural contexts, welcome students’ families for a better understanding of the learners, and resolve school-centered problems by identifying home-centered problems.

A Study on Social Equity in the Education System: Exploratory Study in the Indian Education System Context

Indian education system promotes social equality, embraces an inclusive learning environment, and adheres to a heterogeneous classroom. Besides, social equity in the education system could occur due to gender disparities and inadequate funding. In addition, the Indian government, in terms of providing social equity, aimed to significantly rectify the historical, cultural, and gender inequalities to promote equal educational opportunities for all structures regardless of their background. Furthermore, the digital divide amplifies existing disparities, as socioeconomically disadvantaged children face little or no access to online educational resources during the pandemic. Addressing these difficulties necessitates the implementation of comprehensive policy reforms, augmented financial allocation, active involvement of the community, and an unwavering dedication to the principles of social justice.

The development of an instrument for measuring teachers’ and students’ beliefs about differentiated instruction and teaching in heterogeneous chemistry classrooms

Abstract Diversity and differences between students are the reality that teachers deal with daily. To address this reality, developments in education aim to provide teachers with the knowledge and requisite skills needed for differentiated instruction (DI). DI is a pedagogical-didactic approach that enables teachers to systematically address students’ diverse learning needs. However, no validated instruments currently exist to measure or evaluate teachers’ and students’ beliefs toward DI in chemistry. Hence, there is a need to develop such questionnaires to examine students’ and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy (SE) and attitudes (AT). We describe the development and validation processes of such questionnaire that have been developed based on relevant literature on DI and on teachers’ experience with DI in a heterogeneous classroom. The items were validated by experts’ panel, a readability test, and a field test. A confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken to investigate the factor structure of the teachers and students’ questionnaires based on pilot test reliability, Cronbach’s alpha revisions, and rerun alpha. As a result, the SE and AT of students towards DI instrument entailed 38 items with a five-factor structure indicating a high reliability. Three factors of attitudes, (α) = 0.98, and two factors of self-efficacy, (α) = 0.91. The SE and AT of teachers entailed 55 items with a five-factor structure indicating a high reliability of self-efficacy, (α) = 0.95 and of attitudes towards DI in heterogeneous chemistry classrooms, (α) = 0.93.

Challenges and Benefits of Multicultural Education for Promoting Equality in Diverse Classrooms

Multicultural education is increasingly vital for equity in different classrooms. This study examines intercultural education's pros and cons from teachers' and students' perspectives. This study used easy sampling to choose 200 individuals from Lahore, Punjab educational institutions. Multicultural education promotes cultural awareness, empathy, and respect in pupils, which can improve diversity. Multicultural education improves critical thinking, brainstorming, and problem-solving in the classroom. Multicultural education enabled teachers and students to understand and appreciate diverse cultures, faiths, and languages and challenge their assumptions to see the world from different perspectives. Multicultural education also fosters camaraderie in varied classrooms. Multicultural education improved student connections and classroom inclusion. The study also found that teachers feel unprepared to teach in diverse classrooms and lack the resources to effectively integrate multicultural education. Students also say intercultural education overloaded information access. Some also view intercultural education as useless and uncomfortable since it discusses sensitive themes like culture and identity. This research reveals intercultural education's benefits and drawbacks in creating equality in heterogeneous classrooms. Further, instructors need more assistance and training to promote and execute multicultural education in classrooms and offer students with appropriate materials and advice. Despite these limitations, suggested promoting and emphasizing varied teaching approaches in classrooms.

Reflective Writing in Course Design for Active Learning in Social Work Education

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores student learning progression through reflective writing on a tertiary-level course in social work. The study is based on the content analysis of three sets of data: student reflective writing, instructor formative feedback on this writing, and student end-of-course reflections. Our findings demonstrate that structured, scaffolded reflection and continuous formative feedback stimulated learning progression, increased awareness of one’s own learning strategies, and supported the adoption of an explorative, reflective stance in students. Therefore, the experimental course design with several reflective tasks created the sought-after intersection of the academic and professional literacies. This design stimulated student engagement and resulted in high attendance. This design is particularly suitable in heterogeneous classrooms and promotes student inclusion and active learning.

The Profile of the Primary School Teacher in Inclusive Education from the Finnish Experience

The paper addresses the issue of the primary school teacher in the context of inclusive education in Finland. The aim of the research is to create a real profile of the Finnish teacher with an emphasis on finding out what is behind the quality of inclusive education in Finland and how these findings can improve inclusive education and the teaching profession in a broader context. The key aim is to create a profile of a primary school teacher in inclusive education, i.e., a description of the teacher, his/her conception of educational processes, competences and real conditions that the teacher needs for his/her work in a heterogeneous classroom. To achieve the goal, a qualitative case study design was chosen, where the case is understood as a primary school teacher against the background of inclusive education - the total number of participants is 10 primary school teachers. Content and thematic analysis of the sources were chosen as the main methods to secure data, and the findings were used to inform further reflection and the development of semi-structured interviews and observations. The first round of data processing used case studies of individual participants, which were subsequently supplemented by data obtained by axial coding. Subsequently, a profile of a Finnish primary school teacher was created. The results show that the professional teacher has a positive attitude towards inclusive education; uses a variety of teaching strategies leading to active involvement of the students; is involved in his/her professional development and the development of the school as a community; uses individualization and differentiation in his/her work; and is part of a multidisciplinary team. A necessary component is the development of an understanding of inclusive education with societal overlap and the creation of a professional framework or standard as part of teacher professional development with a focus on softskills.