There is a strong emphasis on pupils’ progress in learning and a key feature of an outstanding lesson assessed by the teacher standards is that ‘all pupils make progress. When pupils can access learning, we begin to see outstanding progress (Bartlett, J 2016). It is a fundamental entitlement of all pupils in our schools to receive an education which is appropriate to their needs (South Gloucestershire education service). Talked about in government official papers as the key principal on which the National curriculum should be based; The curriculum should be, “differentiated: what is taught and how it is taught need to be matched to pupils\’ abilities and aptitudes.’’ (DES, 1985)
Effective differentiation provides appropriate challenge and support for all pupils, ensuring that every young person makes progress and that each individual develops a sense of becoming a successful and increasingly independent learner (South Gloucestershire education service) Although dated research by Bennett et al (1984) suggests teachers were not always utilising this approach. He found that sixty percent of year 2 children and seventy percent of year 3 children in a range of settings were seen to be working at tasks that were either much to easy or much too hard for them.
There are diverse ways in which we differentiate in the classroom: by support, task, outcome, resource and response. These can be used independently but are frequently and most effectively used in combination. Research by Bartlett, J, (2016) suggests differentiation is not an isolated practice. Some channels of differentiation are carefully planned – particularly when planning activities such as task and resources. Others occur simply as a consequence of the direction learning takes during the lesson, which can’t necessarily be pre-planned such as, for example, differentiation through bounce-back questioning or support. This definition is somewhat different to SEAC definition mentioned above.
Focusing on differentiation by task, this paper will examine the role of 3 tiered worksheets e.g. mild, spicy and hot and evaluate the usefulness of them in a primary classroom. This paper