The effects of differentiated instruction on Turkish students’ L2 achievement, and student and teacher perceptions

Abstract

Endeavors have been invested to account for inefficient instruction, which is frequently attributed todisregarding learner idiosyncrasies. As a matter of course, differentiated instruction has begun to receivescholarly and professional attention in the hopes of ameliorating learner outcomes through learneraware teaching. Despite a great deal of recorded research, little is known about how differentiatedinstruction is prepared and operationalized. This study, conducted at a private high school in Istanbul,Turkey, investigated the impact of differentiated instruction on Turkish L2 learners’ L2 achievementalong with the perceptions of learners and teacher. Two intact classes were selected as control (N=14)and DI group (N=8). The control group was exposed to traditional instruction, while the DI groupreceived differentiated instruction guided by the principles of constructivism, multiple intelligence theory(Gardner, 1993), and the differentiated instruction framework of Tomlinson (1999). Data collected bymeans of L2 achievement tests revealed that DI group outperformed the control group in overall L2achievement. Learner reflective essays revealed that Turkish L2 learners found differentiatedinstruction as distinctive, entertaining, engaging, instructive, and interest-related, while teacherreflective journals raised the issues of time constraints, needs for learner awareness and training aboutdifferentiated instruction.