ERIC Number: EJ1401901
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0895-9048
EISSN: EISSN-1552-3896
Different or Differentiated? Recoupling Policy and Practice in an Era of Accountability
Allison W. Kenney; Susan Dulong Langley; Vonna Hemmler; Carolyn M. Callahan; E. Jean Gubbins; Del Siegle
Educational Policy, v38 n1 p134-160 2024
Differentiation is an instructional practice teachers employ to modify their classroom content, process, and products based on student readiness, interest, and learning profile. Many school districts recognize the benefits of differentiated instruction and thus mandate allotted classroom time for its implementation. In this article, we investigate how teachers in one such district resolved differentiation policy to practice in a high-stakes testing environment. We found, during the designated time for differentiation, teachers regularly remediated small groups but did not similarly address the academic needs of advanced students, thus not enacting the disciplinary standard for differentiation. We suggest teachers are recoupling practice and policy but misaligning it to the disciplinary definition of differentiation, which we contend has broader implications for instructional policymaking.
Descriptors: Individualized Instruction, Board of Education Policy, Theory Practice Relationship, Accountability, Educational Practices, Urban Schools, Elementary Schools, Elementary School Teachers, Remedial Instruction, Advanced Students
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Related Records: ED631338
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305C140018