This blog is part of a series on Adaptive Teaching, written by Trust Head of Education, Jade Pearce.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is adaptive teaching just the new term for differentiation?
In short, the answer to this question is no. Whilst both practices share the aim of meeting the different needs of learners, there are some important distinctions.
Differentiated objectives versus the same objectives for all: Differentiation involved setting different learning goals for different pupils, normally based on their prior attainment or perceived ability levels. This included having different objectives for ‘all’, ‘most’ and ‘some’ pupils to achieve, or even linking different objectives to target grades, with pupils expected to achieve higher grades being set more challenging objectives. In complete contrast to this, adaptive teaching involves setting the same high expectations and learning intentions for all pupils, and then providing different levels of support to ensure all pupils can achieve these goals.
Different content and tasks vs. the same content and tasks: Secondly, under differentiation teachers were expected to plan different content or learning tasks for different groups of pupils. For example, some pupils would study challenging content while others covered only the basics, and some produced posters while others completed essays. However, in adaptive teaching all pupils cover the same content and access the same tasks, with varying levels of support.
Planning vs. Flexibility: In many cases, when differentiating, teachers would decide, in advance, the level of support a pupil will require or the most appropriate activity for them to complete, regardless of their learning during the lesson. In contrast, adaptive teaching requires continuous, responsive adjustments during instruction, based on the evidence of learning within the lesson.
It should be pointed out here that while I would recommend adaptive teaching over differentiation in most cases, there are still times when differentiation would still be appropriate and beneficial. Examples include differentiating work when a pupil is working at a level much below their classmates (for example, when pupils are working at pre-key stage levels) or when teaching mixed-aged classes.
Can only experienced teachers do adaptive teaching really well?
Making unplanned changes to lesson plans including, for example, to explanations, modelling, and rehearsal activities, can be challenging for teachers. As such, it is easy to see why some feel novice teachers would struggle in this aspect of their practice. However, proactive adaptive teaching encourages teachers to plan for the potential adaptations that they may need to make (for example, how they may simplify an explanation or the additional practice tasks they may set) during lesson planning. Teachers then decide whether or not to enact these adaptations during the lesson, based on whole-class assessments. This removes the need for teachers to adapt their teaching on the spot with no prior thought, which may indeed be more challenging for less experienced teachers, as they do not have a large bank of prior experiences to guide them to the best course of action.
Is adaptive teaching all about SEND?
This version of adaptive teaching is about the small or micro adaptations that teachers can make to their instruction to meet the needs of learners of a range of abilities and with different levels of knowledge and understanding. Whilst the strategies associated with adaptive teaching (such as repeating explanations and breaking down models into further chunks to provide additional scaffolding during independent practice) are undoubtedly beneficial for all learners and may be even more effective for those with SEND, these learners may also require macro or larger adaptations. Therefore, adaptive teaching can be linked to meeting the needs of SEND learners but is focused solely on these pupils, and more changes may be needed to fully meet the needs of some pupils with SEND.
How can I incorporate adaptive teaching into my classroom practice?
Much of this approach can be planned for in advance of the lesson. Therefore, it may be beneficial to begin by taking an existing lesson plan and modifying it to encompass adaptive teaching. For each part of the lesson plan, how you will provide additional support and challenge if it is needed by pupils? For example, you may plan for the possibility of re-modelling, chunking modelling and practice, providing additional graphics or removing guidance. You can then trial these aspects in your lesson.
What does adaptive teaching look like, in action?
Adaptive teaching can be seen as adapting your teaching to the understanding demonstrated by pupils by providing either additional support or additional challenge. A range of examples are provided below:
Providing additional support if pupils have struggled to understand new content:
- Simplifying the explanation of the new content, for example, by removing any non-crucial content, simplifying vocabulary, and ensuring economy of language.
- Breaking down explanation into smaller chunks, setting tasks or questions that require pupils to rehearse each chunk of new content before introducing the next new chunk.
- Using graphics such as diagrams, flow charts or similar to summarise new content.
Providing additional support if pupils are struggling to complete a task that has been modelled:
- Repeating the model, perhaps at a slower pace or with a focus on the most difficult part of the process
- Adding written instructions to each step of the model to ensure pupils do not have to hold this information in their working memories.
- Chunking modelling and practise: the teacher may model step one of the process which the pupils then practise, the teacher then models step two, which the pupils then practise, and so on.
Providing additional challenge during modelling if pupils have picked up the new process easily:
- Asking pupils challenging questions during modelling, such as why the model is effective and why those steps have been taken.
- Increase responsibility in modelling by encouraging pupils to move onto paired rather than teacher-led modelling, or the ‘you do’ instead of the ‘we do’.
Providing additional support during independent practice by:
- Setting additional practice activities or questions, if pupils get to the end of the planned practice and their understanding is not yet fully secure.
- Allowing pupils to complete the practice task as a pair.
- Turning some of the questions into part-completion questions (where the teacher completes part of the question for the pupil).
- Providing increased scaffolding.
Providing increased challenge during practice:
- Removing or reducing any guidance or scaffolding.
- Setting practice tasks or questions that get progressively more complex and allowing pupils to move onto complex questions at a faster rate.
- Interleaving practice tasks and questions which similar concepts that pupils have learnt previously.
A massive thanks to Jade Pearce for writing this blog. To dive deeper into her writing on adaptive teaching, check out her blog on Adaptive Teaching: Explanations and Modelling, and watch this space for the next few blogs in this series!
For more practical guidance on putting adaptive teaching into practice, check out Jade’s book Demystifying Adaptive Teaching: How to Teach to the Top. It provides practical strategies and advice to help teachers respond to pupils’ needs while maintaining high expectations.
