Differentiation in Action: Owning Learner Success in English Language Teaching

British Council, Differentiation, ELT, English Language Teaching, Inclusive Education, Learner-Centered Pedagogy, Scaffolding 0 comments

Differentiation in Action

AI-generated picture by Prof. Jonathan Acuña Solano in January 2026

Introductory Note to the Reader

One of the ideas that has consistently resurfaced during my planning for the four classes I am currently teaching is the understanding that differentiation is, above all, about making learning possible for every single student in the classroom. Whether learners reach the expected outcome or move beyond what was initially planned, differentiation acknowledges that learning trajectories are neither linear nor uniform.

Engaging with the British Council course TeachingEnglish: Managing Learners and Resources has prompted me to rethink both my planning and my teaching practice. Rather than viewing differentiation as an optional strategy or a response to difficulty, I have come to see it as a core pedagogical responsibility, one that allows all learners in my virtual classrooms to access learning, participate meaningfully, and demonstrate understanding in ways that align with their current abilities while still challenging them to grow. This reflective shift underpins the discussion that follows.

Differentiation in Action: Owning Learner Success in English Language Teaching

Abstract

Differentiation has emerged as a cornerstone of inclusive and learner-centered English Language Teaching (ELT). This paper explores differentiation as a planned pedagogical practice rather than a reactive classroom strategy, drawing on insights from the British Council’s TeachingEnglish: Managing Learners and Resources course and reflective teaching practice. Through classroom-based examples, the discussion examines how scaffolding, learner choice, modal flexibility, and dialogue frames can support diverse learner needs while maintaining shared learning objectives. The paper also addresses common misconceptions about differentiation and reframes it as an ethical commitment grounded in the teacher’s responsibility to “own” student success. Ultimately, the study argues that differentiation is not about lowering expectations or simplifying learning, but about making learning possible for all learners within their zone of proximal development.

Keywords:

British Council, Differentiation, English Language Teaching, ELT, Learner-Centered Pedagogy, Scaffolding, Inclusive Education

Resumen

La diferenciación se ha consolidado como un principio fundamental de la enseñanza del inglés centrada en el estudiante y orientada a la inclusión. Este trabajo analiza la diferenciación como una práctica pedagógica planificada y no como una respuesta reactiva a las dificultades del aula, apoyándose en el curso del British Council TeachingEnglish: Managing Learners and Resources y en la reflexión docente. A partir de ejemplos de aula, se examina cómo el andamiaje, la elección del estudiante, la flexibilidad modal y los marcos de diálogo permiten atender la diversidad del alumnado sin renunciar a objetivos comunes de aprendizaje. Asimismo, se cuestionan mitos frecuentes sobre la diferenciación y se la presenta como un compromiso ético basado en la responsabilidad del docente de asumir el éxito del estudiante. En conclusión, se sostiene que diferenciar no implica facilitar el aprendizaje, sino hacerlo posible para todos los estudiantes dentro de su zona de desarrollo próximo.

Resumo

A diferenciação consolidou-se como um princípio central no ensino de inglês orientado para o aluno e para a inclusão. Este artigo analisa a diferenciação como uma prática pedagógica planejada, e não como uma estratégia reativa, com base no curso do British Council TeachingEnglish: Managing Learners and Resources e na reflexão docente. Por meio de exemplos de sala de aula, discute-se como o andaime pedagógico, a escolha do aluno, a flexibilidade modal e os quadros de diálogo atendem às diferentes necessidades dos aprendizes, mantendo objetivos comuns de aprendizagem. O texto também questiona concepções equivocadas sobre a diferenciação e a redefine como um compromisso ético ligado à responsabilidade do professor de assumir o sucesso do aluno. Conclui-se que diferenciar não significa tornar a aprendizagem mais fácil, mas torná-la possível para todos dentro de sua zona de desenvolvimento proximal.

Introduction

Differentiation has become a central principle in contemporary English Language Teaching (ELT), particularly in learner-centered and inclusive educational contexts. Rather than viewing differentiation as an add-on or a remedial strategy for struggling learners, current pedagogical approaches conceptualize it as a proactive, systematic way of ensuring that all learners can achieve shared learning objectives through varied pathways. The British Council’s TeachingEnglish: Managing Learners and Resources course positions differentiation as a practical classroom reality rather than a theoretical abstraction, illustrating how teachers can adapt tasks, feedback, and participation modes to accommodate learners’ diverse needs (British Council, n.d.). Drawing on this course, classroom examples, and reflective practice, this essay explores differentiation in action, the role of scaffolding and learner choice, and the ethical responsibility teachers have in “owning” student success (Tomlinson et al., 2008).

Differentiation as Planned Pedagogical Action

One of the most significant contributions of the British Council’s framework is its emphasis on planned differentiation, rather than reactive adjustments made only when problems arise. In the lesson example centered on holidays and the seaside included in the British Council’s course, the teacher’s warmer activity demonstrates how differentiation can be embedded from the outset. While all learners are expected to share what they would like to do on holiday, the task is tiered to provide varying degrees of support and challenge. Some learners rely on picture and word prompts, others name items freely, and stronger learners are encouraged to say and write three extra items independently.

This structure reflects the principle that “all learners should achieve the same main aim, but they may do this in different ways” (British Council, n.d.). Importantly, differentiation here does not dilute learning outcomes; instead, it ensures equitable access to them. As my reflective journaling notes, textbook unit openers often serve a diagnostic function, allowing teachers to gauge prior knowledge before introducing new structures (Acuña Solano, 2026). This diagnostic use of warmers aligns with formative assessment practices and reinforces differentiation as a tool for instructional decision-making rather than remediation.

Feedback, Processing Time, and Cognitive Equity

A key moment in the lesson occurs during feedback, when the teacher asks learners to think before responding and to look at visual support around the classroom. This practice provides processing time for all learners, regardless of proficiency level. The British Council (n.d.) highlights that such an approach “gives all learners time to prepare their answer” and allows stronger learners to extend and refine their responses.

From a cognitive perspective, this approach supports learners who may require additional time due to language processing, anxiety, or learning differences. Reflecting upon my own teaching (Acuña Solano. 2026), differentiation through wait time also enables learners to move beyond lower-order thinking. I have also observed that stronger learners can prepare responses that go “beyond the first level of Bloom’s Taxonomy, remembering information,” engaging instead in higher-order thinking processes such as elaboration and justification. When combined with Kolb’s learning cycle, this approach allows learners with different learning preferences, watchers, thinkers, feelers, and doers, to participate meaningfully.

Learner Choice and Modal Flexibility

Another defining feature of effective differentiation is modal flexibility, or allowing learners to demonstrate understanding in different ways. The British Council suggests options such as writing, drawing, speaking, or using images in response to listening or speaking tasks. In adult ELT contexts, this flexibility becomes especially valuable.

Reflecting on my B1 and B1+ working adult learners, I have found myself allowing learners to respond “the way they feel more comfortable with,” particularly in breakout rooms, as long as they are using the expected grammar and vocabulary (Acuña Solano. 2026). This approach of mine not only respects learner autonomy but also creates opportunities for spontaneous interaction and follow-up questioning. While working with modal flexibility, we must remember that the teacher’s role shifts from evaluator to facilitator, encouraging learners to ask for clarification and expand on peer responses.

Providing written instructions alongside spoken ones further supports inclusivity. Within my own teaching practice, what I have noted is that written scaffolds, such as dialogue frames or sketchpads, help learners who may struggle with oral instructions alone (Acuña Solano, 2026). Instruction-checking questions function as an additional layer of differentiation, ensuring that learners can access the task before being asked to perform it.

Dialogue Frames and Peer Scaffolding

Dialogue frames emerge as a powerful tool for differentiation throughout the British Council’s course. According to British Council (n.d.) feedback, dialogue frames “provide a framework for the discussion, but learners can choose to refer to it or not,” allowing for both support and autonomy. They also promote peer coaching when learners of different proficiency levels are paired together.

Crucially, dialogue frames enable learners to work independently while freeing the teacher to support those who need additional help or scaffolding. This aligns with my personal reflections on scaffolding speaking activities, particularly when teaching complex grammatical structures such as causative verbs (Acuña Solano, 2026). My progression from controlled to semi-controlled to free production tasks mirrors widely accepted ELT methodology and demonstrates how differentiation can be embedded across task stages without fragmenting the lesson.

Differentiation and Learners with Diverse Needs

The British Council’s case studies illustrate how differentiation supports learners with both learning difficulties and behavioral challenges. For learners who find noisy environments overwhelming, adaptations such as working in a quiet corner or practicing with the teacher provide emotional and cognitive safety. For learners who become bored quickly, extension tasks, such as changing the context of the dialogue frame or adding questions, offer intellectual stimulation without disrupting others.

These adaptations reinforce the idea that differentiation is not about lowering expectations but about sustaining engagement. As I tend to argue with colleagues and teaching buddies, extended tasks for high-performing learners can also serve a classroom management function, preventing off-task behavior while maintaining academic rigor (Acuña Solano, 2026).

Challenging Myths About Differentiation

A particularly valuable section of the course addresses common teacher objections to differentiation. These include beliefs that differentiation is only for learners with difficulties, that it promotes laziness, or that it requires individual lesson plans for each student. As a teaching practitioner, I must challenge these misconceptions, emphasizing that differentiation is about “accommodating activities” so all learners can achieve lesson aims (Acuña Solano, 2026), not making it easy for the “low achievers.”

It can be further argued that penalizing learners who demonstrate understanding in different ways contradicts the principles of inclusive education. Differentiation, in this sense, becomes an ethical stance rather than a methodological choice. It reflects a commitment to learner success rather than teacher convenience.

Owning Student Success

The concept of “owning” student success, as articulated by Tomlinson, Brimijoin, and Narvaez (2008), provides a moral and professional foundation for differentiation. When teachers adopt a “whatever it takes” mindset, they refuse to allow learners to “fall through the cracks.” Owning success involves clear expectations, persistent monitoring of progress, adaptive instruction, and meaningful feedback.

This framework resonates strongly with my very personal concluding reflection: “No doubt, we must own the success of our learners to help them achieve lesson, course, and program goals” (Acuña Solano, 2026). Differentiation, viewed through this lens, becomes an expression of professional responsibility and care. Don’t we teachers want students to learn?

Conclusion

Differentiation in ELT is not a peripheral strategy but a core component of effective, ethical teaching. As demonstrated through the British Council’s course and reflective classroom practice, differentiation involves planned scaffolding, learner choice, flexible modalities, and a deep commitment to learner success. By embedding differentiation into lesson design and embracing the responsibility of owning student outcomes, teachers create inclusive environments where all learners can progress within and beyond their zone of proximal development. Ultimately, differentiation is not about making learning easier, it is about making learning possible.

San José, Costa Rica

Friday, February 6, 2026

📚 References

Acuña Solano, J. (n.d.). Reflective responses in TeachingEnglish: Managing learners and resources (Module 2, Unit 3).

British Council. (n.d.). TeachingEnglish: Managing learners and resources. https://open.teachingenglish.org.uk/Team/UserProgrammeDetails/676892

Tomlinson, C. A., Brimijoin, K., & Narvaez, L. (2008). The differentiated school: Making revolutionary changes in teaching and learning. ASCD.

Key Takeaways from the Reflective Practice on Differentiation

1. Differentiation is a proactive planning principle, not a reactive classroom fix. One of the central insights from this reflection is that effective differentiation must be embedded in lesson planning from the outset. Rather than responding only when learners struggle, anticipating diverse needs allows teachers to design tasks, feedback, and participation modes that ensure equitable access to learning objectives for all learners.

2. Shared learning aims can be achieved through multiple pathways without lowering expectations. Differentiation does not imply simplifying content or reducing academic rigor. Instead, it involves offering varied routes for learners to demonstrate understanding while maintaining a common lesson objective. Learners may reach this aim at different depths or through different modalities, but expectations remain high and consistent.

3. Processing time and scaffolding are essential for cognitive equity in the classroom. Allowing learners time to think, observe, and prepare responses supports both language development and learner confidence. Scaffolding tools such as dialogue frames, visual support, and staged task progression enable learners to move beyond surface-level responses and engage in higher-order thinking.

4. Learner choice and modal flexibility foster autonomy and sustained engagement. Providing options for how learners respond—speaking, writing, drawing, or structured dialogue—respects individual strengths and preferences, particularly in adult ELT contexts. When learners feel empowered to participate in ways that suit them, classroom interaction becomes more meaningful and inclusive.

5. Differentiation is an ethical commitment rooted in owning learner success. Ultimately, differentiation reflects a teacher’s responsibility to ensure that no learner is excluded from meaningful learning opportunities. Adopting a mindset of “owning” student success shifts the focus from teacher convenience to learner progress, reinforcing differentiation as both a pedagogical and moral imperative in ELT.