Linguistic Education through Differentiation in Mixed-Ability Classes: Theory and Practice

The evolution in the field of didactics has led to a redefinition of the crucial role of students as protagonists of the teaching process. However, the large variety of pupils’ characteristics can represent quite a challenging factor to deal with in class. Differentiated instruction reflects precisely the effort on the teacher’s part to create lesson plans tailored to the students’ profile. The thesis aims at examining the nature of differentiation in linguistic education by providing a detailed theoretical background and by applying such information to design a didactic plan. To be more precise, the first part is dedicated to an historical overview and a general introduction on the topic. In the following section, the focus shifts towards the learning variables among students. The research then provides a recollection of practical suggestions proposed by different authors. The discussion proceeds by delving into some general key aspects to be taken into account to design the lesson plan. Finally, the latter is presented as a means to illustrate the concrete application of the research.