EFFECTIVENESS OF IMPLEMENTING DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN THE ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES CLASSROOM IN HONG KONG

Abstract

The academic benefits of differentiated instruction are supported in western culture, although to date the majority of research conducted has concentrated in the Middle East and in Greece, and in primary and secondary instruction. Despite its relative novelty in Hong Kong, and the fact that it is under-researched regarding its effectiveness, a pilot study has been conducted at a tertiary institution in Hong Kong to explore implementing differentiated instruction in the ESL/EFL/ESP Classroom for learners from different educational backgrounds. To examine and determine its effectiveness, all Year 2 Nursing and Social Work students (N = 319) were included in the research study, and the students’ English skills were assessed by classifying them by a screening test into 3 ability groups, for each of whom three tiered tasks were assigned for completion at three different points of the semester. At the end of the semester, the findings were analysed with t-tests and a post-course student survey to determine the change in comprehension skills, learning motivation, classwork preferences, and study approaches. The relationship between each factor and English skill was assessed using correlation coefficients. The study has demonstrated that adopting the differentiated instruction approach in English and communication courses enhances students’ English ability in tertiary education in Hong Kong. In particular, substantial improvement is observed in both “lower ability” students and “mid-level ability” students, notably in grammar, syntax and inference-making skills, while the student survey responses reveal students’ learning preferences, as well as their cognitive and psychological elements to warrant further research.