Differentiated Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom – Listening Comprehension and Reading Comprehension through LearningApps

Abstract

Listening comprehension and reading comprehension play an essential role in foreign language acquisition, but learners differ on a number of indicators related to this aspect. The aim of this paper is to examine different options for the effective use of the LearningApps online platform in differentiated instruction in a foreign language classroom when the focus is on developing listening comprehension or reading comprehension skills, since a differentiated approach implies greater learner emotional engagement, greater motivation to learn, and better learning performance compared to a non-differentiated one. In order to achieve this goal, the views of scholars in the fields of psychology, pedagogy and language teaching methodology are taken into account. Based on the analysis, a number of requirements are derived for the teacher in using LearningApps to develop learners' skills on the speech activities under consideration.