As previously discussed, the pupils’ language proficiency was a central subject that affected the respondents’ choices of selecting literary texts. In addition, the
respondents replied that they used the pedagogic approach of differentiation to
support the pupils’ individual language abilities. According to Roiha and Polso (2018), differentiation is understood as a manner of approach to learning. In the FNCCBE 2014 differentiation is considered as the pedagogical premises of all teaching and it is based on the teacher’s pupil knowledge (Finnish National Board of Education 2016).
In the classroom the teachers are expected to observe the pupils’
learning progress and discover various ways to analyse and help the pupils to
overcome their learning difficulties in addition to developing their individual learning capabilities (European Framework for Reference 2001, 141). Therefore, differentiation can be considered as the teacher’s proactive response to a learner’s need which is shaped by mindset. (Tomlinson 2014, 20). Consequently, differentiation is the driving force in choosing working methods and it is based on the need of each individual and their chances to proceed individually (Finnish National Board of Education 2016).
Furthermore, English language instruction can be differentiated
according to the pupils’ individual needs. Moreover, English literature can be used as material within the differentiated instruction according to the pupils’ abilities. Hence, various text types can be offered for the pupils to develop their personal language abilities. Furthermore, when discussing differentiation in English language teaching and learning, the terms weak and talented are used to demonstrate the language level differences of the pupils even though this division is not straightforward (Polso and Roiha 2018). Roiha and Polso (2018) state that the term weak refers to pupils who have difficulties in learning a foreign language. In addition, the term talented refers to those pupils whose language level and learning outcomes are over average (ibid.).
However, in the present research differentiation is discussed in terms of low ability pupils (= eriyttäminen alaspäin) and high ability pupils (=eriyttäminen ylöspäin).
Even though differentiation is the basis of teaching, differentiating the classroom is not a simple matter because of the heterogeneity of the pupils
(Tomlinson 2014, 18). Primarily, the teacher needs to gather data on each pupil which is mainly collected through different ways of assessment. After the teacher has
gathered the data about each pupil’s abilities, the teacher uses the data to modify the content, process, product or learning environment (ibid.). In the present research, differentiation concerns the content and process. In content differentiation, the teacher contemplates what kind of instructional material she will offer for the pupils
(ibid.). Consequently, when the teachers choose the instruction material, it should be carefully selected, evaluated and analysed (European Framework of Reference 2001, 141). Moreover, the purpose of content differentiation is that the pupils learn and gain knowledge from the material (Tomlinson 2014, 18). Hence, the English teachers need to evaluate and analyse the possible literary texts suitable for the pupils’ abilities before giving the texts for the pupils in order to differentiate their learning according to their ability.
Nearly all respondents replied that they differentiate content by
providing literary texts. The respondents who had differentiated instruction according to higher ability pupils, replied that they had given English books for the pupils to read, which was overall considered as an act of differentiation. In terms of differentiating content, the higher ability pupils were given more difficult books such as young adult books, since the pupils were considered to understand more demanding language use than lower ability pupils:
…Annan siis taitaville luettavaksi englanninkielisiä nuortenkirjoja ja kehotan heitä käymään kirjastossa ja tutkimaan englanninkielistä kirjallisuutta…(R5)
…I give the talented [pupils] youth books in English and I encourage them to visit the library and search for English literature… (R5)
…Ylöspäin eriyttämisessä on ollu kirjallisuudessa niin Pottereita toki enkuks…(R1)
…[When I have differentiated instruction according to the] higher ability pupils [they] have read Potter in English…(R1)
In addition, the higher ability pupils were encouraged to find texts online and from the library within their language proficiency. In addition, for the high ability pupils, reading diplomas and challenging texts were considered as a possibility for differentiating content. As outlined in the FNCCBE 2014, English teaching should give more challenges to those whose progress is faster than average (Finnish National Board of Education 2016):
…Mä olen yrittänyt ehdottaa, että tota lahjakkaammat vois lukee jotain kirjoja, mut sit just se et ittelt puuttuu niinku ne suorat ehdotukset, ni sitte eivät oo ainakaan tai ei ainakaan niinku vielä vielä ilmoittaneet, että olisivat mitään ruvenneet lukemaan, mut sit pitäs melkeen ite ehdottaa
sit jotain kirjaa tai antaa joku lista. Että lukudiplomissa on jotain englanninkielistä meillä, meil on sellanen vapaaehtonen puoli siinä lukudiplomissa niin siinä nyt on, mutta ei oo vielä niitäkään kunnolla lukenut tai ei ainakaan kukaan viel ilmottanut. Mut se on kans se lukudiplomi on semmonen yks väylä et siihen pystyy sillain lisää vapaaehtosii… (R3)
…I have tried to suggest that the gifted pupils could read some books, but I really don`t have any straightforward suggestions, so then they have not, or at least they have not yet informed [me] that they have read anything but I should really suggest [reading English literature] [for the gifted pupils] and give them a book or a list of books. In [our school’s]
reading diploma we have some [literary texts] in English, it is voluntary [to read] so that is something [that can encourage pupils to read], but nobody has really read [the list] properly or at least nobody has informed me they have [read the list]. But the reading diploma is one option for those pupils [who are interested in reading English literature]… (R3)
…ne jotka on taitavampia ni pystyvät valitsemaan, jos ite valitsevat varsinkin netin kautta ni vaikeempia tekstejä, et siinä saa oikeastaan eriytettyä sitte ylöspäinkin aika hyvin…(R2)
…Those [pupils] who are more talented can choose, especially by themselves from the internet, more difficult texts, so in this sense you can actually differentiate according to high ability pupils quite well…(R2) In contrast to the situation for higher level pupils, finding understandable and suitable texts for low ability pupils was more difficult due to their lower language level,
especially when searching for written texts. The talented pupils were overall considered to showcase their skills more visibly which made selecting literary texts easier:
… ylöspäin eriyttäminen on ehkä helpompaa niinku kirjallisesti kirjallisissa teksteissä kuin alaspäin sitte, että ne jokka ovat taitavia ni he pystyvät näyttämään kyllä niinku sitä osaamistaan sitte, saavat valita niinku omantasosia ja nyt mä en puhu siitä et me käytettäis mitään oppikirjan tekstejä vaan niinku muita tekstejä…(R2)
…differentiating according to high ability [pupils] is maybe easier than differentiating according to low ability [pupils] when it comes to written texts, those who are talented can show their capabilities, [they] can choose literary texts within their level and now I am not talking about textbooks but other texts…(R2)
For the lower ability pupils some respondents thought about offering plain language books. According to Sainio (2002) plain language is defined as language which is easier than standard language. In plain language, the structures and content of the text have been modified into a simple form which is why it is easier to understand (ibid.)
According to one respondent, plain language books were considered as beneficial for the lower ability pupils since the language was considered easier to understand.
Therefore, these texts were discussed to motivate and excite the pupils because they would be able to understand the content of the texts. However, as Collie and Slater (1987, 8) argue, it is considered more important for the pupils to read interesting and appealing texts rather than texts which are simple in a form, since they might not cause personal involvement which is essential in reading literary texts in a foreign language:
…ja sitte heikompii vois niinku sillai myös et ottaa jotai semmost
selkotekstii semmosii niinku, jotka on kirjotettu niinku siis kielenopetusta tota silmällä pitäen, et on niinku semmosii selkotekstisiä helppoo
englantii niin sitte, et jos sais siit niinku heikompikin pysys kärryillä ni vois innostuu, et kyl hän sit ymmärtääkin jotai jos sais semmosest selvää…
(R3)
…and then the weaker pupils could [read] some texts written in plain form, [texts] which have been written keeping in mind [the goals of]
language teaching, so they are written in plain English language so that the weaker pupils can also keep up and get excited about the fact that they can understand [the text]… (R3)
In addition, one respondent considered differentiating content by providing additional vocabulary to support the content of the literary texts. Those pupils with higher language abilities could be given more challenging vocabulary, whereas the lower ability pupils would have easier vocabulary to support their reading. Easier literary texts could also be offered for the lower language ability pupils in line with easier language activities:
…Tosiaan ei oo vielä ollut sellasta tilannetta, mutta sitä vois niinkun miettiä kenties että tarttis oikeestaan, et se riippuu siitä ryhmästä ja oppilaista, että millä tavoin että olisko siinä et jos jokasella olis se sama teksti et onko siinä sitten enemmän niinku sanastoo, annetaan vaikka lisää haastetta, taikka sitten vähän vaikeampaa/helpompaa tekstiä ja sitten niitä tehtäviä kattoo sen mukaan sitten kanssa että silleen en oo sen kummemmin asiaa miettinyt viel ku ei oo ollut semmosta tilannetta,
mutta siis toki vois olla mahollista hyödyntää eriyttämisen välineenä…(R4)
…Actually there has not yet been that kind of a situation [to differentiate instruction according to the pupils’ abilities], but [I] should think about it, it depends largely on the group and the pupils on how to do it, would there be the same text for everyone, would it have more vocabulary, [it]
could give for example more challenges [for the high ability pupils]. In addition [the pupils could be offered] more difficult or easier texts [depending on their language level] and then look at exercises in
accordance [to the language level]. I have not really thought about it that much yet because there have not been any situations, but of course it could be possible to use [literary texts] as a mean of differentiation…(R4)
In addition to differentiating content, providing the pupils with language activities based on literary texts which related to their language level referred to process differentiation. Process differentiation contains activities which are used to teach and make sense of the content according to the pupils’ abilities (Tomlinson 2014, 18). One respondent replied that she differentiated process according to the high ability pupils in terms of giving them the possibility to write PowerPoint presentations, perform oral tasks and additional tasks based on literature. In addition, she differentiated process according to the interests of the pupils. Therefore, those pupils who were interested, had an opportunity to make presentations:
…ne oppilaat, jotka on kiinnostuneita, ni on saanu tehä myöskin ekstroina tällasia pienii esityksiä, jotka on tavallaan pohjautunu johonkin teemaan, ne on hakenu tietoa eli tietokirjallisuuden puolelta ehkä netistä, valtaosa ehkä myöskin, mut on siitä sitten tehnyt esityksiä joko PowerPointteja tai suullisia ni se on mennyt niinku sinne ylöspäin eriyttävään tai sitte
lisätehtävillä, joilla saa näyttää omia harrastuneisuuttaan…(R1)
…those pupils, who are interested, [they] have had an opportunity to do small presentations as extra work which have basically been based on a certain theme. [The pupils] have searched information about [the theme], mostly from the non-fictional side [of texts], maybe from the internet, most of the others [pupils] too, but then [those pupils with higher language abilities] have done either PowerPoints or oral
presentations, so it has mainly considered differentiating [the process]
according to the high ability pupils. Also [the high ability pupils have had]
extra tasks, in which they have had an opportunity to show their interests… (R1)
To conclude this section, all the respondents agreed that differentiation occurs though the language level of the pupils and their abilities. Knowing the language level of the pupils was considered essential in order to differentiate content and process according to each pupil’s ability. Based on the respondents’ answers, differentiating content for the high ability pupils was experienced as easier since the pupils were able to read more difficult texts and showcase their knowledge. On the contrary, providing literary texts within the language ability of the lower ability pupils was considered more difficult. Finding understandable and suitable texts was seen more profoundly limited by the lower language level of the pupils. However, modifying the content of the literary texts and providing plain language texts were considered noteworthy options when selecting literary texts for the lower language level pupils. As stated in the FNCCBE 2014, differentiation supports the pupils’ self-esteem and at its best it can motivate learning (Finnish National Board of Education 2016). Therefore, offering literary texts within the pupils’ language proficiency and differentiating content as well as process according to the pupils’ individual needs is important.
The next section explores the pupils’ motivation towards reading English literature, which is also connected with language proficiency. Also, the pupils’
individual interests that affect their motivation to read are discussed as well as how the English language teachers consider these aspects when selecting literary texts.