Differentiation and catering for differing intelligences of students in the classroom an experimental research at a primary school in ha noi

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES LƯU THỊ MAI THANH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT INTELLIGENCES – AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HANOI (Phương pháp dạy học phân loại học sinh theo kiểu trí thơng minh khác – nghiên cứu thực nghiệm trường tiểu học Hà Nội.) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Language Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 HANOI, 2018 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES LƯU THỊ MAI THANH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT INTELLIGENCES – AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HANOI (Phương pháp dạy học phân loại học sinh theo kiểu trí thơng minh khác – nghiên cứu thực nghiệm trường tiểu học Hà Nội.) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Language Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Supervisor: Dr Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Quỳnh HANOI, 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES iv PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Objectives Subjects 4 Research questions 5 Methodology Organization of the thesis PART 2: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Intelligence 1.1.1 Different views of intelligence 1.1.2 The theory of Multiple Intelligences 1.1.3 Critiques of Multiple Intelligence Theory 14 1.2 Differentiated instruction 15 1.2.1 Mixed ability classrooms 15 1.2.2 Differentiated instruction 16 1.3 Experimental research 17 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 19 2.1 The setting of the study 19 2.1.1.A description of the students and their learning program: 19 2.1.2 A description of the teachers 19 2.2 Research methodology 20 2.2.1 Participants 20 2.2.2 The instruments 21 2.3 Procedures 25 2.4 Statistics 26 2.5 Data Analysis 27 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 28 3.1 Scores of multiple intelligence survey 28 3.2 The results of pre-test and post –test 30 3.3 The result of interviews 33 3.4 Implications 34 PART III: CONCLUSION 36 Recapitulation 36 Limitations of the study 37 Recommendation for further research 38 REFERENCES 40 APPENDIX I DECLARATION Formatted: Header distance from edge: 0,98" I certify that the thesis is the result of my own research and the substance of the thesis has not, wholly or in part, been submitted for a degree to any other university or institution Where other sources of information have been used, they have been indentified and acknowledged Hanoi, December 2018 Luu Thi Mai Thanh i Formatted: English (United States) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to send my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Nguyen Thi Ngoc Quynh for her helpful suggestions, comments and continuous support of my study I am also grateful to her for reading my manuscript and helping me make necessary changes I would also like to all of the members in Post-graduate Department of University of Languages and International Studies (Hanoi) for designing a very useful syllabus of my Master program Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my parents and my husband for their continuous support and encouragement throughout my study time Hanoi, December 2018 Luu Thi Mai Thanh ii ABSTRACT According to Ellis (1985) second language learners are different in speed and results So the purpose of this study was to find the best way for teachers to cater much better for every single student The research investigated Gardner’s “Theory of multiple intelligences” in a sample of forty eight students and they were all in grade four at a primary school in Hanoi This research is an experimental study with the target group The instruments included multiple intelligence survey form; typical activities for different multiple intelligence types; one pre-test and one post-test; interviews and observations The one experiment group design was used with subject Meanwhile, percentage and index were used to analyze the collected data There is a variety of learning activities created to develop students in all aspects Keywords: intelligence, multiple intelligences, differentiated instruction ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS MI: Multiple intelligence(s) SPSS: Statistical Package for Social Science iii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Figure Multiple intelligence domains by McKenzie (2002, p 156) 14 Table Reliability Statistics of Multiple Intelligence survey 22 Figure Distributions of Multiple Intelligences 28 Figure Mean scores of MI preferences 29 Figure Mean scores and Standard deviation of MI frequencies 29 Figure 5: Paired samples statistics of Class 31 Figure A score comparison between pre-test and post-test of Class 31 Figure Paired samples statistics of Class 31 Figure A score comparison between pre-test and post-test of Class 32 iv PART 1: INTRODUCTION This chapter introduces the research area and outlines the background and rationale for the present study It also provides a chapter by chapter overview of the thesis Rationale Differentiation seems to have become a very familiar term that many teachers have heard However, it can be difficult to define The concept comes from the idea that there are a large number of children with mixed abilities in classes, and those activities are needed to be varied based on student’s levels of understanding, readiness to learn, learning needs, or interest According to BBC active (2010), differentiation is defined by the Training and Development Agency (TDA) for schools as “the process by which differences between learners are accommodated so that all students in a group have the best possible chance of learning” In recent decades, it has been considered as a key skill for any teacher, especially those with mixed ability classes However, according to Stradling and Saunders (1993), differentiation is a pedagogical, rather than an organizational approach Differentiation shapes an approach to teaching in which teachers proactively modify curricula, teaching methods, resources, learning activities, and student products This is done to address the diverse needs of individual students and small groups of students, and to maximize the learning opportunity for each student in a classroom (Berne, 1999; Tomlinson, 1999) When teachers follow differentiated instruction, they become instructors, not speakers in the class Therefore, they give their students a higher chance of practicing and sharing their ideas in every lesson Thus, APPENDIX – STUDENTS’ SURVEY SCORES Student Naturalist Mathem Verba -atical l Visua Musical l Bodil Interper Intraper y -sonal -sonal 14 10 15 10 13 12 14 15 8 13 10 10 13 7 12 5 7 12 10 9 11 15 15 12 11 10 12 12 12 11 11 13 10 10 10 15 13 12 15 11 11 10 11 10 13 12 15 11 12 13 13 8 13 11 14 12 11 11 14 13 13 8 15 10 15 10 16 10 10 12 17 11 10 10 11 14 18 19 13 12 15 15 11 11 20 12 12 13 11 10 21 15 11 11 12 22 13 10 14 14 15 15 14 23 14 13 11 12 10 24 10 10 11 Note: Bold cells with theme colors present the most dominant intelligence types II APPENDIX – TEST SCORES Students Pre-test score Post-test score Pre-test score - Post-test score - Class - Class Class - Class 9 8 9 9 9 10 9 10 7 8.5 10 9 8 9 9 7 10 9 11 9.5 10 8 12 9 13 7.5 7 14 8.5 8 15 9.5 10 5 16 9 17 6 9 18 10 10 8 19 9 10 20 8 21 8.5 10 7 22 7 23 9 24 8 III APPENDIX 4: SAMPLE OF DIFFERENTIATED LESSON PLANS UNIT TOPIC: ANIMALS AND INSECTS Duration: weeks ( period per week) WEEK – – Week + 2: The project, Week 3: Presentation ACTIVITIES Making a book of animals/ TYPES OF MI Visual – Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic insects Measuring height and weight Mathematical – Logical, Naturalist of some animals/ insects Presentation: some kinds of Musical-Rhythmic, Interpersonal animal and insects Arrangement:  Teacher gives Ss the tasks  Ss work in groups  Ss introduce or present about their products IV UNIT – SPORT ACTIVITIES WEEK Obejectives: Vocabulary: surf the internet, play soccer, play badminton, collect baseball cards, send messages, watch DVDs Structures: What you like to do? – I like to …… What does he like to do? – He likes ……… What they like to do? – They like to ……… Do you like to …….? Yes, I / No, I don’t Procedures: Review vocabulary and structures Group work GROUP Make a list of activities, and then introduce it to the class (LINGUISTIC, Interview classmates INTRAPERSONAL) GROUP Design a “find and correct mistakes” quiz (10 mistakes) (INTERPERSONAL, Ask the whole class to find and correct mistakes LOGICAL) GROUP Provide Ss with colour papers, ask them to make shapes of (VISUAL, leaves, animals… and write sentence on shape NATURALISTIC) Performances GROUP Discuss how to sing and dance for the Chant in the book (MUSICAL, Performances BODILY) V APPENDIX – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH NATURALISTIC INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit 2, Lesson 1: Animals and Insects Production Stage – Duration: 12 minutes Activities Task: The teacher gives a set of cards of animals, glue, scissors and one A3 paper Students need to:  categorize the animals into two groups: Animals and Insects by sticking cards of animals into the right groups  practice asking and answering about these animals Note: Ss have to use the forms “Which one is the .? – The is the .” VI APPENDIX – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit – Lesson 2: Weight and length Production Stage – Duration: 12 minutes Activities Task: The teacher asks students to bring some of the animal toys to the class In the Production Stage, she gives the group two tapes, one sclae and two pieces of A4 paper The students need to use the tape to measure the length or height of these animals to report the data into their A4 paper And then they practice asking and answering each other by using the forms above VII APPENDIX – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH VERBAL INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit 3- Lesson Production Stage – Duration: 12 minutes Activities Task: The teacher gives students two copies of the above photo, markers The students need to write the sentences in the blank to finish the story After that, they practice reading this story VIII APPENDIX – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH MUSICAL INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit – Lesson 3: Sing Production Stage – Duration: 12 minutes Activities Task: The students gives students an A4 paper The students need to compose a new lyric for their song Then they perform the song in front of the class Note: The new song still has the music background of the original song of Unit IX APPENDIX – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit – Lesson 2: Weight and length Production Stage – Duration: 12 minutes Activities Task: The teacher gives the group crayons, A3 papers, scissors, staplers The students need to make a book of animals They can draw and colour the animals in their book They also need to make sentences to talk about weights and lengths of these animals And then they introduce the book to their friends X APPENDIX 10 – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH BODILY INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit – Lesson Production Stage – Duration: 12 minutes Activities Task: The students have to discuss how to act this story out Each of the students is in charge of one or more than one role Then they perform the play XI APPENDIX 11 – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit – Lesson 4: Camouflage Forms: What does the caterpillar look like? – It is the same size/ shape as the stick Warm-up Stage – Duration: minutes Activities Task: The teacher asks the group to collect photos, videos which are related to animal camouflage The group has to discuss how to present the content in front of the class They need to use the form of this lesson to ask/ interview students of the other groups XII APPENDIX 12 – A TYPICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE Language focus Unit – Lesson 4: Camouflage Activities The teacher gives the students an extra reading related to the topic Students need to read and answer the questions And then they can share some information with the other groups XIII APPENDIX 13: INTERVIEW FORM WEEK Questions Student Student Student Con thuộc nhóm trí thơng minh nào? Con có thấy hứng thú tham gia làm bảng điều tra trí thơng minh khơng? Con có thích nhóm khơng? Findings: Solution: XIV APPENDIX 14: OBSERVATION FORM Date Noted information Students in Naturalistic groups were bored with activity one Solutions: XV APPENDIX 15: MI GROUPS CLASSIFIED BY THE MOST DOMINANT INTELLIGENCES MI types Students Naturalist 2,4, 8, 9, 12 Mathematical 23 Verbal 7, 15, 21 Musical 1, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14 Visual 3, 14, 19, 20, 22 Bodily 6, 10, 19, 22 Interpersonal 11, 16, 24 Intrapersonal 17 Note: The students’ names were coded by numbers XVI ... intelligence into the analytic domain because they include the processes of analyzing and incorporating data into existing schema The interactive domain consists of linguistic, interpersonal and kinesthetic... out of their class is that they gain an understanding of the lesson and an appreciation of their teacher However, in a classroom with many students of different levels of knowledge, skill and attitude,... talents or abilities He claimed that there was no hierarchy of ability, and Linguistic and Logical/ Mathematical abilities are not more important than any of the other intelligences in real-life