ABSTRACT
The implementation, and later revisions, of the National Curriculum have emphasised what to teach, rather than how to teach. Yet it is vitally important to ensure that what is taught in the classroom effectively meets the learning needs of pupils. In any class – whether setted or mixed ability – children will exhibit a variety of abilities, aptitudes and needs. The challenge for the newly qualified teacher is to find manageable ways of accommodating these differences, so that the individual pupil is able to realise his/her full potential and achieve the highest standards. Hence, the importance of ‘differentiation’ as a planned process of intervention in each pupil’s classroom learning.
