Certificate No.

AJA19-0226

INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION TO THE COMPREHENSION

SKILLS OF GRADE 3 PUPILS. INPUT TO A COMPREHENSIVE
READING INTERVENTION

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course

ADVANCE CURRICULUM AND DEVELOPMENT

Submitted by:

LOREEN ANN D. NICART

MAED-EE

Submitted to:

JOSEPHINE C. MARASIGAN
Professor
 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

CHAPTER I

Introduction

Dr. Seuss (1991), a favorite author of many children and adults, once said, “The
more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places
you’ll go.” Most educators would agree with the statement that reading leads to a
prosperous future. Reading instruction begins at an early age. J.D. Worthington (2013)
explained that, “Children need lots of opportunities to build spoken language by talking and
listening, learn about print and books, learn about the sounds of spoken language, identify
the letters of the alphabet, and listen to books read aloud”. Reading develops the mind. The
mind must have opportunities to practice. “Understanding the written word is one way the
mind grows in its ability. Teaching young children to read helps them develop their language
skills” (Davis, 2014,).
Reading comprehension is the process of constructing meaning from the text. The
goal of all reading instructions is ultimately targeted at helping a reader to comprehend a
given text. Reading comprehension involves at least two people; the reader and the writer.
"The process of comprehending involves decoding the writer's words and then using
background knowledge to construct an approximate understanding of the writer's message"
(Chen, 2003: 161). In brief, the main purpose of reading is to comprehend the text being
read, if comprehension does not take place then the activity of reading is without purpose.
Teaching Reading comprehension as one of the major skills of language learning is a broad
area in which the learners' different learning characteristics play an important role. It goes
without saying that learners learn the Reading comprehension skills differently by resorting
to the differential, personalized styles and strategies they possess. According to Farrell
(2009:7) “There is no single method or combination of methods that can successfully teach
all children to read.
Teachers must have a strong knowledge of multiple methods for teaching reading.
Thus, to be able to implement a practical method of teaching Reading comprehension skills,
teachers need to be aware of their learners' current skill levels, strengths and challenges,
interests and preferences, needs and goals. The challenge is for teachers to ensure that the
needs of all learners are equally valued and attended to. Thus, the researcher think that
Differentiated Instruction can be a suitable strategy for teaching reading considering children
 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

have always come to school with a range of literacy experiences, abilities and teachers have
struggled for years to meet the needs of all of their learners.
Historically, teachers have grouped their students in attempts to tailor instruction to
meet the different needs of individuals. They have attempted various types of grouping
arrangements during the literacy block, including needs-based homogeneous groups,
interest-based groups, or individualized instruction. However, it has become clear that it is
not the grouping arrangement that matters; it is what the teacher does with each group of
children that makes the difference (Taylor, Peterson, Pearson, & Rodriguez, 2002). No
simple formula exists that details what to do with each group of children. According to the
IRA’s position statement, making a Difference Means Making It Different (2000),
differentiated instruction can only truly occur if the teacher possesses a deep knowledge of
the reading process, an understanding of the strengths and needs of her students, and the
ability to teach responsively.
Other studies support the notion that differentiation in instruction is needed to narrow
the achievement gap found in today’s schools (Allington, 2005; O’Connor, Bell, Harty,
Larkin, Sackor, & Zigmond, 2002). Tomlinson (2000) States that "differentiated instruction is
the change of the teaching process based on teaching routines that correspond to the large
span of students’ differences in mixed ability classrooms, such as student’s readiness,
interests and learning style. Differentiated instruction, in a nut shell, allows students to
understand and learn the same concepts, how to process information, make sense of new
information, and develop diversified products (Tomlinson, 2000: 20)".

Objectives of the Study

 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

The study aims to determine if teachers who were using differentiated instruction
influence the comprehension skills of Grade 3 pupils. Specifically, this study focused on the
following objectives:

1. To assess the Pre-test scores in reading comprehension among Grade 3 pupils.

2. To determine the Post-test scores in reading comprehension among Grade 3
pupils.
3. To stablish the significant difference in the Pre-test and Post-test of Grade 3
pupils.
4. To compute for the learning gains of the Pre-test and Post-test scores of Grade 3
pupils.
5. To propose intervention based on the findings of the proposed study.

Significance of the Study

Research is needed to determine if differentiated instruction increases student
achievement in reading comprehension. The findings of this study will be a foundation for
future studies as to the achievement effects of differentiation. If achievement data are
statistically different between the classrooms that are showing evidence of differentiation
and those that are not, this may change in some aspect (i) identify the individual needs
considering learners’ diversity (ii) address learners on their different learning styles and (iii)
school administration will be guided to develop and provide effective comprehensive reading
intervention.

Definition of Terms
Pre-test - A pre-test was administered at the start of each experiment. This test composed
of items relating to reading skills, specifically comprehension. The purpose of the pretest
was to determine the initial performance of the learners with reading problems.

Post-test - Occur after the differentiated instruction was administered. This test composed
of items in relation to reading skills, specifically comprehension. The test was aimed at
assessing the performance of the learners after some time of exposure to differentiated
instructions.

Differentiation - A process of lesson design where the teacher varies approaches to

 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

content, process, and product in anticipation of and response to student differences in

readiness, interest, and learning needs.
Reading Comprehension - A complex cognitive process of extracting and constructing
meaning through interaction and involvement with written text, which includes fluency,
vocabulary development and understanding what words and connected text mean. In
addition, it's the ability to make sense of the author’s message.

Learner’s Readiness - The academic level of appropriate challenge to a student in any

given topic. A child’s readiness level is determined through some type of pre-assessment.

Learner’s Interest - The area in which the student has the most curiosity for learning.

Learning profile - The way in which the student best processes information. This includes
their multiple intelligences, learning styles, cultural background, and any other characteristic
unique to that child in learning.

Learning styles - The way in which a student prefers to study and present information to
others, such as written, auditory, kinesthetic (acting out), visually, alone, in a group, and so
on.
Phil-IRI- refers to the revised assessment tool composed of a set of graded passages
administered to the whole class and to individual students, which was designed to determine
a student’s reading level.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study will be conducted in Oras West Central Elementary School. The
respondents are pupils from Grade 3.
 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature

This review of literature discussed various teaching strategies that support to

differentiated instructions. The influence of differentiated instructions in the academic
performance of the learners. This study also sought to identify best practices used by
teachers to benefit reading comprehension.

International Reading Association, 2004. Small-Group Reading Instruction: A

Differentiated Teaching Model. Small-group Reading Instruction: A Differentiated Teaching
Model for Beginning and Struggling Readers. Presents the Small-Group Differentiated
Reading Model, which brings children of similar abilities together into small groups and
allows you to pace instruction so as to maximize learning opportunities. Small-Group
Reading Instruction: A Differentiated Teaching Model COUPON: Rent Small-Group Reading
Instruction A Differentiated Teaching Model for Beginning and Struggling …

Theory into practice 44 (3), 245-253, 2005. We consider how to differentiate

instruction using a theory of thinking styles as a basis for differentiation. The article opens
with a consideration of why styles are important. Then it considers some general
characteristics of styles, presents the theory of mental self-government, considers issues of
measurement, and presents data supporting the theory. Next, it discusses application of the
theory in the classroom. Finally, it draws conclusions.

National Teacher Education Journal 5 (3), 2012. Gregory and Chapman (2007)
the authors of Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn't fit All, stated that
teachers can no longer teach" the lesson" and hope that everyone gets it. Research shows
that students prefer instruction in various modalities. They learn in a variety of ways and
have different interest. Some students prefer learning with visual aids, others by talking in
groups or with a partner, others by listening to instruction; while others learn by doing and
being physically involved (Kellough 1999). Differentiated Instruction is the new word and
most school districts want teachers to be trained with this approach and want to see it
 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

implemented in their schools. Differentiation is a philosophy that enables to plan strategically

in order to meet the needs of the diverse learner in today's classroom (Gregory & Chapman
2007). This paper will be based on differentiated instruction and the effects it has on
students with diverse needs. It will attempt to address the following questions: What is
Differentiated Instruction? What is the research background for this method? How does it
work? What are the recommended instructional strategies?

Wakefield, MA: National Center on, 2002. Not all students are alike. Based on this
knowledge, differentiated instruction applies an approach to teaching and learning so that
students have multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas. The
model of differentiated instruction requires teachers to be flexible in their approach to
teaching and adjusting the curriculum and presentation of information to learners rather than
expecting students to modify themselves for the curriculum. Classroom teaching is a blend
of whole-class, group and individual instruction. Differentiated Instruction is a teaching
theory based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in
relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms.

Teaching and Teacher Education 28 (8), 1152-1162, 2012. Rural areas in the
alpine regions suffer from dwindling student numbers. Differentiated instruction (DI) could
help improve the teaching culture by allowing instructors to better adapt to heterogeneous
student groups. At the beginning of a combined research and school improvement project, a
survey of 162 teachers and 1180 students was conducted to obtain an overview of the types
of DI that are currently practiced. In addition, we examined the school conditions that
supported the implementation of DI. This cross-sectional study demonstrates a difference in
practices between teachers with more- and less-developed DI cultures, and it was
determined that team collaboration that includes pedagogical topics enhances teachers' use
of DI.

Hall, Strangman, & Meyer, (2003). Differentiated instruction, also called

differentiation, is a process through which teachers enhance learning by matching student
characteristics to instruction and assessment. Differentiated instruction allows all students to
access the same classroom curriculum by providing entry points, learning tasks, and
outcomes that are tailored to students' needs. Differentiated instruction is not a single
strategy, but rather an approach to instruction that incorporates a variety of strategies.
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Tomlinson, (1999). When teachers differentiate, they do so in response to a

student's readiness, interest, and/or learning profile. Readiness refers to the skill level and
background knowledge of the child. Interest refers to topics that the student may want to
explore or that will motivate the student. This can include interests relevant to the content
area as well as outside interests of the student. Finally, a student's learning profile includes
learning style (i.e., a visual, auditory, tactile, or kinesthetic learner), grouping preferences
(i.e., individual, small group, or large group), and environmental preferences (i.e., lots of
space or a quiet area to work). A teacher may differentiate based on any one of these
factors or any combination of factors.
According to Tomlinson (2001), “Differentiation calls on a teacher to realize that
classrooms must be places where teachers pursue our best understandings of teaching and
learning every day, and also to recall daily that no practice is truly best practice unless it
works for the individual learner”. Classrooms are currently filled with students who have
enormous differences in their readiness, interests, cultural backgrounds, prior knowledge,
and learning profiles. Looking at a typical classroom and the ability levels within it, one can
conclude that
teachers who do not differentiate teach only a fraction of their students. We know that is not
the intent of any teacher; however, without the proper tools, differentiation does not take
place.

The study by Dixon et al. (2014) focused on teacher efficacy as a way to explain
teacher willingness to differentiate instruction. They found that a greater number of
professional development hours in differentiation of instruction were positively associated
with both teacher efficacy and the teacher's sense of efficacy beliefs. This study
demonstrated that teacher efficacy is an important dimension in implementing the process of
differentiation regardless of what level or what content area the teacher taught (elementary,
middle, or high school).
Jager (2013) conducted a study among teachers to identify the existing challenges
that implementation of Differentiated learning activities faces and to provide possible
guidelines on how to differentiate in the classroom. From the data analysis it was found that
the respondents in this study had a negative perception of the implementation of
differentiated learning activities and experienced several challenges in implementing these.
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Mitchell and Hobson 2005. Another common misconception is that differentiated

instruction means that a teacher must create a separate activity for each student. Not only
is this unmanageable but it also not the best practice; because students need opportunities
to work together as well as alone. Instead educators must provide a variety of inter-related,
well planned instructional activities base on ongoing assessment of student strengths and
weaknesses. Once teachers have a clear idea of what their students need, they can adjust
curriculum base on students’ differences.

Barnes (2012) done a study to identify teachers who successfully Differentiating

Instruction (D.I.) and those who were unsuccessful in Differentiating Instruction based on
student achievement. Many of the teachers who did not differentiate perceived themselves
as going to great lengths to meet the needs of all learners when they actually taught lessons
at one level Many of the teachers who Differentiating Instruction did not perceive themselves
as teachers who varied instructional strategies based on the needs of students.

Sheehan (2011) explored in a qualitative phenomenological study the perceptions,

attitudes, or concerns of nine K-5 elementary teachers regarding the implementation of
Differentiating Instructional strategies in their classrooms. Findings of the study revealed
that teachers perceive Differentiating Instruction as an effective tool to meet student needs,
even though Differentiating Instruction is time consuming for the teacher to plan. The results
also revealed that teachers use flexible groups based on readiness during reading
instruction, but many would prefer to participate in professional development regarding
implementation during math instruction. The research also revealed that many of the
techniques and strategies used by teachers when implementing Differentiating Instruction
supported brain research. By addressing the needs of the brain, teachers influence student
retention of content. Differentiating Instruction is a tool that allows teachers and students to
strive for attainment of a common goal.
Reis et al. (2011) in an experimental study examined the effect of a differentiated,
enriched reading program on students’ oral reading fluency and comprehension. Using
multilevel modeling, significant differences favouring the differentiated program were found
in reading fluency in 2 schools, and in reading comprehension in the high-poverty urban
school, with no achievement differences in the remaining schools. These results
demonstrated that an enrichment reading approach, with Differentiating Instruction and less
whole group instruction, was as effective as or more effective than a traditional whole group
based approach.
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Gilbert (2011) in a sequential mixed-methods study examined teacher perceptions

of reading instruction as well as the effects of Differentiating Instruction and other
instructional strategies on student achievement in reading in a primary school. The OAS
benchmark results indicated that the reading comprehension of students in the differentiated
classroom was significantly higher than the students in the traditional classroom. The
implications for positive social change are providing teachers, educational leaders, and
professional development facilitators with information on Differentiating Instruction that can
help increase the performance level of all students in reading.

The purpose of the research conducted by King (2010) was to examine teachers'
knowledge as well as their perception regarding the implementation of Differentiating
Instruction. The findings from the study suggest that teachers' perception about and
knowledge of Differentiating Instruction was directly related to their practice of using it in
inclusive classrooms. The results indicate that there was a statistically significant
relationship between teachers' perception about and knowledge of Differentiating Instruction
and their practice of using it in inclusive classrooms and it also revealed that content
knowledge/skills was the most significant factor that affected teachers' decisions for using
Differentiating Instruction in inclusive classrooms. Time was also identified as a factor.

Hockett (2010) in her qualitative study used grounded theory methodology to

explore in-depth the influence of Lesson Study on how teachers plan for, implement, and
understand differentiation. Findings from this research indicated that Lesson Study
enhanced the flexibility of teachers' planning and instructional frameworks, the application of
new instructional strategies, and proactive management of differentiation.

The purpose of the study conducted by Luster (2008) was to contrast whole class
and Differentiating Instruction to determine which the most effective instructional strategy is
in an inclusive classroom environment. Responses were analyzed and the tests revealed
statistically significant differences in student achievement levels between students taught
utilizing whole-class instruction and Differentiating Instruction as well as differences
teachers' attitudes.
Miller (2007) conducted a study to examine the ways of effective differentiation of
instruction in reading relates to classroom management, and how the two work together to
help students develop reading skills in inclusive classroom settings. The results revealed
that there is a significant negative relationship between teacher's use of differentiated
 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

reading instruction and classroom averages on the assessments of the Oral Reading
Fluency subtest. The negative correlation indicated that when teachers differentiate reading
instruction, they do so in classrooms with the most struggling readers, and that
differentiation is based on student need. Furthermore, the multiple regression analysis
indicated that teachers' use of differentiated reading instruction and classroom management
structures enables students to make the same gains in fluency regardless of reading ability.
Teachers who implement these strategies are leveling the playing field, and in essence,
maintain the gap between struggling and proficient readers.
D'Angelo (2006) examined the viability of gradually and incrementally implementing
flexible Differentiating Instruction, or what is commonly known as flexible "ability grouping",
in primary and middle schools. The findings of this research indicated that students who
were treated with a flexible Differentiating Instruction grouping approach developed reading
comprehension skills achieved at a greater rate than students who were treated with a
whole class model and a fully differentiated model.

Affholder (2003) conducted a study to investigate the Differentiating Instructional

strategies utilized by teachers, and it was concluded that teachers who used these
strategies more intensively showed improved individual perception and adopted greater
responsibility for student growth. In addition, the study revealed that teachers employing
higher levels of differentiated techniques experienced increased feelings of self-efficacy and
demonstrated greater willingness to try new instructional approaches. It would further
appear that Differentiating Instruction was favored by more experienced teachers who were
familiar with the curriculum they taught and who had received extensive training prior to
implementing these methods in the classroom.

Cheek & Ortlieb, 2013. Differentiated instruction is defined as providing content

materials that match the student’s reading level. “Matching the relative complexity of a text
with the reading ability of a student is quite important: provide a student too difficult a text,
and she/he will likely struggle and get frustrated with reading it; provide a student too easy a
text, she/he may either get bored or not advance much in reading ability”
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Theoretical Framework
Differentiation is the compilation of the best practices in teaching that support
learner’s achievement. Figure 1 shows the theoretical framework of differentiation process
to acquire an effective reading intervention. Pre-test is an important tool to assess students’
readiness. Pre-test data allows the teacher to create lessons and activities that are
appropriate for Grade 3 pupils. The result will be used to assess the struggling learners in
planning an effective intervention. Teachers should be taken into consideration learner’s
background data when planning, understand that the prior knowledge with which learners
enter the classroom is based on many factors such as cultural background and family
opportunities. The planned intervention must be based on best practices in instruction and
student learning such as readiness, interest, learning profile, choice, and learning styles of
the learners to gain a favorable and successful result as the Post-test is being administered.

DEPENDENT INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT

VARIABLE VARIABLE VARIABLE

Pre-test Differentiated Post-test

Instruction

Figure 1. Theoretical framework of differentiation.

Hypothesis of the Study

There is no significant difference in the Pre-test and Post-test result of Grade 3 pupils.
 Certificate No. AJA19-0226

CHAPTER III

Methodology

Research Design
This study will be incorporated stratified-randomized assessment focusing the
learners struggling in reading. The sample will target Grade 3 pupils in Oras West Central
Elementary School. The differentiated instruction will start within 2 weeks of the start of the
fall academic school year and continued for 5 months, through the last 2 weeks of February.
Pre-test and post-test data will be collected on pupils’ reading comprehension, and the
quantitative procedures will be used to investigate the effects of the differentiated instruction
in comprehensive reading intervention on these reading outcomes.

Locale of the study

This study will be conducted in Oras West Central Elementary School, Oras Eastern
Samar, targeting more or less 120 pupils in Grade 3 pupils.

Respondents of the Study

The study targets the elementary school pupils as respondents preferably the grade
3 pupils. The proponent has to come up with the selected pupils of the population coming
from the grade 3 level which is composed of more or less 120 pupils.

Research Instrument
Reading comprehension was measured before and after the intervention using the
Reading Comprehension test a standardized questionnaire from DepEd which is The
Philippine Reading Inventory (Phil. IRI). The Reading Comprehension tests ‘‘measure how
pupils derive meaning from what they read’’ (Hoover et al., 2003, p. 32). The Reading
Comprehension test consists of reading passages representing narrative, poetry. After
pupils read the passage and the other part of the test, their comprehension is assessed
through the use of multiple-choice questions that ask pupils to recall facts, make
generalizations, and draw inferences.
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Data Gathering Procedure

During the first weeks of the intervention, the researcher will travel to the
participating schools to collect pre-test data. Reading Comprehension pre-tests will be
administered by the researcher in the target school during the course. On the days of the
RC assessments, procedures will be reviewed and each test administrator will observe to
ensure that the assessments is standardized. The test administrators began each
assessment by introducing themselves, recording the student’s name, grade, and current
reading teacher on the blank student data sheet, and then inviting the student to accomplish
the assessment test. The same procedure for RC testing were followed for collecting
posttest data in the final weeks of the study. All RC score sheets and score averages were
checked by the researcher for accuracy in calculations.

Analysis of Data
Before determining the final model for reading comprehension, we will investigate if
there is a significant difference in the pre-test and post-test of the Grade 3 pupils by
comparing the scores in order to determine if the treatment is successful after administering
the test. The scores will be analyzed to provide an effective intervention model suits to the
variety of learners.
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