Differentiation Practices among the English Teachers at PERMATApintar National Gifted and Talented Center

Abstract

PERMATApintar National Gifted and Talented Center is Malaysia's very own school for Malaysian gifted and talented students, established since 2011. The center provides differentiated teaching and learning across all academic subjects that require teachers to modify lessons according to learners' learning preferences. However, initial implementation of differentiation raised challenges faced by the teachers. Specifically, this study explored the practice of differentiation in ESL classroom among the English teachers at PERMATApintar and its effects on the English language learning of Malaysian gifted and talented students. Three English teachers participated in this qualitative study exploring their experience in providing differentiated lessons for the gifted and talented students. This study found out the English language performance of the gifted and talented students was not as expected even though differentiated ESL lessons were provided. This study also revealed that English teachers faced challenges in preparing and implementing differentiated teaching and learning, and that a guideline for preparing a differentiated lesson for ESL classroom is needed for a better implementation of differentiated teaching and learning among the gifted and talented students. Further studies should investigate the more appropriate differentiated classroom strategies in the teaching of English language that suit the Malaysian gifted and talented students, and develop a differentiation procedure especially for the gifted and talented students in Malaysia.