Adaptive teaching vs differentiation

Discover the key differences between adaptive teaching and differentiation, and learn how to effectively integrate both strategies to meet the diverse needs of your students dynamically and inclusively.

Author: Teachit's editorial team
Published: 16/07/2024

What is the main difference between adaptive teaching and differentiation?

Adaptive teaching and differentiation are both strategies employed to meet the diverse needs of students, but they differ fundamentally in their approach. Differentiation involves tailoring instruction to meet the individual needs of students, often by modifying content, process, or product based on students' readiness, interests, or learning profiles. In contrast, adaptive teaching is a more fluid and responsive approach. It focuses on adjusting teaching strategies dynamically during lessons based on real-time assessments and observations of student understanding and engagement.

The Early Career Framework (2021) emphasises that adaptive teaching involves being responsive to the needs of all pupils using a variety of teaching techniques and resources to ensure learning is accessible and effective. This means that while differentiation might involve planning different activities for different groups of students ahead of time, adaptive teaching requires teachers to be agile and make adjustments on the fly based on the unfolding classroom dynamics (Early Career Framework, 2021).

Should adaptive teaching replace differentiation?

The question of whether adaptive teaching should replace differentiation is nuanced. According to the Education Endowment Foundation (2021), adaptive teaching can be seen as an evolution of differentiation rather than a replacement. While differentiation has been a valuable tool, it often leads to a fixed mindset where teachers plan different activities for different groups of students in advance. This can sometimes result in lower expectations for certain groups and an increased workload for teachers.

Adaptive teaching, on the other hand, promotes high expectations for all students by encouraging a more inclusive and flexible approach. It allows teachers to respond to the immediate needs of their students, thus ensuring that all students are supported and challenged appropriately. Therefore, it's not about replacing differentiation entirely but rather integrating the principles of adaptive teaching to create a more dynamic and responsive learning environment (Education Endowment Foundation, 2021).

Can adaptive teaching and differentiation be used together, and if so, how?

Yes, adaptive teaching and differentiation can be used together effectively. Combining these approaches can create a robust framework for meeting the diverse needs of students. Differentiation can serve as a foundation, where teachers plan lessons with varied activities and resources to cater to differing student needs. Then, within this framework, adaptive teaching can be employed to make real-time adjustments based on student feedback and performance during the lesson.

For example, a teacher might plan a differentiated lesson with various activities aimed at different ability levels. During the lesson, the teacher can use formative assessments and observations to gauge student understanding. If some students are struggling with a particular concept, the teacher can adapt their approach by providing additional scaffolding or alternative explanations. Conversely, if some students grasp the concept quickly, the teacher can offer more challenging tasks to keep them engaged and progressing.

This integrated approach ensures that all students receive the support they need while maintaining high expectations and promoting a growth mindset. The Research for EIF Framework (2021) supports this by highlighting the importance of using a range of teaching strategies to meet the diverse needs of learners, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed.

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The editorial team at Teachit consists of experienced teachers and subject specialists who curate, write, edit and check our content to ensure it is useful, insightful and of the highest quality.

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