Differentiation

[Bonsoir]

My DD, who is nearly 9, is at a bilingual school in Paris. English, which is taught for 25% of the time, every day, is divided into six sets (for 5 classes in the year group) and she is in the top set. There are 21 DC in this set and the group is reasonably stable (about 20% turnover every year).

Nevertheless, the spread of ability in the class is quite broad and is on two dimensions, linguistic and intellectual.

The teacher explained in the start of year presentation that her primary form of differentiation was to have different expectations of the more able DC. The DC like my DD who are both linguistically and intellectually able are complaining that she treats them unfairly versus the others. DD is not a big complainer and things like relative position in the class tend to pass her by, so I am inclined to take her seriously. She doesn't like the teacher one little bit.

Any suggestions as to how we parents might raise this with the teacher?

do you know in what way they feel she is treating them unfairly? is it that they have harder work or is it that if they make a mistake she is coming down harder on them? Obviously they may feel it is unfair they are given different tasks or work or expected to use harder grammar which is fair enough but then that is how differentiation works but if it is she treats them differently if they make mistakes or something then I could see how that would be unfair. does that make sense?

She doesn't give them different tasks but rather comes down harder on them and expects a lot more from them for the same task. I think she is making the mistake of using the carrot and being encouraging for the lower performers, while the higher performers never feel they are doing enough.

that doesn't sound like it is working then. I think you are right that you will have to raise it. I think all you can do is be honest, say that DD is upset because she feels she isn't doing very well and then see what the teacher says. then you can lead towards the imbalance in the classroom.

I'm going to sniff around a bit and talk to some other parents. We are also getting the start-of-year mid-term report card tonight, so will see what the English teacher has written on it and whether it is encouraging or not.