Differentiated instruction in secondary education - constraint or prospect in the foreign language classroom? A literature review on teachers´perceptions

Abstract: Differentiated instruction is a widely known approach used in different educational settings, especially in diverse classrooms. Teachers are expected to be able to meet the need of all learners and differentiate instructional parameters such as content, process and product accordingly. While previous research has shown that a successful implementation of the concept is beneficial for the students, teachers have remained hesitant towards the use of DI. This review examines foreign language teachers’ perceptions of DI in secondary education. Findings indicate that practical reasons such as time constraints and the lack of professional training in how to implement DI constitute significant obstacles for teachers in using the method in the foreign language classroom.