Differentiated instruction in the English language classroom : how to adapt the EFL material to differentiated instruction based on the students' needs ?

This master thesis aims at defining the concept of differentiated instruction within the discipline of English as a Foreign Language and giving teachers the necessary tools to implement it in their classrooms. To do so, an existing unit from a textbook will be differentiated and the whole process will be detailed. The theoretical framework defines the concept, the main objectives, principles, advantages and limitations of such practice. It also highlights the importance of differentiation for students and explains the different domains in which it can be implemented. A focus on the topic within the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles is also provided to see the perception that FWB has of the concept. Afterwards, a methodological section explains how the unit chosen will be differentiated, but also shows the tools that already exist to implement differentiation. The practical chapter illustrates concretely the adaptations carried out and justifies them on the basis of some of the students’ needs. The last part consists in a reflexive discussion based on the observations made from the results of the adaptations and lists the advantages and limitations of this particular practice.