What does recent research from Singapore tell us about how Differentiated Instruction (DI) is being understood and practiced in our classrooms? In this issue of SingTeach, we speak with Ms Eunice Chew, a secondary school teacher who recently completed her Master’s thesis, and Ms Adeline Wang, an educational psychologist and final-year PhD student. Drawing from their respective research, they share thoughtful insights and recommendations on how DI can be meaningfully implemented in the local teaching context.

From left to right: Eunice Chew and Adeline Wang

Factors That Shape Effective Differentiated Instruction

“Teachers’ beliefs and professional development play a critical role in shaping their use of the Student Learning Space (SLS) for Differentiated Instruction (DI),” Ms Eunice Chew, School Staff Developer at a secondary school, says.

As part of her master’s thesis, she researched how Singaporean secondary school teachers have used the SLS for DI. Her research found that years of teaching experience is not a defining factor for a teacher to realize the potential of SLS for DI, but rather depends on a teacher’s “will” and “skill”.

“Underpinned by existing literature, ‘will’ refers to a teacher’s intentionality in enacting DI using SLS, which include a purposeful SLS lesson design catering to diverse learning needs and use of assessment data. Meanwhile, ‘skill’ refers to a teacher’s proficiency and knowledge in using SLS and enacting DI,” she explains.

Ms Adeline Wang, an Educational Psychologist at the Psychological Services Branch, MOE, has embarked on her doctoral research examining how primary school teachers apply DI in lower primary English classrooms and how DI is being used to support students at emergent levels of literacy.

“My research found that many teachers had a limited understanding of DI, often equating it with designing tiered worksheets for students of different levels of readiness,” she shares.

Differentiated Instruction in the Singapore Context

Creating Space for Teacher Autonomy

Adeline believes that DI should move beyond tiered worksheets and that more can be done to reframe DI as a holistic teaching philosophy. “A practical starting point could be increasing the use of pre-assessments as a way to better understand what students already know and can do in relation to an upcoming unit. This allows teachers to adjust their teaching more effectively to meet students’ needs,” she suggests.

She also highlights the need to empower teachers with greater autonomy to experiment with new pedagogical approaches and take thoughtful risks in their teaching.

“There is a common perception among teachers that a classroom should always be quiet, orderly and structured,” says Adeline. “However, to enact DI in the classroom, students need the space to move around, speak and be heard, and be given choices in their learning.”

For example, teachers can be encouraged to explore more flexible ways of grouping their students other than solely based on readiness. Students can also be given more autonomy in choosing who they want to work with, based on their interests and learning preference.

This necessitates a mindset shift in how we view students with lower readiness; Adeline urges teachers to have more confidence in what these students can achieve. “We often assume they can’t make good decisions, but you’d be surprised – many are eager to rise to the challenge,” she comments.

Using Technology to Support DI

Eunice views the uniquely Singaporean SLS one- stop portal as “a game changer that can support the enactment of DI locally”. The affordance of SLS includes features such as Interactive Thinking Tools, Subgroups and Heat-Map that facilitate student engagement, cater to diverse learners and provide teachers with useful analytics. She also highlights its multimodal and collaborative capabilities, which allow both teachers and students to upload images, videos and voice recordings, while allowing them to interact and learn from one another.

“SLS supports DI by offering multiple ways for teachers to present content and for students to engage with and express their learning. This promotes learning access as they are not limited to a single mode of learning or expression,” she explains.

However, Eunice emphasizes that the effectiveness of DI lies in the teacher’s intentional use of these features to meet the diverse needs of learners. This requires not only a solid understanding of DI, but also a keen awareness of each student’s preferences, strengths and learning needs.

“The teacher should select specific modes on SLS not just for variety, but to align meaningfully with students’ individual profiles and the objectives of the lesson. When used purposefully, technology becomes more than just a set of tools – it supports teachers in enacting DI, deepening student engagement and supporting more effective learning,” she says.

A Strong Collaborative Culture

Both researchers highlight the strong culture of collaborative learning within the teaching fraternity in Singapore.

“At my school, for example, teachers work in teams to collaboratively design SLS lessons, supported by knowledgeable others. My school leaders are very supportive in providing opportunities for teachers to share best practices and learn from one another. Teachers also use platforms such as the SG Learning Designers Circle (SgLDC) to learn best practices in using SLS for DI,” Eunice shares.

She adds that best practices on the use of SLS for DI can be enhanced with deeper discussions and collaborative efforts between teachers. “Teachers must also receive adequate training and support to use these tools effectively, ensuring technology complements, rather than replaces, human efforts in the classroom,” she reminds.

Adeline, meanwhile, notes that since there is already a wealth of DI resources and materials available within the teaching community, it would be more productive to focus on curating existing resources that effectively support teachers in meeting their learners’ diverse needs.

“Instead of investing more time and effort into creating new resources, there should be more opportunities for teachers to come together to discuss and exchange useful resources related to DI as well as to share their experiences of implementing DI in their classrooms,” she advises.

Believe That All Students Can Learn

For Adeline and Eunice, DI begins with the belief that all students can learn and progress. High readiness students can be stretched with more complex tasks or opportunities to dive deeper into content, while those with lower readiness should never be underestimated – many thrive as self-directed learners when given the right support.

Thus, this calls for a renewed focus on every student’s learning experience. “Learning outcomes matter, but we also need to balance that with creating joyful learning experiences. DI can be a pathway to bring that joy into the classroom,” Adeline says.

Eunice believes that technology plays a key role in designing learning that inspires and motivates. At her school, the use of SLS is continually evolving to meet the needs of diverse learners. “It’s an ongoing conversation – how we can better leverage SLS to apply DI principles or practices in meaningful ways,” she explains.