Abstract:

Differentiated instruction is an educational approach that tailors instruction to match individual students' needs, talents and interests. It aims at increasing both student learning and motivation. When teaching ESP, the focus generally falls on terminology and even when communicative approaches are involved, the needs of individual students are often overlooked. It is generally assumed that students share the same interests. However, even in seemingly homogenous groups degrees of readiness and learning profiles vary widely. This article explores the creation of a differentiated ESP classroom by introducing the philosophy behind differentiated instruction and some common approaches to differentiation modified for the purposes of teaching English for Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy. Common problems that have been encountered and the ways they have been tackled through differentiation are outlined. The results of a pilot study of the introduction of differentiated instruction in teaching English for Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy are presented and the implications are discussed.

Keywords:

Differentiated instruction, ESP, readiness, learing profile, interest, students' needs.