Esl 423 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Esl 423 3 - Essay Example The differentiated instruction approach is particularly suited to English language teaching because the students in these classes are more likely to have mixed abilities. It is a balance between having individualized instruction for each and every student and maintaining high standards that can be applied for all of them. To aid the teacher in this role, standards provide the framework in which to create differentiated instruction. The disadvantages of standards-based instruction are that they can lead to a restricted curriculum and place undue pressure on the schools to ensure that they perform up to the expected standards if not better. If handled properly, this makes them much more focused on high expectations and creating the right motivation to tailor instruction towards maintaining those standards. Greater coordination coupled with efforts to uphold high student expectations thus automatically puts the needs of the learner at the centre of attention. In short, the standards based system is geared towards meeting the needs of the learner. Standards based instruction is an attempt to base the instruction given to students on defined standards, as well as the resources and opportunities needed. This includes standards set for English language learning. Standards on what students ought to know and be able to do at each stage of their education are then maintained by testing these. And, schools are held responsible for ensuring satisfactory student achievement. The express purpose of standards-based instruction is to improve students’ academic performance, raise their expectations and the quality of education in the US. In raising their expectations, students are motivated to become more rigorous in their work and feel challenged at each stage in order to keep progressing to higher levels of achievement. The main incentive for establishing such standards is to enable equal opportunities for all students regardless of their