The Impact of Blended Differentiated Instruction on Critical Reading Skills in Middle School English as a Second Language Classrooms

Abstract

This research paper probed the impact of critical reading instruction through a differentiated technology-based approach on the participants’ performance in critical text analysis and written expression. One hundred seventy-three Middle School English as a second language participants were divided into control and experimental groups.  Ninety-seven of them received a blended differentiated critical reading instructional program whereas fifty-seven students were taught using a semi-traditional critical reading instructional approach over one academic year.  The experimental group filled out a questionnaire and twenty of them were interviewed.  Some classroom dynamics were documented.  In addition, posttest pretest design was used and students’ writing samples were analyzed.  The data revealed that blended differentiated teaching enhanced students’ critical reading skills.  Strikingly, most participants agreed that a blended differentiated approach via a virtual platform made them more engaged and responsible for their own learning which improved their critical reading skills.  Finally, T-tests, test item analyses and students’ written work showed a noticeable improvement in critical text analysis after the implementation of the study.  However, a few participants saw no value in integrating technology with differentiated instruction to enhance critical reading skills.