| dc.description.abstract | This study aims to investigate how the EFL education is adapted towards high achieving pupils with higher learning potential. Because adapted education is more often related to low achieving pupils, the researcher aims to investigate how EFL teachers can adapt the education towards pupils with higher learning potential. This thesis aims to answer the research questions by approaching the thesis from two perspectives; from a teachers’ perspective and from a learners’ perspective. In addition, the perspectives from parents are included in this thesis.
The data was collected from two lower secondary schools, using qualitative research methods. One-to-one interviews were conducted will all participants. Three groups of participants were selected to this study; twelve pupils with higher learning potential, six parents and five EFL teachers. The pupils in this study came from three different classes, and were high achieving pupils that achieved grades from 5-6. The parents in this study were the parents to the interviewed pupils.
Findings indicate that the majority of the EFL teachers struggle to prioritize pupils with higher learning potential. They do however, use teaching methods that make the EFL classes more adapted toward high achieving pupils. In addition, it was discovered that the teachers have different ways of using differentiated teaching in their classes. Some teachers claimed that open differentiation should not be practiced, and that this is not inclusive - other teachers replied that they do practice differentiation openly, and argued that this is beneficial to the high achieving pupils. All the teachers also revealed that all their knowledge about educating high achieving pupils came from their own teaching experiences, and they explained that they had not received any education or instructions on how to teach this pupil group in their previous education.
The parents provided important information to this thesis, for instance it was discovered that most of the interviewed pupils had been high achieving children their whole lives. The parent interviews provided an overview of the pupil’s previous backgrounds and experiences at school, which can be relevant when educating high achieving pupils. Another finding from the parent interviews, was that some of their children had experienced difficulties at primary school, which made them so unmotivated that their academic development nearly stopped.
Many of the pupils explained that they do not feel as prioritized as their peers, but the majority did however, explain that they will get help if they ask. Some of the pupils expressed that their EFL classes were not challenging and that they did not feel like they learned anything new. Their replies varied however, and many other pupils explained that they liked their EFL teacher very much and that the EFL classes were highly motivating. One pupil explained that they were given more challenging tasks, but that they were usually left on their own. The pupil expressed that it was nice to receive more challenging tasks, but that it would be nice if she could have a teacher too.
To the researcher’s knowledge, very little research has been done on high achieving pupils at lower secondary school. Therefore, this thesis aims to contribute to the field of adapted education towards high achieving pupils. In addition, it hopes to change the way adapted education is practiced in classrooms today, and aims to give this rather unprioritized group more attention. | nb_NO |
