Embracing adaptive teaching for success in English lessons

Adaptive teaching requires us to be flexible in our teaching to meet pupils’ individual needs within the lesson. 

There are some steps we can take to set ourselves and our children up for success in English lessons. This useful blog written by Jon Eaton, Director of Kingsbridge Research School, explores a simple framework for developing thinking about adaptive teaching. Firstly, at the planning stages, we should consider what barriers or challenges might arise for children within the lesson. Then, we can plan for relevant adaptations to address those barriers. During the lesson, we need to make use of appropriate assessment and checking strategies to identify any barriers, then respond to those with adaptations, where possible, in the moment. The EEF’s 5-a-day recommendations can act as a helpful guide to different ways we can adapt teaching to meet the needs of different learners. 

Often, small adaptations can be made in the moment which enable children to be successful. In this fantastic and though-provoking blog, Clare Sealy explores the ways we can increase or reduce the challenge of tasks by considering the cognitive demands they present. We highly recommend exploring the blog with your colleagues.

As teachers, we continuously adapt our teaching, whether it be through re-wording a question, repeated modelling, or providing a verbal or written scaffold. It is useful to build a repertoire of strategies for adapting teaching in the English lesson, so that these can be planned for or pulled upon to support pupils’ learning. The Primary English team have joined forces this week to bring to you a host of strategies that can be used flexibly within English lessons, when the need for adaptation arises. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but hopefully a few helpful strategies to try out in your classroom.

Adaptive teaching strategies for writing

Spelling

1. The phoneme frame is a trusted and much used resource in the teaching of phonics for encoding in reception and year 1. After that, it only seems to make an appearance in the occasional year 2 lesson or an intervention. This provides a zero-preparation, quick and easy way to scaffold children’s learning at any point, in any lesson.

From year 2 spellings:

 
to year 3 and 4:

and year 5 and 6: 

2. Before introducing a new spelling objective, track back to the related spelling objectives and reawaken prior knowledge. For example, when teaching the eigh grapheme in Y3/4, revisit other ways of recording the ‘long ay’ sound. Some children might need a short pre-teaching session reviewing ay/ai and a-e. This will put them on a stronger footing when the class review and enable them to link the learning. If they are finding the new learning a step too far, secure that foundational knowledge during the lesson - the earlier spelling objectives represent spelling patterns more frequently used and need to be embedded first and foremost.

Reducing transcriptional demands in writing tasks

One way to adapt writing tasks for pre-key stage learners, is by setting the same objective but reducing transcriptional load, for example by:

• providing them with a word bank that contains only 80%+ decodable words
• giving them linked encodable dictated sentences, e.g. ‘Pick up the coats’ in instructions
• giving fewer paragraphs/sentences to write, but well-edited and with the focus on encoding skills gaps (less is more)
• offering a symbol-supported word bank where the word labels are 80%+ decodable 
• guiding writing with them: modelling, guiding, pairing-up, letting loose. The end result is less quantity but undoubtedly higher quality…and more secure foundational skills.

Flexible grouping and collaborative writing

In the drive to “get writing into books,” it’s easy to overlook the power of collaborative writing. Flexible grouping in class allows teachers to group children for various reasons, such as addressing specific gaps or mixing different levels of writing development so children can learn from each other. This strategy, recommended in the EEF’s Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools Guidance Report, can help develop all children’s self-belief as writers, as well as promotet a sense of a community of writers in the classroom.

In the HFL Universal and Universal+ Training, which shares many strategies for supporting pupils, one strategy suggested is that children work in carefully chosen groups of three to write. The children orally compose a sentence together, discussing word choices and features. Two children then monitor and edit the scribe’s writing. The roles are rotated for the next sentence, to ensure no child dominates. This is a particularly effective strategy as children have a range of strengths and weaknesses and can support each other. It enhances oral rehearsal, self-monitoring, and sets children up for independent writing after group practice. It is one of many useful strategies shared on our Fixing Full Stops CPD.

Proof-reading

When teaching children to proof-read, it can be challenging to decide what to focus on first. It is important that children understand that the purpose of proof-reading differs from that of editing. In this case, we are thinking about ensuring writing is free from errors - think the ‘nuts and bolts’ of writing. A useful acronym to scaffold the process of proof-reading is CUPS. 

• C – capital letters for starts of sentences and proper nouns
• U – usage. Check for subject, verb and tense agreement
• P – punctuation
• S – spellings 

This allows the teacher, in the first instance, to identify which areas of proof reading are priorities and subsequently teach strategies to address these. The pupil then can work through manageable and specific areas of improvement in their own writing. 

For children who may find identifying spellings (S) challenging when proof-reading their work, reading their writing aloud and out of context can support their cognitive load. A useful strategy is asking the children to begin on the last word and read back to the start where they can solely focus on asking themselves: ‘Does the word look right?’ If they come across a word which they are unsure of, they can use aids such as electronic spellcheckers to support in making necessary corrections.

Adaptive teaching strategies for reading

Repeated reading

To scaffold children towards increased fluency and comprehension, build in opportunities to read the same text more than once. Consider how to incorporate a pre-read for children who lack fluency: it may be that they follow along with the text as an adult reads it to them, then re-read it in pairs. Then, once in the lesson, they might hear the text read again by the teacher before diving into reading independently with a focus on meaning. This repeated reading will support their fluency and comprehension of the text, and they will be far more likely to be ready to discuss the meaning of what they have read.

Whole class reading in KS2

Whole class guided reading in key stage 2 offers a fantastic opportunity to bring all children together in their learning. However, ensuring every child can access the text and engage meaningfully requires thoughtful adaptations. Here are a just few ways to tailor your approach while keeping the learning inclusive and effective

• Same text, scaffolds to support: Provide all children with the same text but adapt the scaffolds to match their needs. For instance, some children may benefit from scaffolds or prompts to help structure their thinking when discussing the meaning of the text. 
• Simplified text, same objectives: Some children might benefit from a simplified version of the text to aid understanding. In some cases, teachers have experimented with cautious and mindful use of AI to support in generating these texts.
• Simplified texts with support: For children who may find the main text challenging, offer a simplified version paired with additional support. This could include pre-teaching key vocabulary or providing a summary to build context. Alternatively, this might be working in a guided group with an adult modelling comprehension and providing verbal scaffolds to guide them towards understanding.

Adaptive teaching strategies for spoken language

While all children benefit from modelled talk and dialogic approaches to teaching, some need additional strategies to organise ideas for discussion, writing, and presentations. 

Adapting spoken language provision can be a direct pathway to inclusion. 

• Know and hear every voice: Know each child, how they communicate and what motivates them. By valuing and exercising agency, we can discover what engages pupils. Check-in with those who need additional practice or support. A physical object (e.g. a ‘talk token’) ensures everyone within a group has opportunity to share. Provide extra practice before sharing to empower and provide confidence. 
• Pre-teach and use vocabulary in context: Give children opportunities before lessons to see, hear, and use new vocabulary in context. Visuals and examples can support their thinking and communication, leading to independence. 
• Oral Rehearsal: talk before, during and after tasks: Do children have time to think, visualise, and verbalise their ideas before sharing? Allow time to explore, discuss, draw, and dramatise before sharing or writing. Breaking complex tasks into small chunks by stopping regularly to re-read aloud and review, will help to reduce cognitive load.  
   
  Consider flexible groupings: nesting (alone), talk partners or snowballing to name but a few.
• Speaking frames and stems: They should be specific, purposeful and with modelled examples and practice. These might include stems or frames for prompting, guiding or extending discussion, or resources such as substitution tables where children can make choices about content.
• Technology: Simple tools like talking tins help children speak before writing and to hear their sentences. Many schools also use voice-to-text AI for dictating or transcribing, which, when used thoughtfully, can support accessibility.

For more spoken language strategies that can support children with sentence structure, head over to this blog: Don’t Forget Your Full Stops!

Adaptations for supporting children using EAL

Children using English as an additional language (EAL) may benefit from some of the following adaptations in their reading and writing lessons. These suggestions will support children at different levels of proficiency in English, from those who are new to English to those who are more fluent.

Reading - the power of white space

Reformat the margins and line/paragraph spacing of text so children have room to annotate and comment directly on the text. Providing this space will give children the opportunity to note down definitions for new vocabulary (in both English or their first language), decoding support e.g. sound buttons and lines and/or note quick summaries of text to aid their understanding. This will support their cognitive load as they decode and comprehend what they’re reading.

Writing - use of first language to support writing in English

Depending on the writing purpose and task, children may find it beneficial to plan and draft sections in their first language (if they are proficient writers in their first language). This is called ‘translanguaging’ and encourages learners to utilise their full linguistic knowledge to communicate. 

Before introducing translanguaging to learners using EAL, teachers need to know each child’s proficiency for writing in their first language. Some learners may not be able to write in their first language so cognitive load would not become lighter by encouraging children to utilise this strategy as they may be more proficient in writing English. 

Translanguaging supports learners using EAL as it helps to lighten their cognitive load at all stages of writing. For example, if the children are writing a biography about an inspirational figure, a child using EAL could gather their research and facts about their chosen figure in their first language. Now their content is secured, they can focus upon translating these ideas when drafting. Teachers can support children through their discussions e.g. encouraging and supporting children to orally rehearse their sentences in English before writing. 

Above is a wide range of different strategies that can be used to meet the needs of different pupils within English lessons. It is by no means an exhaustive list. Adaptive teaching relies on flexibility, creativity, and a deep understanding of pupils’ individual needs, informed by assessment. By embracing these strategies, teachers can create inclusive and dynamic English lessons that empower learners to thrive.