Inclusive Learning: Adaptation vs simplification

When I started teaching, the absolute buzzword was differentiation.

Over time, we’ve witnessed a slow, then sudden, shift towards inclusive learning and adaptive teaching.

My memory of differentiation almost always meant multiple worksheets in different colours/with a coding system, each containing a differentiated task. On one hand, there was a power to this approach. You had clearly planned a differentiated range of activities, every child could access some version of the content and I knew exactly who needed which sheet. While on the face of it we were making a task accessible, the big, glaring risk of this approach is that we rely on the resource itself to do the heavy lifting. We inadvertently reduce the challenge rather than focusing on the quality of our teaching and the quality of the intervention around the child.

Our understanding of adaptive teaching has changed profoundly over the past decade. We have moved away from the three-or-five-worksheet model to a place centered on high-quality delivery for all. Now we understand that adaptive teaching is about knowing your pupils, assessing their knowledge in real-time, structuring your lesson to allow processing time, movement activities, offering timely extensions, and noticing the subtle signs to intervene.

I recently found a brilliant graphic on LinkedIn by Michelle Woodward that perfectly captures this mental shift. Her key takeaway is something that should be pinned to every classroom wall and something I will be sharing with staff through our training programme:

"Adaptive teaching changes the pathway. Simplification changes the destination"

When we simplify, we ask: "How can I make this easier so my learner can cope?" 

When we adapt, our mindset shifts to: "How can I remove the barrier so my learner can access this successfully?" 

It is a subtle linguistic change, but potentially, a powerful pedagogical one.

Over to you:

• Do you still find yourself slipping into 'simplification' when time is tight?

• How has your school moved away from the legacy of differentiated worksheets toward true adaptation?

• Does equitable access mean the same outcomes for all?