INDIVIDUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN AN EFL CLASSROOM: Some Differences
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26618/ja4emq59
Differentiated Instruction, EFL Classroom, Individual Language Learners, Teaching Approach
Abstrak
In the field of education, we do not only concentrate on the knowledge we will deliver, but also consider those who will receive it. Learners play a crucial role in the teaching and learning process because they are integral to it. Learners can differ in psychological, social, and environmental aspects, as well as in their culture and background. However, these differences impact learners’ performance in class, as they will develop at different rates, affecting the achievement of the learning objectives. Investigating EFL learners is essential because their diverse psychological, cognitive, environmental, and cultural differences strongly influence classroom dynamics and teaching effectiveness, making it crucial to understand how these variations shape learning outcomes. This research aims to discover suitable teaching strategies to face the differences among individuals and to know the impacts of those differences in an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom. To address the issues, we have used a qualitative research method through questionnaires with participants from Madagascar and Indonesia. The result of the study has shown us that learners’ differences have both positive and negative feedback. To face those, better to use different approaches such as the genre-based approach, differentiated instruction, and good teaching scaffolding.
Referensi
Cardino, J. M., & Ortega-Dela Cruz, R. A. (2020). Understanding of learning styles and teaching strategies towards improving the teaching and learning of mathematics. LUMAT: International Journal on Math, Science and Technology Education, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.8.1.1348
Cognitive scientists define critical period for learning language. (2018, May 1). MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://news.mit.edu/2018/cognitive-scientists-define-critical-period-learning-language-0501
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.
Hill, H. C., & Chin, M. (2018). Connections Between Teachers’ Knowledge of Students, Instruction, and Achievement Outcomes. 55, 1076–1112. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831218769614
Krashen, S. (1977). The monitor model for adult second language performance. Viewpoints on English as a Second Language, 152–161.
Kocaman, O. (2025). Understanding What Makes Every Language Learner Unique: Individual Differences in Language Learning. Journal of Individual Differences in Education, 7(1), 17–30. https://doi.org/10.47156/jide.1680621
Kozulin, A. (Ed.). (2006). Vygotsky’s educational theory in cultural context (Repr.). Cambridge University Press.
Levy, M. (2015). The role of qualitative approaches to research in CALL contexts: Closing in on the learner’s experience. 32, 554–568. https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.v32i3.26620
Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. Heinle & Heinle. http://archive.org/details/languagelearning0000oxfo
Rahmatirad, M. (2020). A Review of Socio-Cultural Theory. SIASAT, 5(3), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.33258/siasat.v5i3.66
Ramaila, S. (2025). Unveiling the Potential: A Systematic Review on Harnessing the Affordances of Differentiated Instruction. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 19(2), 41–56. https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v19i2.8561
Srivastava, N., & Kumar, V. (2024). Individual differences affecting second language learning: A psychological review. Educational Administration Theory and Practices. https://doi.org/10.53555/kuey.v30i4.3438
Sujono, S. (2020). Understanding the differences in second language acquisition processes on children and adults. Dharma Pendidikan, 15(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.69866/dp.v15i1.134
Tanjung, P. A., & Ashadi, A. (2019). Differentiated instruction in accommodating individual differences of EFL students. Celtic: A Journal of Culture, English Language Teaching, Literature and Linguistics, 6(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.22219/celtic.v6i2.9941
Vajpeyi, D. K. (n.d.). Individual differences and educational implications. https://www.ed.kagawa-u.ac.jp/~nagai/papers/kn7/kn7.htm
Verspoor, M., & Lowie, W. (2021). Complex dynamic systems theory and second language development. In H. Mohebbi & C. Coombe (Eds.), Research questions in language education and applied linguistics (pp. 799–803). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79143-8_138
Wahab, N. Y., Abdul Rahman, R., Mahat, H., Hudin, N. S., Ramdan, M. R., Ab Razak, M. N., & Mohd Yadi, N. N. (2024). Impacts of workload on teachers’ well-being: A systematic literature review. TEM Journal, 13(3), 2544–2556. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM133-80
Wahyuni, H. D., Nura, S. A., Magdalena, I., Guru, P., & Dasar, S. (2021). Individual Differences In Students In The Elementary School Environment. 2(3), 159–164. https://doi.org/10.29303/prospek.v2i3.151
Yang, W., & Gao, X. (2025). Envisioning new directions in research on individual differences. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 15(2), 427–443. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.48248
Zafar, S., & Meenakshi, K. (2012). Individual learner differences and second language acquisition: A review. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(4), 639–646. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.3.4.639-646
Zipp, L. (2022). Questionnaires to elicit qualitative data. In L. Zipp & R. Kircher (Eds.), Research methods in language attitudes (pp. 145–159). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108867788.013
Unduhan
Diterbitkan
Cara Mengutip
Terbitan
Bagian
Lisensi
Hak Cipta (c) 2026 2026
Artikel ini berlisensiCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
In order to assure the highest standards for published articles, a peer review policy is applied. In pursue of the compliance with academic standards, all parties involved in the publishing process (the authors, the editors and the editorial board and the reviewers) agree to meet the responsibilities stated below in accordance to the Journal publication ethics and malpractice statement.
Duties of Authors:
- The author(s) warrant that the submitted article is an original work, which has not been previously published, and that they have obtained an agreement from any co-author(s) prior to the manuscript’s submission;
- The author(s) should not submit articles describing essentially the same research to more than one journal;
- The authors(s) make certain that the manuscript meets the terms of the Manuscript Submission Guideline regarding appropriate academic citation and that no copyright infringement occurs;
- The authors(s) should inform the editors about any conflict of interests and report any errors they subsequently, discover in their manuscript.
Duties of Editors and the Editorial Board:
- The editors, together with the editorial board, are responsible for deciding upon the publication or rejection of the submitted manuscripts based only on their originality, significance, and relevance to the domains of the journal;
- The editors evaluate the manuscripts compliance with academic criteria, the domains of the journal and the guidelines;
- The editors must at all times respect the confidentiality of any information pertaining to the submitted manuscripts;
- The editors assign the review of each manuscript to two reviewers chosen according to their domains of expertise. The editors must take into account any conflict of interest reported by the authors and the reviewers.
- The editors must ensure that the comments and recommendations of the reviewers are sent to the author(s) in due time and that the manuscripts are returned to the editors, who take the final decision to publish them or not.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a pre-publication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (see The Effect of Open Access). Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
