THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR GRADE SEVEN AT MTSN 2 MEDAN

This paper aims to examine the differentiated learning aspects applied by English teachers as well as to explore how the process of applying differentiated learning
when teaching English-speaking skills to seventh-grade students at MTsN 2 Medan, The writer used descriptive qualitative methods, with data obtained from observations of classroom teaching and learning activities, video recordings, and interviews with the seventh-grade English teacher. The data in this study was the teacher‟s instruction and the transcript of the learning process in the classroom. The research findings show that differentiated learning is implemented through four aspects: (1) content, in which the teacher used illustrated text and notes for visual learners, explanation for auditory, and reading exercises for kinesthetic learners, (2) process, by conducted reading time for audio-visual, speaking time
for kinesthetic learners, also gave different time allocation for different student abilities, (3) product differentiation, the teacher provided various option for
different interest and learning styles: mind map, tables, text, speaking, (4)Learning environment, created a comfortable learning classroom. In addition, the
implementation process of differentiated learning is applied with three syntaxes: (1) pre-learning activities, by introduced the lesson with the student‟s knowledge
and interest, (2) learning activities, in which the teacher conducted debrief reading, assigned tiered activity and products based on student‟s skills, interest,
and learning styles, and (3) closing, by lead class discussion and quizzes with differentiated elements. In this study, the learning process carried out by the
teacher is not appropriate and did not follow the learning flow proposed by Tomlinson (2001), such as the absence of student differentiation data, exit cards,pair journals, and homework choices.