154 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
Ljiljana Jerković
The impact of individually planned 
instruction on the development of self-image 
and verbal creativity of pupils
Abstract: This paper examines the related concepts of modern didactic paradigms, didactic theories 
and educational systems that form the foundation of individually planned instruction to identify the-
matically associated postulates that can update effective teaching strategies. This one-year experi-
mental and action study aimed to identify and gauge individually planned instruction’s impact on the 
development of pupils’ self-image and verbal creativity. The study’s sample comprised 150 pupils, and 
the experimental sample comprised 16 pupils from the experimental group and 16 from the control 
group. Given the study’s complex subject matter, both qualitative and quantitative approaches were 
employed to overcome potential limitations resulting from glorification of only one approach. Once 
didactically based, individually planned instruction was applied, pupils from the experimental group 
scored significantly higher on educational testing than both their initial scores and those of the pupils 
from the control group who attended non-individualised classes. The present study offers a compre-
hensive analysis of the dissemination and innovative utilisation of individually planned instruction, 
which has been validated. Furthermore, potential enhancements to educational achievements result-
ing from implementation of these classes also are examined.
Keywords: individually planned instruction; verbal creativity; self-image; profile, experimental and 
action research
UDC: 37.091.398
Scientific article
Ljiljana Jerković, PhD., associate professor, University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Philosophy, De-
partment of Pedagogy and Methodology, Bulevar vojvode Petra Bojovića 1A, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia 
and Herzegovina, e-mail: ljiljana.jerkovic@ff.unibl.org
Let./Vol. 75 (141)
Issue 2/2024
pp. 154-176
ISSN 0038 0474

155 
Introduction
Before defining the concept of individually planned instruction, the following 
tangential concepts need to be differentiated: individualisation of instruction indi-
vidual instruction and individualised instruction.
Throughout the didactic-methodical body of literature, the terms indivi-
dualisation of instruction and individualised instruction frequently have been 
used interchangeably (Ilić 1998, 2020). While the former is, indeed, an integral 
component of the latter, these terms notably are not entirely synonymous. The 
concept of individualisation of instruction serves as a didactic principle that requ-
ires schools and teachers to acknowledge and accommodate pupils’ diverse needs. 
This involves adjusting educational objectives, tasks, content, forms, methods 
and systems for both individuals and groups of pupils. The ultimate goal is to 
equip pupils for relatively independent and self-initiated learning, enabling them 
to maximise their personal potentials (Branković and Ilić 2004). Individualised 
instruction and the individual form of pupils’ work are different concepts. The 
individual form of pupils’ work can be either differentiated or undifferentiated. In 
undifferentiated individual work, all pupils are given the same tasks, regardless 
of their prior knowledge and abilities, while individualised instruction entails te-
aching system that tailors educational activities to pupils’ individual capacities, 
possibilities and interests (Ilić 1998). In individualised teaching, differentiating 
individual pupils’ work takes precedence. An example of this instructional appro-
ach entails individually planned instruction, a variant within the individualised 
instruction system. Unlike other variants that cater to specific groups of pupils 
with varying differences, individually planned instruction is designed specifically 
for an individual pupil. According to some didactics scholars (Duane 1975; Đukić 
2003; Mandić 1987; Vilotijević and Vilotijević 2016), the concept of individually 
planned instruction involves the creation and delivery of lessons tailored to each 
pupil’s unique requirements, including their learning pace, interests, understan-
ding of instruction, motivation and study habits. These experts agree that this 
model is individualised and requires careful planning and execution to ensure 
that each pupil’s needs are met. To comprehend the complexity of these types of 
Jerković

156 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
individualised classes, we chose a more comprehensive clarification of the term, 
according to which individually planned instruction is »a didactic method vari-
ant of the individual class system, which entails intensive learning and effective 
teaching within individual and personalised curricula based on optimal learning 
outcomes which take into account the following:
 – pupil’s position in the learning outcome continuum,
 – pupil’s learning abilities and progress pace,
 – motivation level,
 – learning habits, techniques and style,
 – personal traits,
 – self-perception, 
 – instruction acceptance« (Jerković 2017, pp. 357–358).
Theoretical background
Before verifying individually planned instruction’s effects on self-image and 
pupils’ verbal creativity, it was imperative to identify foundations and clarify this 
system variant’ background based on postulates of psychological theories, modern 
school theories, didactic paradigms, didactic theories and educational system the-
ories. This process also involved defining pupils’ positions and activities, as well 
as teachers’ functions and competencies in such classes, including individually 
planned instruction’s macrostructure and microstructure.
To elucidate individually planned instruction fully, postulates of the fol-
lowing theories were followed: humanistic theories of personality (Мaslow 1954; 
Оlport 1969; Rogers 1965); Galperin’s spiral formation of mental actions (Kne-
žević 1986); Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (1996) and modern school theories, 
among which the most pertinent are the Quality School (choice theory and reality 
therapy) (Glasser 2005), Life School (humanistic and personal pedagogy) (Аmo-
našvili 1999) and Summerhill School (Nil 2003).
Individually planned instruction is person-oriented and based predominantly 
on the didactical phenomenology paradigm (Рудакова 2005). An individual’s phe-
nomenological world is crucial in understanding a pupil’s perceptions, interpreta-
tions of reality and behaviour. In the context of individually planned instruction, 
the pedagogical emphasis is placed on a holistic approach towards the pupil’s per-
sonality. The fundamental aspect of the teaching and learning process is the con-
tinuous progression of the pupil’s zones of proximal development, denoting the 
range of learning outcomes that a pupil can achieve with guidance and support. 
This constant shift between proximal development zones and pupils’ actual deve-
lopment lies at the core of the educational experience in planned classes. 
Individually planned instruction also may be rooted in the postulates of con-
structivist didactics, as such classes focus on independent »knowledge constructi-
on«, contextualised learning and teaching, learning how to learn, formative evalu-
ation and self-evaluation (Topolovčan et al. 2017).
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157 
More comprehensive theoretical foundations of individually planned instru-
ction entail crucial thematically associated postulates that include cybernetics 
and information theory (Cube 1994), critical-constructive didactics (Klafki 1994), 
critical communication theory (Winkel 1994), curriculum theory (Möller 1994), 
theory of developmental education (Davidov 1995) and confluent education theory 
(Slatina 2005).
Individually planned instruction’s theoretical foundations also rest on mo-
dern educational systems, particularly classes of varying complexity (Ilić 1998), 
inclusive classes (Ilić 2012) and, to some extent, problem and responsible classes 
(Ilić 2002).
The following interconnected global stages have been singled out within in-
dividually planned instruction’s macrostructure:
 – Identification of development potentials, academic achievements and pupils’ 
needs
 – Preparation and design of individually planned instruction
 – Execution of individually planned instruction (adoption of new curricula, 
repetition and exercises)
 – Evaluation of pupils’ achievements in individually planned instruction (Jerk-
ović 2019).
When developing individually planned instruction, the process begins by 
considering pupils’ developmental potentials, their position on the continuum 
of educational outcomes and various other variables documented in the pupils’ 
profiles. These variables encompass aspects such as emotional, cognitive and so-
cial development, as well as self-image, verbal creativity, reading technique and 
logic. Utilising this profile, a personalised pupil programme is formulated with 
the aim of facilitating attainment of predetermined and expected outcomes that 
are determined based on the pupil’s placement on the continuum of educational 
achievements.
The microstructure of personalised classes and effective teaching comprises 
the following stages:
 – Preliminary verbal instructions for forthcoming assignments
 – Pupils’ engagement in self-directed learning with intermittent and effective 
guidance
 – Formative assessment of pupils’ achievements
 – Analysis of possible obstacles, learning methods and comprehension of cur-
riculum content (Jerković 2019).
Self-perception is a multidimensional construct that encompasses global sel-
f-perceptions, as well as specific self-perceptions in different domains. S. Harter 
(2012) initiated her research with the observation that children have a nuanced 
perception of their competency levels, experiencing varying degrees of competence 
across different domains. The study utilised an adapted instrument that incorpo-
rated six aspects of self-image: scholastic competence; social acceptance; athletic 
competence; physical appearance; behavioural conduct and global self-worth. No-
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158 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
tably, development of a pupil’s self-image can take on either positive or negative 
dimensions contingent on their interactions within the surrounding environment: 
‘Pupils who have a positive self-concept can be categorised as a growth mindset, 
and a negative self-concept can be categorised as a fixed mindset. Pupils with a 
growth mindset are pupils who have an unyielding attitude. He will face all the 
challenges that are in front of him. Meanwhile, pupils with a fixed mindset are 
pupils who easily give up’ (Wua et al. 2022, p. 3). In the context of individually 
planned instruction, the teacher considers various factors, including pupils’ sel-
f-image, to provide them with optimal support throughout the learning process. 
Within these classes, pupils consistently receive feedback on their performance, a 
factor that can influence their self-image significantly. Pupils with a more positive 
self-image tend to approach class tasks with heightened self-confidence, with their 
subsequent success reinforcing their self-esteem further (Dolenc 2009). Previous 
experimental studies – such as those focussing on teaching different levels of com-
plexity (Ilić 1998) and inclusive instruction (Ilić 2012), in which individualisation 
of instruction is implemented have made a notable impact on the development 
of verbal creativity among younger elementary school pupils. Recent research 
indicates a correlation between verbal creativity and independence in learning, 
i.e., pupils with more expressive verbal creativity exhibit greater independence 
in their learning endeavours (Saragih and Gayo 2022). Another study found that 
pupils originating from families that value freedom of expression and behavio-
ur highly tend to display higher levels of verbal creativity (Debnath and Sikdar 
2015). Based on these findings, it can be asserted that independent learning and 
verbal creativity share an interdependent relationship. These insights provide a 
significant foundation for examining individually planned instruction’s influence 
on the development of pupils’ verbal creativity.
The following sections outline this experimental study’s methodology and 
individually planned instruction’s educational effects.
Research method
The examination of a large body of work suggests that individually planned 
instruction may be rooted in modern didactic paradigms and theory, as well as 
innovative teaching systems. Given that these classes are individual-oriented, we 
based our methodology on both quantitative and qualitative research paradigms. 
The subject matter of the research was to single out individually planned instructi-
on’s educational effects.
The subject matter comprised the following aspects:
 – generation of a series of diagnostic research instruments, individual pupils’ 
profiles, appropriate curricula and practice systems based on individually 
planned instruction’s didactic foundations
 – execution of individually planned instruction and determination of educa-
tional effect indicators (pupils’ self-perception and verbal creativity)
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159 
The present study aimed to estimate didactics-based, individually planned 
instruction’s impact on pupils’ achievements experimentally.
 – The independent variable in the didactic framework comprised didactics-ori-
ented, individually planned instruction, while the dependent variables per-
tained to the following effects of such classes:
 – pupils’ verbal creativity
 – self-perception
The main hypothesis that guided the research: Didactics-based, individual-
ly planned instruction will yield superior educational outcomes for pupils in the 
experimental group compared with both their own baseline scores and those of 
the control group, who received conventional, non-individualised instruction.
 Profiles were generated for pupils participating in the experimental sample, 
and personalised programmes subsequently were devised to guide their ongoing 
development. The instruction was conducted by aligning with anticipated ou-
tcomes outlined in the programme. Importantly , pupils in the experimental group 
were not segregated. Instead, individually planned instruction occurred within a 
classroom setting that included pupils not participating in the experimental pro-
gramme. For the pupils in the experimental group, individually planned instructi-
on in their native language and mathematics was conducted during two lessons 
per week throughout the entire school year.
Two other sub-hypotheses emerged from the main one:
 – perception compared with their own initial condition and those of the control 
group, who received conventional, non-individualised instruction,
 – Pupils, due to experimental factors, will exhibit improved verbal creativity 
compared with their own initial condition and those of the control group, 
who received conventional, non-individualised instruction.
In this study, various scientific research methods were employed, along with 
appropriate techniques and instruments.
The following scientific research methods were employed:
 – Theoretical analysis and synthesis method
 – Parallel study method
 – Survey research method
 – Action method
The following research techniques were used:
 – Scaling
 – Testing
 – Systematic observation
 – Qualitative content analysis 
 – Case study.
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160 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
The following experimental action research instruments were employed:
 – developmental assessment and diagnostics instruments
 – research instruments
In this study, developmental assessment and diagnostic instruments were 
utilised to identify relevant indicators that then were recorded in the pupils’ port-
folios, which were employed subsequently to design individual curricula for pupils 
who were within their zones of proximal development. The research instruments 
also were used to estimate individually planned instruction’s effects by comparing 
intermediate and final assessment results with those of the initial assessment. 
This approach allowed for a scientific evaluation of the customised educational 
programmes’ effectiveness.
The following instruments were used for experimental verification of indivi-
dually planned instruction’s educational effect:
 – Estimation scale - Self-Perception Profile for Children – What I Am Like 
(Harter 2012)
 – Verbal Creativity Test VCT (Forms A and B) (Schoppe 1975)
Self-Perception Profile for Children – What I Am Like is an instrument that 
we used for developmental assessment and diagnostics, but also for scientific re-
search purposes. The instrument covers six aspects of self-perception: scholastic 
competence; social acceptance; athletic competence; physical appearance; behavi-
oural conduct and global self-worth (Harter 2012). For this study’s purposes, the 
original instrument comprising 36 statements was modified, and the instrument’s 
validity was evaluated using a sample of 255 pupils. This initial Cronbach’s alpha 
coefficient was determined to be 0.80, while the final measurements resulted in a 
coefficient of 0.85. These findings suggest that the adapted instrument is a relia-
ble measure of the construct being assessed. 
The results from the initial assessment were recorded in the pupils’ portfoli-
os and served as a basis for the design of tailored curricula and exercises for pupils 
who underwent self-perceived competency testing. The study’s objective was to 
determine whether the experimental group, which received individually planned 
instruction exhibited greater improvement in self-perceived competencies compa-
red with the control group and their own baseline performance. 
German psychologist Кarl-Јosef Schoppe designed the verbal creativity test 
(VCT). The following Guilford concepts were used in nine VCT subtests: verbal 
fluency; idea fluency; associative fluency; expressive fluency; spontaneous flexi -
bility; adaptive flexibility and originality. The initial phase used Schoppe’s VCT 
Form A, as Form B was not available (Schoppe 1975). We used the form designed 
by Mile Ilić, while considering Form A’s theoretical postulates and content (Ilić 
1981).
The experimental action research procedure on individually planned instru-
ction’s educational effects comprised these steps:
 – Preliminary assessment of needs, abilities and potential obstacles in imple-
mentation of individually planned instruction
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161 
 – Initial assessment of dependent variables, identification of developmental 
potentials, pupils’ academic achievements and portfolio design
 – Planning and preparation of individually planned instruction
 – Harmonisation of experimental and control groups
 – Realisation of individually planned instruction in the experimental group 
and traditional (non-individualised) classes in the control group (first semes-
ter)
 – Intermediate assessment of dependent variables
 – Valorisation and adaptation of the experimental factor (independent varia-
bles)
 – Realisation of the experimental factor and traditional (non-individualised) 
classes in the control group (second semester)
 – Final assessment of dependent variables
 – Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of procedures and individually 
planned instruction’s educational effects.
The target population for this research comprised fourth- and fifth-grade pu-
pils attending primary schools in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina, during the 
2014-2015 academic year. After this study was conducted, no other new scientific 
research was published, so the established findings remain current and relevant 
for improvement of theory and teaching practice.
Altogether, 150 pupils from both the experimental and control groups were 
included in the sample. The experimental groups comprised three subgroups with 
a combined total of 71 pupils. The control groups comprised three subgroups with 
a combined total of 79 pupils. Fourth and fifth-grade pupils were included in the 
sample because we started from the expectation that fourth-grade pupils, who are 
less capable of independent learning than fifth-grade pupils, also would exhibit 
improved verbal creativity and self-image development. The basic sample (150) 
was used to draw the experimental subsample of 32 subjects, i.e., individually 
planned instruction (16 pupils) and control group (16 pupils). The aim was to 
identify 16 pairs of pupils from the experimental and control groups who were ma-
tched based on relevant variables. After initial diagnostics on the pupils from the 
experimental group were collected, individual programmes in mathematics and 
the mother tongue were implemented in their classrooms, i.e.,no special classes 
were organised for them, and pupils from the experimental and control groups did 
not attend the same school.
To ensure comparability between experimental and control groups, the pu-
pils were paired based on their z-scores on seven variables: 1) average grades; 2) 
mother tongue grades; 3) math grades; 4) general cognitive abilities; 5) ability to 
learn the mother tongue independently; 6) ability to learn math independently 
and 7) self-perception assessment. The harmonisation process was conducted by 
matching pupils from the experimental and control groups who shared similar 
z-scores on these variables. The table below displays the combined z-values for 
each of the seven variables from every pupil in the experimental group and their 
corresponding counterparts in the control group.
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162 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
The pupil’s serial no. 
from the exp. group
Total z-values for exp. 
group pupils
The pupil’s serial no. 
from control group
Total z-values for 
control group pupils
1 -1.46 1 -1.13
2 0.45 2 0.56
3 0.45 3 0.28
4 0.20 4 0.23
5 0.32 5 0.65
6 -1.45 6 -1.12
7 -0.81 7 -1.09
8 -0.82 8 -0.42
9 -0.77 9 -0.55
10 0.26 10 0.26
11 1.06 11 0.79
12 0.45 12 0.28
13 -1.33 13 -2.28
14 -1.52 14 -2.28
15 0.75 15 0.72
16 0.77 16 0.90
Table 1: Harmonisation of corresponding counterparts from experimental and control groups based 
on standardised z-values.
Following harmonisation of corresponding counterparts from the experimen-
tal and control groups based on z-values, the equivalencies of mean values of each 
of the seven aforementioned variables between the groups were verified using a 
t-test.
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163 
Variables Group M SD t-ratio p
Average grades Е 4.44 0.62 -0.26 0.80
C 4.50 0.73
Mother tongue grades Е 4.06 0.85 0.19 0.85
C 4.00 1.03
Math grades Е 3.88 1.08 -0.16 0.87
C 3.94 1.12
General cognitive abilities Е 33.12 9.39 0.20 0.84
C 32.38 11.49
Ability to learn mother tongue 
independently
Е 22.48 3.32 -0.23 0.82
C 23.39 7.04
Ability to learn math independently Е 20.03 5.16 -0.53 0.60
C 21.21 4.25
Self-perception assessment Е 77.25 12.68 0.19 0.85
C 76.50 8.80
Table 2: Harmonisation of experimental and control groups at initial assessment 
Before beginning the experiment, teachers for both the experimental and 
control groups were selected based on consistent criteria pertinent to the experi-
ment’s nature and results. The teachers who administered the programme shared 
similar qualifications, including having the same degree, a comparable number of 
years of service and a similar number of professional development programmes 
throughout their careers. Based on statistical indicators in Table 2, we inferred 
that the experimental and control groups were harmonised in terms of all rele-
vant variables.  
In line with the research aim and hypotheses, we followed these statistical 
procedures:
 – standard normal distribution and z-values
 – single-factor repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA)
 – single-factor analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)
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164 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
Results and discussion
In this section, we present the results on individually planned instruction’s 
impact on the development of pupils’ self-image and verbal creativity.
Individually planned instruction’s impact on development of self-image
Our study’s goal was to determine whether individually planned instruction 
would impact self-perception among the experimental group, and if so, to what 
extent. We hypothesised that self-perception would improve as a result of these 
classes however, based on the data presented in the table, our hypothesis was not 
supported. The pupils in the experimental group who received personalised classes 
in their mother tongue and math did not exhibit improvements in self-perception 
and actually became more self-critical due to the constant objective feedback they 
received on their academic performance. According to the analysis using partial 
eta squared, the experimental factor’s effect was almost insignificant (η
2
 = 0.06).
Group Assessment N M SD
Е Initial 16 77.25 12.68
Final 16 79.69 11.99
(F
(1.15)
 = 1.02; p = 0.33; η
2
 = 0.06)
C Initial
16
76.50 8.79
Final
16
79.56 11.41
                (F
(1.15)
 = 3.70; p = 0.07; η
2
 = 0.20)
Table 3: Results from the single-factor, repeated measures ANOVA of self-perception in the experimen-
tal group 
The table also indicates a slight, but potentially statistically significant, di-
fference in the self-perception evaluation of pupils in the control group between 
initial and final assessments. During the final assessment, the pupils’ self-percep-
tion tended to be more positive than at the beginning, possibly because the con-
trol group received non-individualised classes and, therefore, received feedback 
on their academic performance less frequently than the experimental group. As a 
result, they may have been less self-critical overall.
Based on our statistical analysis, we found no significant difference between 
the experimental and control groups on their self-perception scores during the fi-
nal assessment. We used univariate analysis to compare the self-perception scores’ 
mean values between the two groups while also controlling for any differences in 
initial self-perception scores. The F-ratio andcorresponding statistical significan-
ce, indicating that the lack of a significant difference was not due to chance (F = 
Jerković

165 
0.03; p = 0.87). The control group was placed non-individualised classes were not 
focussed on catering to individual pupils’ needs. Instead, the pupils were viewed 
as part of a larger group, without much emphasis on planning, preparation or 
evaluation of learning outcomes tailored to individual needs. Essentially , the clas-
ses in the control group were not individual-oriented and did not prioritise each 
pupil’s unique needs.
Covariance Assessment Group М SD F p
Initial Final
E 79.69
11.99
11.42
0.03 0.87
C 79.56
Table 4: Univariate differences between mean values of self-perception assessment among the experi-
mental and control groups (ANCOVA)
However, the individually planned instruction resulted in pupils becoming 
more self-critical due to the constant feedback they received on their academic 
achievements. This feedback was provided in a pedagogically acceptable manner, 
even when it was unfavourable. Throughout the experiment, pupils experienced 
both success and failure, which led to an intense phase of accepting objective eva-
luations of their academic performance. The individually planned instruction hel-
ped pupils develop a more realistic self-concept, which led to increased self-criti-
cism, which we believe emerged from an imbalance between the pupils’ realistic 
self-perception and their ideal self-perception. Self-concept is influenced not only 
by what happens outside the person, but also what happens inside due to compa-
risons of real and ideal self-image (Irtelli et al. 2021).
Next, we present the individual standardised z-values of the pupils’ self-per-
ception assessments. As presentedin the table below, more than half the pupils in 
the experimental group experienced  improvements in their self-perception. Nota-
bly some pupils who had below-average grades in math and their mother tongue 
still had above-average positive self-perception when compared with their peers. 
This was observed in the cases of Pupil Nos. 6 and 14.
In this study, we aimed to see how individually planned instruction impacts 
verbal creativity and self-perception among pupils in the experimental group com-
pared with those in the control group taking a quantitative approach. Alongside 
group-level effects, we were equally keen on tracking the progress of each pupil 
who had their own customised programme, and how their development stacked 
up against their initial condition and those of their peers in the class, i.e., the qua-
litative aspect. Scrutinising an individual’s achievements is crucial in this context, 
as planned instruction’s main goal is to ensure that each pupil makes the most 
progress possible during their educational journey. This type of teaching focuses 
primarily on the pupil.
Furthermore, we discuss the case of Pupil No. 14 in detail.
 1
1   The pupil’s portfolio is fully presented in the author’s doctoral dissertation titled Didactic 
foundations and individually planned instruction’s educational effects. 
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166 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
The pupil’s serial 
no. from the exp. 
group 
Assessment
Initial (z) Final (z)
1 0.30 0.43
2 1.07 1.23
3 -0.49 -0.91
4 -0.68 0.96
5 -0.68 0.07
6 1.17 1.14
7 -0.39 0.20
8 0.00 -3.03
9 -0.19 0.60
10 -0.39 0.25
11 -0.39 -0.46
12 -1.85 -1.79
13 -0.29 0.96
14 1.36 1.05
15 0.20 0.16
16 -0.49 -0.73
Table 5: Standardised z-values of pupils’ self-perception assessment during the initial and final 
phases
According to the z-value obtained during the initial assessment (z = 1.36), 
Pupil No. 14 exhibited a notably positive self-perception, surpassing approxima-
tely 91.31% of his peers (Graph 1). This pupil demonstrated a pronounced lack of 
self-criticism and exhibited a passive attitude towards both success and failure. 
Notably, he appeared disengaged from the academic environment, as highligh-
ted by his apparent indifference towards scholastic achievement, aligning with 
Glasser’s concept of school not being within his sphere of personal significance 
(Glasser 2005). Outside of academic pursuits, the pupil devoted his time to practi-
cal endeavours, such as crafting ikebana and decorative items. Furthermore, he 
experienced a higher frequency of health and psychological challenges, prompting 
his parents to adopt a more lenient approach in their expectations. Consequently, 
the pupil internalised these expectations, which, while not excessively demanding, 
facilitated the cultivation of a positive self-image through fulfilment of relatively 
attainable standards.
Albert Bandura (1991) proposed a theoretical model for self-regulation in 
which he postulated that initially, children’s behaviour is regulated externally 
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167 
through modelling, consequences (rewards and punishment) and directed instru-
ction. Over time, children learn to predict others’ reactions and use this knowled-
ge to regulate their own behaviour. Thus, self-perception is not an innate qua-
lity, but rather develops gradually as a result of social interactions (Harris and 
Orth 2019; Kumari 2013; Pugnerová and Pospíšilová 2020). Children internalise 
rules set by adults, forming their own standards (Bandura 1991). Subsequently, 
children’s behaviour is under the influence of the evaluating reactions directed 
towards them. »They observe that their behaviour aligns with adopted standards, 
and the sanctions employed are either self-approval or self-disapproval« (Vasta et 
al. 1998, p. 491).
The most critical aspect was towards the »physical self« (z = -0.31). His mo-
tor skills and movement coordination were poorly developed, resulting in clumsi-
ness during physical activities. However, the class widely accepted him, thanks 
to the teacher who cultivated an inclusive atmospher in which every student was 
accepted just the way they were. He grew up in a similar environment in his pa-
rents’ home.
Graph 1: Self-perception during initial and final assessments of Pupil No. 14
At the final examination, the student exhibited a notably more positive sel-
f-image (z = 1.05) than approximately 85.31% of his classmates, a marked impro-
vement from his initial assessment (Graph 1). During his academic journey, the 
student engaged in individually planned classes tailored to meet the requirements 
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168 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
of national development standards. These classes were structured to accommoda-
te the student’s unique learning needs, with exercises meticulously planned based 
on specific instructions. However, Pupil No. 14 notably demonstrated a tendency 
to disengage from lengthy instructions and often sought clarification from the te-
acher when encountering difficulties. He displayed a preference for template tasks 
and exhibited a tendency to pause frequently when accomplishing tasks within his 
proximal development zone, awaiting assistance from the teacher.
In line with the analysis and interpretation of the overall results, we may 
infer that our first sub-hypothesis was not supported, i.e., the pupils exposed to 
individually planned instruction did not exhibit improved self-perception compa-
red with their own initial condition and those of the control group, who received 
conventional, non-individualised instruction.
Individually planned instruction’s impact on pupils’ verbal creativity
Our objective was to investigate whether pupils who were placed in indivi-
dualised classes demonstrated improvement in their verbal creativity compared 
with their initial scores. We used the verbal fluency test to assess their proficiency 
in various aspects of verbal communication, such as verbal fluency, idea fluency, 
associative fluency and expressive fluency. The experimental group of pupils who 
received individualised mother tongue lessons exhibited greater verbal creativi-
ty in literary, grammatical, reading and orthographical aspects. Specifically, the 
most successful pupils were more likely to express their creativity frequently and 
demonstrate greater awareness of their peers’ creative abilities. Moreover, other 
pupils were able to accomplish tasks that lied within their zones of proximal de-
velopment, allowing them to tap into their cognitive, connotative and creative 
potentials to the fullest extent. 
Group Assessment N M SD
Е Initial 16 23.81 15.73
Final 16 37.56 18.08
(F
(1.15)
 = 8.20; p = 0.012; η
2
 = 0.36)
C Initial 16 20.47 11.51
Final 16 20.94 12.00
(F
(1.15)
 = 0.27; p = 0.61; η
2
 = 0.02)
Table 6: Results from the single-factor, repeated measures ANOVA for verbal creativity in both the 
experimental and control groups 
According to the results from the single-factor repeated measures ANOVA 
for verbal creativity, the experimental group’s pupils made significant progress 
compared with the initial assessment, as suggested by the F-ratio and the statisti-
cal significance values (F [1.15] = 8.20; p = 0.012). Partial eta squared was 0.36, 
Jerković

169 
suggesting a large impact from the experimental factor. Individually planned in-
struction encourages pupils to use the unconventional and nonconformist appro-
ach to problem solving, which supports creative attitudes further. According to 
Kvaščev, such attitudes make a long-term impact in terms of encouraging pupils 
to abandon stereotypical behaviour (Kvaščev 1976, p. 27). Nevertheless, creati-
ve attitudes still do not necessarily result in creative thinking. We assumed that 
encouragement of creative attitudes would generate greater creative and verbal 
abilities. Our goal was to establish whether verbal creativity was boosted among 
the control group, who were assigned identical tasks regardless of the pupils’ 
knowledge of literary terms and comprehension of literary texts. 
Table 6’s indicators suggest that the control group’s students, who attended 
traditional classes, did not demonstrate a significant increase in verbal creativity 
between the initial and final assessments. The traditional classes’ effects on the 
control group were found to be minor, as indicated by a partial eta squared value 
of 0.02. Furthermore, even the highest-performing pupils in the control group 
were not presented with tasks that required divergent and evaluative thinking. 
Consequently, the pupils’ responses were predictable and did not deviate from 
what was expected typically. 
Another goal was to determine whether a difference existed between the 
experimental and control groups in terms of verbal creativity.
Covariance Assessment Group М F p
Initial Final Е 37.56 9.89 0.00
C 20.96
Table 7: Univariate differences between mean values of verbal creativity assessment among the experi-
mental and control groups (ANCOVA)
The results from the univariate analysis comparing the mean values of ini-
tial and final verbal creativity assessments between the experimental and control 
groups, while controlling for the initial assessment’s covariate impact, indicate 
that the experimental group exhibited a significant improvement in verbal crea-
tivity compared with the control group. This improvement was achieved through 
individualised planning of literature, grammar and orthography classes, with an 
emphasis on motivating pupils to achieve their maximum creative expression. The 
pupils in the experimental group were provided with timely feedback on their 
progress, and motivation and creative thinking were viewed as complementary 
processes in the individualised classes. However, the pupils in the control group 
placed in traditional classes were accustomed to providing expected answers and 
quickly learned not to take chances in pursuit of better grades that they might not 
receive. As a result, »these pupils did not develop task-oriented motivation, which 
is essential for creative production« Maksić (1998 p. 24) noted. In the individu-
alised classes, the demands placed on the pupils were deliberate and tailored to 
their abilities, with no fear of low grades. The pupils were oriented towards tasks 
The impact of individually planned instruction on the development of self-image ...

170 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
that could be accomplished with specific intellectual effort, which helped cultivate 
their motivation and creativity.
In the next section we present the individual standardised z-values for ver-
bal creativity from both the experimental and control groups for the initial and 
final assessments. These z-values are displayed in Table 8. According to the data 
presented in the table, it can be inferred that 13 pupils in the experimental group 
exhibited improvement in their verbal creativity in the final assessment compa-
red with their peers in the control group. Notably, all three pupils who initial-
ly displayed below-average verbal creativity exhibited progress. Among the four 
pupils who initially exhibited above-average verbal creativity, three demonstra-
ted progress, while among the nine pupils who initially exhibited average verbal 
creativity, seven demonstrated progress. These findings suggest that individually 
planned instruction exerted a predominantly positive effect on development of 
verbal creativity among all pupils, regardless of their initial performance levels. 
Moreover, a detailed qualitative analysis was conducted to examine individually 
planned instruction’s possible effects own development of verbal creativity. As 
part of this analysis, we interpreted initial and final assessment achievements on 
verbal creativity for a specific pupil, No. 16.
The pupil’s serial 
no. from the exp. 
group 
Assessment
Initial (z) Final (z)
1 -1.85 -0.85
2 1.06 2.26
3 0.93 0.09
4 2.30 2.82
5 1.59 1.80
6 -0.83 -0.64
7 -0.26 0.60
8 0.53 0.26
9 -0.79 0.51
10 0.67 1.67
11 0.67 2.09
12 3.00 1.50
13 -1.10 -0.17
14 -1.80 0.98
15 -0.39 2.39
16 -0.39 2.39
Table 8: Standardised z-values of verbal creativity in the experimental group for initial and final 
assessments
Jerković

171 
As Graph 2 indicates, No. 16, a fifth-grader, was tested for verbal creativity 
during the initial assessment and registered an average score compared with his 
classmates (z = -0.39). The teacher observed the following traits pertinent for 
development of verbal creativity: resourcefulness; ingenuity; flexibility; criticism; 
verbal fluency; nonconformity and productivity. 
Graph 2: Verbal creativity at initial and final assessments of Pupil No. 16
Based on our analysis, we concluded that Pupil No. 16 could benefit from 
individually planned instruction in literature reading and comprehension to enco-
urage his verbal creativity . During initial testing to determine the pupil’s position 
on the learning outcome continuum for literature reading and comprehension 
(T-PLOC-LRC), the pupil scored better than 97.67% of his peers, which was recor-
ded in his portfolio.
2
 The pupil’s position on the continuum was determined to 
be at Level 3, which required critical and creative reading comprehension and 
creative information processing. During the individually planned instruction, the 
pupil was given opportunities to alter, redefine and reinterpret information and 
take a new perspective on perceiving phenomena, characters and events. Level 3 
exercises required resourcefulness in predicting new ideas and relations based on 
text and their application in new situations. These activities likely provided an en-
vironment that encourageddevelopment of the pupil’s verbal creativity . According 
to S. Maksić (1998), a creative pupil feels the need to:
 – offer unexpected, original and witty answers
 – generate many ideas and solutions for different tasks and problems
2   The pupil’s portfolio is displayed in the author’s doctoral dissertation. 
The impact of individually planned instruction on the development of self-image ...

172 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
 – ask as many questions as possible on different topics
 – accept risks in solving problems
 – act as a nonconformist individual, i.e., one who is different from others, etc.
The following are some examples of questions asked during individually 
planned instruction, which supported the aforementioned pupil’s needs:
 – Can you explain the significance of the title ‘Silver dancers’ instead of ‘White 
dancers’ in the poem?
 – Pretend you are the Moon and you need to explain to your grandmother why 
you continuously drift in the sky. Use expressive language to convey your 
emotions!
We attempted to encourage the pupil’s verbal creativity through individually 
planned instruction in grammar and orthography. For example, the pupil practi-
sed direct and indirect speech when asked these questions: ‘Carefully examine the 
photo of Cinderella and her prince! Use it to write down at least seven indirect 
speech sentences, then write those sentences in direct speech! Try to apply all 
three direct speech options in the second part of the assignment. What are Cinde-
rella and her prince talking about’?
What we observed was that the pupil was not fully engaged in accomplishing 
the task. Instead, he attempted to proceed at his own pace and objected to any in-
tervention from the teacher. We noted further that the pupil was highly motivated 
to achieve his self-imposed high standards and goals, which also included meeting 
his ambitious parents’ expectations. 
Once he completed the tasks, the pupil received prompt feedback from the 
teacher. The pupil appeared to take the teacher’s feedback seriously and expres-
sed a sense of pride and satisfaction upon receiving compliments and enthusiastic 
responses from the teacher. In one of the interviews, the pupil said, ‘I prefer chal-
lenging tasks which allow me to express myself in a creative manner! I don’t like 
it when someone helps me. I can do it myself’.
After the one-year individually planned instruction class ended, on the ver-
bal creativity test (VCT) this pupil scored better than 99.16% of his peers (z = 
2.29), which Graph 2 presents. Although a single case cannot be used to draw 
general conclusions, some evidence has suggested that individually planned in-
struction can provide a wide range of opportunities for development of verbal 
creativity. However, such a process may be difficult to achieve within traditional 
classroom settings designed for average pupils because the nonconformist, perso-
nalised approach inherent to individually planned instruction is more conducive 
to unlocking creative potential. 
Based on our analysis and statistical indicators, we found evidence to support 
our second sub-hypothesis, which posits that exposure to individually planned in-
struction can lead to improvements in verbal creativity. Specifically, our results 
indicate that the experimental group demonstrated greater improvements in ver-
bal creativity than both their baseline scores and those of the control group, who 
attended non-individualised and occasionally interactive classes. Taken together, 
Jerković

173 
our findings partially support our main hypothesis, suggesting that individually 
planned instruction may exert a more favourable educational effect than non-in-
dividualised classes.
Concluding remarks
The coherent basis for individually planned instruction is the result of com-
bining didactic foundations with thematically relevant postulates from modern 
didactic paradigms, theories of alternative schools, physiological theories and mo-
dern educational systems. This synthesis provides an adequate methodology for 
diagnosing each pupil’s developmental needs, potentials and positions along the 
educational achievement continuum, as well as other personal traits that are re-
levant for designing pupils’ portfolios, developing and implementing individual 
curricula, and designing personalised exercises. A comprehensive research metho-
dology was utilised that examined both the problem and paradigm to assess the 
effectiveness of introducing individually planned instruction to pupils’ creativity 
levels. The experimental group, which received individually planned instruction, 
demonstrated greater educational effects in terms of encouraging creativity when 
compared with their initial assessment and the results from the control group, 
which attended non-individualised classes.
From this study, two significant conclusions emerged, warranting critical 
examination through longitudinal research:
 – In individually planned instruction, pupils exhibited increased self-critique 
and a more realistic self-perception.
 – Verbal creativity manifests development in all pupils, regardless of their aca-
demic standing (i.e., below average, average and above average).
A significant methodological limitation in experimental research on teaching 
models’ impact  including individually planned instruction on the profound deve-
lopment of verbal creativity and self-image, is the experiment’s duration, which 
was limited to one school year. Conducting longitudinal research using interdisci-
plinary teams within research institutions would be more valuable investigating 
individually planned instruction.
The experience gained from implementing the experiment and the obtained 
results suggest:
 – for further research, based on potentials and prospects, into individually 
planned instruction’s effects on the development of pupils’ self-image and 
verbal creativity across all levels and types of schools
 – the need to enhance professional development programmes to ensure effec-
tive implementation and dissemination of individually planned instruction
 – the need to train teacher education students on planning, executing and eval-
uating individually planned instruction
The impact of individually planned instruction on the development of self-image ...

174 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
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176 Sodobna pedagogika/Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies
Ljiljana JERKOVIĆ (Univerza v Banjaluki, Filozofska fakulteta, Bosna in Hercegovina)
VPLIV INDIVIDUALNO NAČRTOVANEGA POUKA NA RAZVOJ SAMOPODOBE IN 
BESEDNE USTVARJALNOSTI UČENCEV 
Povzetek: Članek obravnava povezane koncepte sodobnih didaktičnih paradigem, didaktičnih teorij 
in izobraževalnih sistemov, ki so temelj individualno načrtovanega pouka, in prepoznava tematsko so-
rodne postulate, ki lahko nadgradijo učinkovite strategije poučevanja. Namen te enoletne eksperimen-
talne in akcijske raziskave je bil ugotoviti in oceniti vpliv individualno načrtovanega pouka na razvoj 
samopodobe in besedne ustvarjalnosti učencev. V vzorec raziskave je bilo vključenih 150 učencev, v 
eksperimentalni vzorec pa 16 učencev iz eksperimentalne in 16 učencev iz kontrolne skupine. Zaradi 
kompleksne narave raziskave sta bila uporabljena kvalitativni in kvantitativni pristop, s čimer smo 
se izognili morebitnim pomanjkljivostim, ki bi nastale zaradi uporabe le enega pristopa. Po uvedbi 
didaktično utemeljenega individualno načrtovanega pouka so učenci iz eksperimentalne skupine pri 
preverjanju znanja dosegli bistveno višje rezultate kot pri začetnem preverjanju in kot učenci iz kon-
trolne skupine, ki niso sodelovali pri individualno načrtovanem pouku. Raziskava ponuja celostno 
analizo diseminacije in inovativne uporabe ustrezno preizkušenega individualno načrtovanega pouka. 
Poleg tega smo proučili tudi možnosti za izboljšanje učnih dosežkov, ki bi jih prineslo izvajanje tovrst-
nega pouka.
Ključne besede: individualno načrtovani pouk, besedna ustvarjalnost, samopodoba, profil, eksperi-
mentalno in akcijsko raziskovanje
Elektronski naslov: ljiljana.jerkovic@ff.unibl.org
Jerković