Linking Instructional Leadership and Differentiated Instruction: Examining the Mediating Role of Teacher Agency

Abstract

This study explored how principal instructional leadership influences differentiated instruction by examining the mediating role of teacher agency. Utilizing a sample of 706 primary and secondary school teachers in Türkiye, this study employed structural equation modeling to examine the relelationships between the study variables. The findings highlight that principal instructional leadership enhances teacher agency and differentiated instruction. Furthermore, teacher agency acts as a key mechanism through which principal instructional leadership influences differentiated instruction. To maximize differentiated instruction for teachers, school leaders should intentionally cultivate environments that strengthen teacher agency through sustained professional support and collaborative practices. This study provides an understanding of how teacher agency functions as a mediating psychological mechanism linking instructional leadership to differentiated instruction. It offers empirical evidence from a large national sample in Türkiye, contributing to the limited literature integrating leadership theory, teacher agency, and differentiated instructional practices.