BASIC SCHOOL TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Abstract

The school as a microcosm of the society in which it is situated is as diverse as the society. Heterogenous classrooms pose a challenge to teachers. Teachers have to work hard to overcome the challenge posed by teaching learners with diverse learning needs. Overcoming this challenge calls for teachers to be creative, dexterous, and innovative in applying differentiated instruction. The study sought to investigate basic school teachers understanding and use of differentiated instruction. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A stratified sampling technique was used to sample 95 basic school teachers, comprising 44 private school teachers and 51 public school teachers. Data was collected using Differentiated Instruction Assessment Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results indicated that teachers who participated in the study did not have a good knowledge of differentiated instruction and its application in classrooms. Most of the teachers had not attended workshops and in-service training on differentiated instruction. With respect to the use of pre-determined teaching strategies, it can be concluded that teachers do not mostly employ such strategies in their classrooms. The study recommended that teachers are trained through in-service training and workshops on differentiated instruction and its application, as well as using multiple teaching strategies in teaching learners with diverse needs. Article visualizations: