Differentiated Instruction in primary school classrooms
A mixed methods study of teachers’ understanding and practices in South Ethiopia region
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21494703 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Milkiyas Asso Goshu (Dilla University, corresponding author), Alemayehu Tamiru Bishaw (Bahir Dar University), Berhanu Mekonen Yimer (Dilla University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 364-379 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-15 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Education for Teaching International Research and Pedagogy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0260-7476 • E-ISSN: 1360-0540 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02607476.2025.2604149 |
| OpenAlex | W7115692089 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
This mixed-methods study investigates teachers’ understanding and implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) in Ethiopian public primary schools. A concurrent parallel design was employed, with quantitative data collected from 190 teachers via questionnaires and qualitative data obtained from interviews with eight teachers. Both inferential statistics and thematic analysis were utilised. The quantitative results indicated that teachers are highly aware of DI; however, qualitative findings revealed misunderstandings surrounding the concept. While teachers’ use of DI was high, it varied significantly based on their educational experiences, qualifications, and subjects taught. Those with a bachelor’s degree and greater teaching experience, particularly in the natural sciences, demonstrated higher levels of DI practice compared to their peers. Furthermore, a small but significant relationship was found between understanding and practice. Despite the lack of a clear understanding of DI, the study concluded that teachers effectively understood and employed it. This study emphasises the need for short-term training’s on DI concepts and principles to enhance teachers’ conceptual understanding and effective application of DI in diverse classroom settings
Data collection · Ethnic group · Population · Qualitative research · African history and culture analysis · Educational Theory and Curriculum Studies · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
Differentiated Instruction, Professional Development, and Teacher Efficacy
Differentiating Instruction in Response to Student Readiness, Interest, and Learning Profile in Academically Diverse Classrooms
Teachers and differentiated instruction
Understanding K‐12 teachers’ intention to adopt open educational resources
Perspectives of teachers on differentiated teaching in multi-cultural South African secondary schools
Teacher perceived difficulty in implementing differentiated instructional strategies in primary school
Teaching to address diverse learning needs
Teachers and their implementation of differentiated instruction in the classroom
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |