dc.description.abstract |
This study focused on assessing the knowledge, practice and challenges of implementing
differentiated instruction by primary school teachers in Bahir Dar City. To do so, mixed
sequential explanatory design was utilized and six research questions were included. Data was
collected using questionnaire and semi-structured interview from 103 randomly selected
teachers and 5 supervisors selected with comprehensive sampling. The quantitative data was
analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent sample t-test, one WayANOVA,
and correlation. The qualitative data were also analyzed thematically. The findings
revealed that: majority of teachers were not familiar with differentiated instruction strategies.
The practices of differentiated instruction by primary school teachers were also low. While
teachers’ knowledge and practice of differentiated instruction were not significantly
differentiated by their sex, significant difference obtained across their level of education,
teaching experience and subjects they taught. Large positive correlation was also obtained
between teachers’ knowledge and practice of differentiated instruction. Large class size and
students’ diversity, lack of time, lack of training, and lack of materials were found as main
challenges of implementing differentiated instruction. Equipping teachers with the appropriate
knowledge of differentiated instruction and its practice both in in-service and pre-service
training, considering teacher student ratio in the classroom, supervision and evaluation of
school administrators’ on how to help teachers in dealing with challenges, reducing teachers’
workload and extending the duration were recommendations forwarded. |
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