Implementation of Differentiated Instruction

Robinson, L., & Maldonado, D. N. (2014, November). Perceptions about implementation of differentiated instruction. Paper presented at the Annual Mid-South Educational Research (MSERA) Conference, Knoxville, TN.

Background

Research indicates that differentiated instruction (DI) is critical for student academic success because of today’s increasingly diverse educational population where cultural differences and varying ability levels in the classroom pervade.

Aims

The study investigated teachers’ perceptions concerning the successful implementation of DI.

Sample

The participants comprised nine European American teachers, out of which three were teaching the elementary grades, another three were teaching the middle grades and the final three were high school educators. They had between three and 20 years of teaching experience and the subject areas they taught included math, Language Arts, reading, science, social studies and AP physics.

Method

The authors adopted a case study approach. Data collected included an open-ended survey used to gather background information about the participants and an interview that comprised 17 open-ended questions about teachers’ feelings and perceptions of how DI had impacted their ability to successfully meet the varied needs of learners in their classrooms. Teacher lesson plans that incorporated DI were also examined.

Findings

The results indicated that the participants shared similarities in their definitions of DI. However, they used different approaches to DI in their classrooms, such as using product, assessment and a variety of strategies including grouping, choice menus, and graphic organizers to differentiate instruction. They agreed that each student was different and students attained successes through varied approaches. The participants listed numerous challenges to the implementing of DI, and felt that its successful implementation would take time but that it could be achieved with patience and diligence.

Implications

The authors highlighted that students would benefit academically if teachers changed the traditional delivery of instruction to providing instruction using DI. They postulated that DI could also increase motivation for learning in students and the less successful learners would thus be able to experience consistent success in the classroom. The more gifted learners would also be able to accelerate their learning with DI. DI could enhance achievement scores and student outcomes. This implied that there was a need for more direct professional development opportunities in DI in order to address challenges such as classroom management, implementation processes, and hands-on sessions to create differentiated lessons, plans and strategies that had been shown to work in classrooms across the curriculum.

Original article retrieved from Google Scholar.