Exploring the Roles School Administrators Can Play in Helping Elementary Teachers Implement Mathematics Differentiated Instruction More Effectively
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/0wywrx10Keywords:
differentiated instruction , cultural and linguistic diversity , students with disabilities , inclusive mathematics teachingAbstract
Recent data indicate that students' overall achievement in mathematics in the United States continues to deteriorate and that performance deficits worsen over time, highlighting the importance of focusing intervention efforts on early grades. To resolve this problem, many schools now require teachers to incorporate differentiated instruction (DI) into their practice, as research suggests that when appropriately implemented, DI improves learning and performance through instructional modifications that more effectively incorporate students’ interests and differences in learning. However, studies also indicate that many teachers feel unprepared to implement DI effectively to support their diverse classrooms. This phenomenographic study explores the perspectives of 17 elementary mathematics teachers on their understanding of DI and barriers to effective implementation, to better inform school administrators about the support teachers need to overcome these challenges. Results indicate that administrators can best support teachers with DI implementation in several ways, including fostering the awareness that DI is not only useful for struggling students; providing more modeling of DI implementation in practice; offering more training for online differentiation; and engendering consensus among staff on what terms/language to use or avoid when referring to different groups of students, to facilitate empowerment and collaboration.
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