engleski

Challenges in the application of differentiation in mathematics classroom

How do you design a learning situation for a heterogeneous group of students? Which differentiation approaches are suitable for teaching mathematics? There are no clear-cut answers to these questions, because suitability depends, among other things, on the phases of instruction and the goals pursued with differentiation. Dealing with student heterogeneity in the mathematics classroom has become a” priority issue” in educational policies around the world. In differentiated instruction, teachers use various strategies to adapt to students with different abilities and interests. However, effective differentiation in mathematics instruction is challenging. This paper presents a case study whose purpose was to examine in depth how lower secondary mathematics teachers implement differentiation in the classroom and to identify what influences the (non)implementation of appropriate differentiation. The participants in the study are two lower secondary mathematics teachers who participated in professional development as part of the SURFPRIMA scientific project. We collected data by recording lessons before and after the in-service training on differentiation and conducting interviews with the two teachers. Recording the lessons allowed us to observe the teachers in their teaching practices and to see if and how differentiation was implemented. In the interviews, we collected data on how and how often the teachers implemented differentiation and gained insight into their attitudes toward differentiation. The data collected through these methods allowed us to triangulate the results. The results of the study show that mathematics teachers encounter various obstacles to differentiation and, therefore, their conception of instruction and the reality in the classroom occasionally do not match.

Differentiation ; Mathematics teachers ; Student heterogeneity

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