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MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION UNDER QUARANTINE CONDITIONS: A CASE STUDY IN A SCHOOL FOR GIFTED CHILDREN IN EASTERN KAZAKHSTAN

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Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of Differentiated Instruction under Quarantine Conditions: A Case Study in a School for Gifted Children in Eastern

Kazakhstan Saltanat Alimgaziyeva

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Educational Leadership

Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education May, 2021

Word Count: 15547

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Declaration

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been submitted for the award of any other course or degree at NU or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. This thesis is the result of my own independent work, except where otherwise stated, and the views expressed here are my own.

Signed: Saltanat Alimgaziyeva Date: 07/05/2021

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Acknowledgement

I would like to express my gratitude to my research supervisor, Professor Anna CohenMiller, for her time, support, kindness and patience. Thanks to the guidance of my research supervisor, I was able to carry out this research and completed the thesis.

I am also grateful to all NUGSE staff for their help.

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Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of Differentiated Instruction under Quarantine Conditions: A Case Study in a School for Gifted Children in Eastern

Kazakhstan Abstract

The purpose of the current research was to explore middle school teachers’

perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions at a school for gifted students in Eastern Kazakhstan. A qualitative case study was conducted in order to gather in-depth data in a particular setting. Five teachers were recruited according to

purposeful sampling and were interviewed online via the TEAMS platform. The lessons chosen by the participants were observed on TEAMS platform online. The findings revealed five primary themes for participants’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction:

(1) Meeting students where they are, (2) Benefits of differentiated instruction for students, (3) Quarantine broadens understandings of differentiated instruction, (4) Challenges faced in differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions, and (5) Instruments used to implement differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions. Teachers’ perceptions of using

differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions vary with some teachers appearing to perceive it as an approach used to support students who are struggling by providing them with additional teaching materials, while others understand it as a way to support students by organizing group work based on their readiness level. Despite the quarantine conditions, the participants managed to demonstrate uses of differentiated instructional approach while teaching online. An unexpected finding revealed how the new online teaching mode encouraged teachers to pay more attention to the need for differentiated instruction, and provided new opportunities to teachers to find new tools to implement differentiated instruction while teaching online. Given the current challenging times for teaching and learning online, further research is suggested to reveal effective strategies for implementing

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differentiated instruction in face-to-face and online modes. The findings and

recommendations of this study can be beneficial for those interested in addressing the best practices for teaching online, including during quarantine conditions.

Карантин жағдайында орта мектеп мұғалімдерінің саралап оқыту жөніндегі түсінігі мен тәжірибесі: Шығыс Қазақстан облысындағы дарынды

балаларға арналған мектептегі кейс стади Аңдатпа

Зерттеу жұмысының мақсаты Шығыс Қазақстан облысында орналасқан дарынды балаларға арналған мектептердің біріндегі орта мектеп мұғалімдерінің

карантин жағдайында саралап оқыту жөніндегі түсінігі мен тәжірибесін зерттеу болды.

Аталған білім беру мекемесінде мәлімет жинау мақсатында сапалық зерттеу әдісі қолданылды. Бес мұғалім зерттеу қатысушылары ретінде мақсатты іріктеу арқылы таңдалынып алынды және олардан TEAMS платформасы арқылы сұхбат алынды.

Қатысушылар таңдаған сабаққа онлайн режимде TEAMS платформасында бақылау жасалынды. Зерттеу нәтижесінде зерттеу қатысушыларының саралап оқыту туралы түсінігі мен тәжірибесі бойынша келесі тақырыптар анықталды: (1) Оқушылардың қажеттіліктерін қанағаттандыру, (2) Саралап оқытудың оқушыларға пайдасы, (3) Карантин саралап оқыту туралы түсінікті кеңейтті, (4) Карантин жағдайында саралап оқытуды жүзеге асыруда туындайтын мәселелер және (5) Карантин жағдайында саралап оқытуды жүзеге асыруда қолданылатын құралдар. Карантин жағдайында саралап оқытуды қолдану жөніндегі мұғалімдердің түсінігі әр түрлі: кейбір мұғалімдер саралап оқытуды оқуда қиындықтары бар оқушыларға көмек ретінде қосымша

материалдарды беру арқылы жүзеге асырылады десе, басқалары оқушылардың академиялық дайындық деңгейін есепке ала отырып, топтық жұмыстарды

ұйымдастыру арқылы оқушыларға қолдау көрсету деп түсінеді. Карантин жағдайына

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қарамастан, зерттеу қатысушылары онлайн режимде сабақ беру барысында саралап оқытуды көрсете алды. Кейбір мұғалімдер оқытуды саралау мақсатында онлайн- платформаларды қолданса, кейбіреулері сыныптағы әр оқушы үшін оқу қызықты әрі тиісті деңгейде болуы үшін деңгейлік тапсырмалар берді. Күтпеген зерттеу нәтижелері ретінде онлайн оқытудың мұғалімдердің саралап оқытуға көбірек көңіл бөлуге

итермелеуін және онлайн режимде сабақ беру кезінде саралап оқыту жөніндегі түсінікті кеңейтуге жаңа мүмкіндіктер беріп, саралап оқытуды жүзеге асыруда қолдануға болатын жаңа құралдарды табуларына жол ашты. Онлайн режимде оқыту мен оқудың қазіргі таңдағы қиын кезеңін ескере отырып, болашақта сыныпта және онлайн оқытуда саралап оқытуды жүзеге асыруда қолдануға болатын тиімді

стратегияларды анықтау үшін зерттеу жүргізу ұсынылады. Қорытындылай келе, осы зерттеу нәтижелері мен ұсыныстары қашықтықтан оқыту уақытында саралап оқытуды жүзеге асыру бойынша қызығушылық танытатындарға тұлғаларға пайдалы болмақ.

Понимание и практика дифференцированного обучения учителей средней школы в условиях карантина: Кейс стади в школе для одаренных детей в Восточно-

Казахстанской области Аннотация

Целью данного исследования было изучение понимания и практики дифференцированного обучения в условиях карантина учителями среднего звена школы для одаренных детей в Восточно-Казахстанской области. Качественное исследование было проведено с целью сбора подробных данных в конкретной обстановке. Пять учителей были отобраны на основе целенаправленной выборки и опрошены онлайн через платформу TEAMS. Выбранные участниками уроки наблюдались на платформе TEAMS в режиме онлайн. Результаты выявили пять

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основных тем по пониманию и практики дифференцированного обучения участниками данного исследования: (1) Удовлетворение потребностей учащихся, (2) Преимущества дифференцированного обучения для учащихся, (3) Карантин расширяет понимание дифференцированного обучения, (4) Проблемы, с которыми сталкиваются при дифференциации обучении в условиях карантина и (5) Инструменты, используемые для реализации дифференцированного обучения в условиях карантина. Понимание учителями использования дифференцированного обучения в условиях карантина разнится: некоторые учителя, по-видимому, воспринимают его как подход, используемый для поддержки учащихся испытывающих трудности путем предоставления им дополнительных учебных материалов, в то время как другие понимают его как способ поддержки учащихся путем организации групповой работы исходя из степени их готовности. Несмотря на условия карантина, участникам

исследования удалось продемонстрировать использование дифференцированного обучения при обучении онлайн. Некоторые учителя использовали онлайн-платформы и приложения для дифференциации обучения, в то время как другие давали

многоуровневые задания, чтобы усложнить обучение для каждого ученика в классе.

Неожиданный результат показал, что онлайн обучение способствовало уделению учителями большего внимания на необходимость дифференцированного обучения и предоставил учителям новые возможности для расширения их понимания

дифференцированного обучения и поиска новых инструментов для реализации

дифференцированного обучения при обучении в онлайн режиме. Учитывая нынешние сложные времена для преподавания и обучения в онлайн режиме, предлагается

дальнейшее исследование, чтобы выявить стратегии эффективные для реализации дифференцированного обучения в классе и в онлайн режиме. В конечном итоге, выводы и рекомендации этого исследования могут быть полезны для тех, кто

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заинтересован в использовании дифференциации при обучении в дистанционном режиме.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction ... 1

Introduction ... 1

Background of the Study ... 1

Statement of the Problem ... 4

Purpose of the Study ... 5

Research Questions ... 5

Definitions of Key Terms ... 5

Significance of the Study ... 6

Conclusion and Structure of the Thesis ... 6

Chapter 2: Literature Review ... 8

Introduction ... 8

Theoretical Framework ... 8

Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences ... 9

Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development ... 10

Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction ... 11

Practice of Differentiated Instruction ... 15

Conclusion ... 18

Chapter 3: Methodology and Analysis ... 19

Introduction ... 19

Research Design and Methodology ... 19

Site, Participants and Sampling Selection ... 20

Research Instruments ... 21

Data Analysis Procedures... 23

Ethical Considerations... 24

Conclusion ... 26

Chapter 4: Findings of the Study ... 27

Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction ... 28

Meeting Students Where They Are ... 28

Benefits of Differentiated Instruction for Students ... 30

Quarantine Broadens Understandings of Differentiated Instruction ... 31

Teachers’ Practices of Differentiated Instruction ... 33

Challenges Faced in Differentiating Instruction Under Quarantine Conditions ... 34

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Instruments Used to Implement Differentiated Instruction under Quarantine Conditions

... 36

Conclusion ... 38

Chapter 5. Discussion ... 39

Introduction ... 39

Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction ... 39

Teachers’ Practices of Differentiated Instruction ... 44

Conclusion ... 48

Chapter 6. Conclusion ... 49

Introduction ... 49

Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction under Quarantine Conditions ... 49

Practices of Differentiated Instruction under Quarantine Conditions ... 50

Limitations of the Study ... 51

Recommendations for School Leadership ... 52

Recommendations for Future Research about Differentiation in Online Teaching ... 52

Conclusion ... 52

References ... 54

Appendices ... 59

Appendix A. Informed Consent Form ... 59

Appendix B. Interview Questions ... 61

Appendix C. Lesson Observation Protocol ... 62

Appendix D. Sample Interview Transcript ... 63

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List of Figures

Figure 1. An example of translating quotes into the English language………23 Figure 2. An example of identifying similar and unique answers………24

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List of Tables

Table 1. Participants’ Pseudonyms and Subjects They Teach……….………27

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Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction

Since an educated generation is a guarantee of a bright future for any country, it is important to maximize all students’ potential and ensure that every student is provided with the opportunity to get quality education. Thus, in an ideal world, teachers would ensure that every student is fully engaged in a lesson and has an opportunity to acquire new knowledge and develop skills regardless of a student’s learning ability. To meet each student’s interest, learning style and learning abilities, teachers can employ a differentiated instructional approach. An expert in this field Tomlinson (2005) explains differentiated instruction as a teaching approach that is based on accommodating student diversity in terms of academic readiness, interests and learning profiles. Similarly, Heacox (2012) defines this approach as addressing individual student needs, interests and learning styles through modifying the pace, level and teaching strategy, and assumes it is the best approach that shows students’ progress allowing each student to demonstrate their knowledge in ways that exploit their interests and strengths.

Background of the Study

To provide a background of the study, I will present western researchers’ explanations of what differentiated instruction is, and why they consider it important for the development of young generation. Western, here, refers to countries such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Netherlands. The reason why western

researchers were chosen is that the approach seems to be explored mostly in western countries, and the literature I found were written mostly in those countries. Regarding the Kazakhstani context, differentiated instruction is being practiced in all schools. The necessity of employing differentiated instruction is detailed in the curriculums of Nazarbayev

Intellectual Schools. However, there is a lack of research conducted on how teachers perceive

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and implement the approach in the Kazakhstani schools. Therefore, it is worth exploring perceptions and practices of this approach in Kazakhstani context.

In the book that explains what differentiated instruction is and is not, Tomlinson (2017) broadly states that several decades ago an individualized instruction was experimented to meet students’ learning differences. However, applying an individualized instruction appeared to be unrealistic causing many difficulties for teachers as they had to plan and prepare materials for each student in a class. It was time-consuming and led to the exhaustion of teachers. Unlike the individualized instruction, differentiated instruction can be carried out through group, pair and individual work. Since any class consists of students with different learning styles, different learning abilities and interests, ideally, every teacher should use differentiated instruction at each lesson. Using a differentiated instructional approach implies celebrating the diversity in a classroom. For example, Carolan and Guinn (2007) compare diversity to a gold mine saying that all members of a diverse group benefit from diversity as it brings multiple ideas, perspectives, and solutions to problems. The benefits of diversity in the classroom are also supported by Maruyama and Moreno (2000) who state that diverse groups can see any assumptions from different perspectives and can propose valuable and unique points of view. Moreover, the results of Gruin’s (1999) literature review showed that diversity in the classroom enhances students’ active thinking, motivation, as well as academic and intellectual abilities (as cited in Maruyama and Moreno, 2000). Given the advantages of diversity, it is important to meet each student’s interest, learning style and academic readiness in order to maximize their potentials.

Regarding the theories that are closely related to differentiated instruction, Abdullah and Magableh (2020) state that a differentiated instructional approach is closely related to Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences, Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Bloom’s taxonomy. It means that while making decisions on what

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to teach and how to teach, teachers need to take into account the fact that students learn through eight intelligences including verbal, musical, mathematical-logical, spatial, bodily- kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist (Theory of Multiple Intelligence).

Besides, to group students so that they can support and help each other through ZPD achieve learning objectives, and to prepare materials of an appropriate level, teachers should consider students’ academic readiness levels. Moreover, for the lower-ability students, who struggle to achieve learning objectives, teachers should plan activities that require knowledge and

comprehension, for the middle-ability students, tasks that need skills of application and analysis, and assignments that require synthesis and evaluation for the higher-ability students (Bloom’s Taxonomy).

As for the benefits of differentiated instruction, Pham (2012) states that differentiated instructional approach is an effective teaching approach directed to meet students’

educational levels. The author emphasizes that it provides students with the opportunity to get a holistic view of what they are taught, to be a creative and self-reliant learner and to feel the responsibility for their own learning.

It is worth noting that Faber, Glas and Visscher (2017) outline two important

characteristics of differentiated instruction. Firstly, analysis of student assessment data should serve as the basis for instructional decisions. Secondly, variation in learning objectives, content, teaching time, tasks, and materials that are prepared to address different learning needs make differentiated instruction observable in the classroom. According to Tomlinson (2008), to plan and prepare a differentiated lesson, teachers need to be aware of what their learners can do and monitor their progress in accomplishing learning objectives within a developmental framework (as cited in Griffin, 2018). In other words, to effectively

implement differentiated instruction, analysis of assessment data needs to be done and based on the analysis decisions on what to teach and how to teach should be made.

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Despite the value and importance of differentiated instructional approach in leading learners to success, many teachers are still experiencing struggles with differentiating instruction effectively. This is due to the challenges, such as lack of time for planning and preparation, lack of resources, limited knowledge and skills of differentiated instruction, excessive workload and large class size, teachers encounter in planning and conducting a differentiated lesson (Nicolae, 2014; Bekeyeva, 2019). However, the findings of Bekeyeva’s qualitative study revealed that the challenges teachers face do not hinder the implementation of differentiated instruction as many teachers understand the importance of this approach, and try to broaden their knowledge of differentiated instruction through reading different

resources, attending online courses and webinars.

To sum up, differentiated instruction is used to celebrate student diversity in a

classroom, and to meet different student needs. Differentiated instruction is closely related to the theory of Multiple Intelligences, Vygotsky’s theory, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Bloom’s taxonomy. The foundation of a differentiated instructional approach is made by these three theories (Maglabeh & Abdullah, 2020). Despite the challenges teachers face in implementing differentiated instruction, they attempt to broaden their understandings by using different resources.

Statement of the Problem

Tomlinson (2014) states that a teacher’s question “How do I divide time, resources, and myself so that I am an effective catalyst for maximizing talent in all my students?” still remains as actual as it was 100 years ago. To address students’ diverse learning abilities, interests and learning styles, it seems that teachers should use a differentiated instructional approach at each lesson. However, research findings on teachers’ perception and practice of differentiated instruction showed that it is challenging for teachers to plan and implement differentiated instruction (Aftab, 2015). In addition, moving to a new teaching mode, which

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is online teaching, may make it even more challenging for teachers to plan and implement differentiated instruction in an online learning environment. This may be due to adapting to a new learning environment, lack of IT skills of some teachers and stress caused by the

pandemic. Therefore, to explore teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction would contribute to the improvement of teaching students that have different abilities, learning styles and interests and maximizing their potentials. In addition, most literature on differentiated instruction I managed to find were published in foreign countries.

There seems to be a lack of research conducted in Kazakhstani context. Therefore, this topic is worth being explored in Kazakhstani context.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to explore the middle school teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction at a school for gifted students.

Research Questions

The research questions this study aimed to answer were: 1) What are middle school teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions? 2) What are middle school teachers’ practices of differentiated instruction during the quarantine?

Definitions of Key Terms

There are two primary key terms used throughout this thesis. One of the key terms used in this thesis is ‘differentiated instruction’. Tomlinson (2013) defines ‘differentiated instruction’ as a teaching model that is aimed at maximizing each student’s potential and guides teachers in meeting students’ differences in areas, such as academic readiness, learning style, and interests.

Gifted students’ is another term that is frequently used in this study. The word

‘gifted’ is defined by Cambridge dictionary (n.d.) as an adjective that means “having special ability in a particular subject or activity”. So, the term ‘gifted students’ in this thesis is

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explained as learners who are successful in a particular subject and demonstrate exceptional academic performance.

Significance of the Study

Teachers of public schools and schools for gifted students in Kazakhstan and other countries, where differentiated instruction is being practiced, may benefit from the findings of this study as the work aims at helping teachers expand their understandings and reveal the practices of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions. Since the school, where the research was conducted, identified the improvement of the use of differentiated

instruction as one of the priorities of the school development, the school can benefit from the findings of this research. Likewise, other schools in Kazakhstan and in other countries, which identify the implementation of differentiated instruction as an important topic, could benefit from the findings of the study. The results may also be beneficial to other local and

international researchers and practitioners interested in the contemporary topic.

Conclusion and Structure of the Thesis

This chapter introduced the topic chosen for the thesis, provided background study, illustrated research questions, and explained the statement of the problem, purpose and significance of the study, and definitions of key terms used in this paper. Given the

significance of a differentiated instructional approach for all stakeholders and the complexity of its implementation in a classroom and in online teaching, the topic is worth being

explored. The findings of the study may be beneficial for the school where the research was carried out and Kazakhstani teachers in general.

Overall, the thesis consists of six chapters, including introduction, literature review, methodology and analysis, findings, discussion and conclusion. A list of references and appendices were included at the end of the thesis. Chapter 1 introduced the topic chosen by detailing the research problem, purpose and significance of the study as well as research

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questions. Chapter 2 provided the theoretical framework and the review of literature on teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction in a classroom and in online teaching. Chapter 3 detailed the research design, instruments used, site, population and sampling selection, data analysis process and ethical considerations. In chapter 4, the findings of data on teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions were presented. Chapter 5 compared and contrasted the findings of this study with the findings of other studies. In chapter 6, main points of the study were summarized, and recommendations for further studies for teachers, schools, and research were provided.

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Chapter 2: Literature Review Introduction

This chapter reviews the literature related to the theories on differentiated instruction, investigates teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction and explores the ways of how teachers are implementing a differentiated instructional approach in the class and during distance learning. The purpose of the study was to explore middle school teachers’

perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions. The two research questions addressed in the study are: 1) What are middle school teachers’

perceptions of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions? 2) What are middle school teachers’ practices of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions?

Theoretical Framework

This study was guided by the concept of Tomlinson’s theory of differentiated

instruction. Since differentiated instruction is closely related to Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences and Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), to set a theoretical framework of this study, these theories were reviewed as well. The goal of all these theories is the maximization of student learning potential in the classroom.

Even though western researchers give different definitions to the concept of

differentiated instruction, all of them emphasize the importance of providing all students with the opportunity to maximize their potential and reach common goals. For instance, an expert in the field of differentiated instruction, Tomlinson, introduced the theory of differentiated instruction as an instructional approach that should be used to differentiate content,

presentation and assessment in order to address the needs of every student in the classroom (Tomlinson, 2001). The researchers, such as Robinson, Maldonado and Whaley (2014), define differentiated instruction as a teaching approach that is employed to support all learners in achieving a common goal, no matter what way they use to succeed. Meanwhile,

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Tomlinson and Eidson (2003) explain a differentiated instruction as a systematic approach to planning and teaching directed to learners with academically diverse needs.

According to Tomlinson and Strickland (2005), in order to increase the chance for students to learn as much as possible, teachers can differentiate five classroom elements, namely, content, process, products, affect and learning environment. The authors state that based on student needs, teachers can differentiate the content by specifying what their learners ought to know, understand and be able to do at the end of a lesson, unit or a year;

differentiate process by choosing activities that encourage students to apply the existing knowledge and skills to understand an important idea; differentiate the product by giving individual student needs-based success criteria that are clear and challenging; differentiate affect through caring about student feelings and creating good weather in the classroom that makes every student feel they are important and belong to the group; and differentiate learning environment by creating a flexible learning environment involving students in the decision-making process.

Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences

Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences has been considered as an important aspect which must be considered to effectively differentiate instruction. Gardner identified eight kinds of intelligences that include verbal, musical, mathematical-logical, spatial, bodily- kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist. Gardner assumes that the identified intelligences very seldom function independently, and they are used simultaneously complementing each other (Timmins, 1996). According to Gardner’s theory, to respond to students’ individual needs, first, teachers need to realize that students’ learning styles differ, and then, they need to tailor their teaching strategies taking into consideration their students’

needs (Nolen, 2003).

Timmins (1996) proposes that each child is born possessing all kinds of intelligences, but their intelligences develop differently. As a result, children come to school with their own

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unique set of intellectual strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, Timmins (1996) suggests teachers to maximize student engagement by presenting material using maps, songs,

organizing a role play and reading a novel related to the topic. This kind of presentation can lead to a deeper understanding of the subject material.

Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development

The theory of the Zone of Proximal Development was developed by the Russian psychologist, Lev Vygotsky, in the 1920s. According to Vygotsky, the ZPD describes a student’s current level of development and the potential development level that can be reached under the guidance of a capable adult or with the help of peer’s support (as cited in Shabani, Khatib, & Ebadi, 2010). Podolskij (2012) defined the ZPD as a gap between what a student already knows and what he or she can master being supported by others. The author assumes that the ZPD is the level that cannot be reached in the learner’s individual work but can be achieved with the help of the collaborative activity. It means that a student is able to perform a certain number of tasks independently, but in collaboration with an adult or peers, he or she can perform a greater number of tasks.

The tasks assigned to a student should be neither too difficult nor too easy as learning takes place when a student’s brain is challenged. Teachers need to identify what a student can do (zone of actual development), what he or she struggles to do and what he or she cannot do (Griffin, Rickards, & Francis, 2018). Using this information, teachers can plan a

differentiated lesson and prepare multi-leveled materials and activities that are appropriate for student’s readiness level.

To sum up, the theory of differentiated instruction is closely related to the theory of multiple intelligences and the theory of the Zone of Proximal Development as all these three theories aim at leading each student to success. While the theory of multiple intelligences aims at accommodating individual learning styles and needs and the theory of the Zone of Proximal Development implies consideration of students’ readiness level, the theory of

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differentiation encompasses students’ learning styles, needs and readiness levels. I will use this theoretical framework in the rest of the thesis to discuss teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction. It will help me identify what I mean while talking about differentiation.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction

Teachers are supposed to use a differentiated instructional approach to provide quality and rigorous education to each student considering the diversity of their academic

background. However, it is becoming challenging due to the rapid changes that are taking place in the sphere of education. Due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, students are being taught online. Given the complexity of employing a differentiated instructional approach in the classroom and the fact that it becomes even more complex while teaching distantly, it is important to explore teachers’ understandings of what differentiated instruction is and how they implement differentiated instruction during distance learning. According to Tomlinson and Strickland (2005), effective implementation of differentiated instruction depends on teachers’ understanding of who they teach and what they teach. If teachers increase their understanding of differentiated instruction, their audience and target teaching, they will be able to be flexible in how they teach. Langley (2015) emphasizes that teachers’

understanding of what differentiated instruction is and awareness of the ways of how to effectively implement it in the classroom is important to all stakeholders. Moreover, Magableh and Abdullah (2020) say that teachers’ commitment is needed to employ differentiated instruction, and the commitment comes with the positive attitude towards differentiated instruction. It can serve as one more reason why the exploration of teachers’

view of this approach is necessary.

The case study held by Robinson, Maldonado and Whaley (2014) revealed that teachers understand differentiated instruction as something time-consuming but possible if they apply diligence in practicing different strategies. The research was conducted among

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elementary, middle and high school teachers to investigate the perceptions of teachers regarding the successful implementation of differentiation. Nine European American

teachers, selected according to a purposeful sampling, were interviewed. All the participants stated that each learner is different and different methods should be used to ensure all students’ success. In addition, all the participants of the qualitative research held by Burkett (2013) emphasized that they value differentiated instruction and assume it as a necessary approach that should be used to address the needs of all students in the classroom. Moreover, the participants noted that it is a teacher’s responsibility to use a differentiated instructional approach in every lesson. The majority of the participants felt that it is essential to use a differentiated instructional approach in the classroom which helps teachers in meeting the needs of each student. They also highly value the benefits of differentiated instruction that students get, including the opportunity to explore and improve their learning, as well as support learners who are struggling.

According to the findings of another qualitative case study held by Prince (2011), teachers believe differentiated instruction assists in meeting the learning needs of every student in the classroom, and they indicated grouping as a necessary part of differentiated instruction. The research was conducted in one suburban middle school in South Carolina.

The study involved four teachers selected by purposeful sampling. Teachers expressed positive attitudes towards identifying students’ readiness levels to apply an appropriate teaching approach, and they also stated that they believe a variety of lesson ideas should be implemented to teach different types of students.

One more aspect to discuss is factors that made teachers passionate about employing a differentiated instructional approach in their classrooms. Some teachers indicated personal reasons for why they differentiate instruction in their classrooms such as having their own children struggling with their education (Robinson, Maldonado & Whaley, 2014). Others

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stated that having negative and positive schooling experiences made them understand why differentiated instruction is needed (Burkett, 2013). Some teachers believe in the importance of employing a differentiated instructional approach due to the hands-on experiences with their colleagues (Maddox, 2015). However, Nicolae (2014) states that many teachers

expressed concerns about the effectiveness of carrying out differentiated instruction because of the barriers such as time constraints, lack of resources, classroom size, increasing demands and low payment. Moreover, Smit and Humpert (2012) note that teachers view student diversity as a problem and view planning the lesson that involves differentiation as a time- consuming process. Thus, teachers’ attitude towards student diversity and the need of differentiation seem to influence the effectiveness of planning and implementing differentiated instruction.

Even though research findings show that teachers understand the theory of

differentiated instruction and its importance, several research findings revealed that teachers do not have a comprehensive understanding of a differentiated instructional approach and as a result, they do not differentiate in the classroom. For instance, Moon, Tomlinson and Callahan concluded that half of the middle school teachers did not use a differentiated instructional approach as they lacked the knowledge of how to differentiate in the classroom (as cited in Santangelo & Tomlinson, 2012). In addition, research conducted by Ordover (2012) indicated that many teachers have limited knowledge of the principles and practices of differentiation in the classroom and some teachers think that strategies such as “Research Tree” or “Six thinking hats” are the types of differentiated instruction (Bekeyeva, 2019). So, there is still a limited practice and knowledge of types of differentiated instruction among some teachers.

After reviewing empirical studies, it seemed to be a good idea to review the secondary research done by Brighton’s and Hertberg’s (2004) in order to see a broader picture of

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teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction. The findings of the literature review revealed a shallow understanding of differentiated instruction among many teachers. They noted that many teachers misunderstand the philosophy of differentiated instruction as well as teaching and assessment practices associated with differentiation. The researchers also

indicated that some of the respondents believe they are addressing all diverse learners by using a few differentiating strategies.

As for the teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction under distance learning conditions, there appears to be little research on this topic. Beasley and Beck (2017)

conducted research with 118 teachers from two cyber schools in the USA in order to explore the ways online teachers use to address diverse needs of students. According to the findings, online teachers define differentiation from two angles: why differentiation is important for a learner and what needs to be differentiated (Beaseley & Beck, 2017, 550). The participants noted that differentiation is needed because students have varying abilities and different learning styles. The researchers concluded that there is not much difference between how online teachers define differentiation and how face-to-face teachers perceive differentiation.

To sum up, it appears there is a lack of research conducted on teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction under online teaching conditions. However, a large body of literature was done on teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated

instruction in face-to-face teaching. It can be concluded that teachers find the use of

differentiated instruction helpful in improving students’ potential, but some teachers still have a shallow understanding of this approach. Besides, some teachers find the process of planning differentiation time-consuming, and see student diversity as a problem.

It appeared that Western researchers wrote most of the literature reviewed in this chapter, and the findings can be generalized to Western countries’ context. However,

regarding the Kazakhstani context, this chapter reviewed the findings of two theses, but both

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were carried out at the schools for gifted students. Thus, the findings cannot be generalized to public schools.

Practice of Differentiated Instruction

Despite teachers said they understand what differentiated instruction is and why it is important to employ this teaching approach in the classroom, there is no consistent practice of differentiated instruction in today’s classrooms (Pham, 2012; Tomlinson, 2005).

Tomlinson et al. (2003) state that even though teachers are aware of student diversity in their classroom and understand the importance of employing differentiated instruction, they are not practicing it. In addition, the results of the quantitative research held by Aftab (2015),

involving 120 middle school teachers in Karachi, showed that all stakeholders wanted their teachers to apply different strategies in the classroom, but teachers appeared not to have enough planning and enough time to implement differentiated instruction.

Another quantitative study was conducted by Ismajli & Imami-Morina (2018) with 200 students, 30 teachers, and 30 parents in Prishtina, the capital of Kosovo. The research results indicated that understanding and implementation of differentiated instruction seems to not be at the desired level despite the fact that 70% of the participants said they differentiate the key classroom elements including interests, assessment, planning, content, process and product, in comparison 20% of the respondents indicated that they often implement

differentiated instruction and 10% stated that they sometimes apply differentiated instruction in their classrooms.

The results of several research studies showed that teachers use different strategies to differentiate instruction in their classrooms. For example, Aliyeva’s (2018) qualitative case study findings revealed that differentiation of content appeared to be one of the most applied ways of differentiating, whereas differentiation of product is a strategy that is not commonly used. The research participants, who teach Language Arts, Sciences, and Social Studies at a school for gifted students in Kazakhstan,assumed that an effective way of differentiating

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process is using group and pair work. Meanwhile, based on the findings of the research conducted with 141 teacher-participants in southeast Georgia, Logan (2011) noted that teachers said they try to modify essential components of differentiated instruction, namely, content, products and process. Additionally, qualitative research conducted with ten certified teachers (Morrison-Thomas, 2016) showed that many teachers use grouping to differentiate classroom environment and it was mentioned that groupings were based on student learning levels assigning the same level students to one group or assigning mixed-ability students to one group. Some teachers group their students according to the assessment results (Robinson, Maldonado & Whaley, 2014). Grouping students was also recognized by the participants of the research held by Maddox (2015) as a common strategy that is employed to differentiate instruction in the classroom. Moreover, the research findings revealed that all teachers who participated in the research use technology to differentiate instruction while some teachers view scaffolding as an approach that is used to differentiate teaching. However, most teachers do not use a differentiated instructional approach to assess student learning (Morrison-

Thomas, 2016).

Tiered assignments are often used to differentiate instruction (Bekeyeva, 2019).

Stewart (2016) defines tiered assignments as a strategy used to differentiate instruction where students are given the same goals, the same content but different process and product that considers the student’s learning readiness. Teachers use texts that are based on student’s learning abilities, graphic organizers, and tiered assignments to differentiate instruction (Stewart, 2016; Bekeyeva, 2019).

Regarding the implementation of differentiated instruction, a number of studies conducted revealed that there is a discrepancy between what teachers say and do. For instance, Maddox (2015) conducted qualitative research with 12 participants, who were interviewed individually and in groups, to explore elementary teachers’ perceptions of

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differentiated instruction. It should be mentioned that the participants of the research conducted seemed to struggle when they were asked to show a lesson where differentiation was implemented. It means that they were not able to discuss a concrete instance of a differentiated lesson because of the lack of professional experience and skills. Meanwhile, Bekeyeva (2019), who carried out a qualitative study in an intellectual school in south Kazakhstan aimed at exploring teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction, states that there were cases when teachers said they do not know how to use differentiating strategies in their lessons, however lesson observations showed that they were using good examples of differentiation. In contrast to it, some teachers claim they are experts in differentiated instruction, but lesson observations revealed opposite results. Moreover, some teachers admit that differentiated instruction is not always used in their classrooms, and some teachers even do not think about differentiating strategies while planning their lessons (Bekeyeva, 2019).

Related research study regarding the implementation of differentiated instruction showed that teachers have positive attitudes towards implementing differentiated instruction and are willing to use differentiating strategies in their classrooms (Aftab, 2015). However, Maddox (2015) stated that even though teachers were aware of the theoretical description of what differentiated instruction is and agreed with Tomlinson in terms of why differentiated instruction is important, they still struggled with its implementation in the classroom.

Majority of teachers assumed that they were employing differentiation strategies, but in fact, they were not using them.

Similarly, the literature review conducted by Nicolae (2014) showed that even though many teachers are open to use a differentiated instructional approach and realize the

importance of considering the ways of teaching that fit students learning needs best, they are not skilled enough and have concerns about the effectiveness of differentiation because of the

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barriers they encounter. The findings of Nicolae’s (2014) research were related to teachers who teach offline. Since there is a lack of literature that explore online teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction, I could find only two articles and a book chapter on this topic. One of them is the research conducted by Beasley and Beck (2017) which showed most of online teachers stated that they differentiate content, product and process, however, only few of them use assessment data to plan and implement differentiation.

To sum up, according to literature reviewed, many teachers understand the importance of differentiated instruction, but there are reasons, such as a lack of professional skills and experience, challenges encountered, hinder the implementation of differentiated instruction at their lessons.

Conclusion

In conclusion, using a differentiated instructional approach in the classroom provides diverse learners with the opportunity to achieve set objectives, maximize their potential and lead to success. It is worth noting that according to some research findings, there is a discrepancy between what teachers say about differentiated instruction and how they implement it in the classroom because lesson observations showed that those teachers who claimed to be experts of differentiated instruction did not use any differentiated strategies in the classroom. Moreover, online teachers’ perceptions of differentiation appear to be not much different from face-to-face classroom teachers’ perceptions. In addition, there is a lack of literature related to the topic of perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions, therefore the findings of this study will help fill the gap.

The next chapter details methodology of the research, present research site, participants, instruments used in the study and ethical considerations.

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Chapter 3: Methodology and Analysis

Introduction

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore middle school teachers’

perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction at one of the schools for gifted students in the Eastern Kazakhstan Region. The research questions this study seeks to answer are the following: 1) What are middle school teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions? 2) What are middle school teachers’ practices of differentiated

instruction during the quarantine? To find answers to the research questions, I interviewed the participants, who were selected based on purposeful sampling, and observed their lessons.

This chapter presents information about the research design which is a plan for conducting research, site, participants and sampling selection, data collection, research instruments, data analysis procedures and ethical considerations.

Research Design and Methodology

A qualitative research design was chosen to conduct this study because the purpose of the current study is to explore understandings and practices of individuals, an approach commonly used in qualitative research (Leavy, 2017). According to Leavy (2017), qualitative approaches to research are most commonly used in exploratory research and provide the researcher with the opportunity to get a deeper understanding of an explored topic by prioritizing people’s subjective understandings and making meanings out of their

experiences. Besides, Merriam and Tisdell (2016) state that researchers employ a qualitative research approach when they want to explore how individuals view their experiences, the way they build their worlds, and what meaning they construct out of their experiences.

Another expert in the field of qualitative research Bhattacharya (2017) notes that the purpose

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of a qualitative researcher is “to work within the context of human experiences and the ways in which meaning is made out of those experiences” (p.6).

As for the methodological approach, a qualitative case study was used to address the aforementioned research questions. According to Yin (2012), the case study method is mostly applied when the research questions are descriptive or exploratory and when a researcher is exploring a phenomenon within its natural settings. Since the current research aims to explore teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instructional approach within the real- world context, a qualitative case study approach appeared to be the most suitable approach for this study. The case study involved the middle school teachers of the chosen site. The role of differentiation is major in middle school because middle school students’ diversity is apparent (Logan, 2011). Therefore, middle school teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction are significant.

Site, Participants and Sampling Selection

The site is selected in accordance with the convenience sampling method. According to Hesse-Biber and Leavy, when a researcher selects participants that are easy to access, then he/she uses convenience sampling (as cited in Leavy, 2017). Moreover, Mujis (2011) states that the most frequently used sampling method in educational research is convenience sampling. The author explains that this type of sampling method is commonly employed in educational research because using the teachers and learners who the researcher has worked with before and having easy access to the site are convenient and cost-effective for the researcher. Thus, I decided to use convenience sampling in this study.

I chose one of the schools for gifted students in Eastern Kazakhstan region as a setting for the study. The reason why I selected this school is the fact that I am working as a teacher at the school, acquainted to the school administrators and teachers, so it is convenient for me to conduct the study at the chosen educational organization. In addition, the school

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administrators determined the implementation of differentiated instruction as one of the priorities for school development.

As for the selection of participants, the purposeful sampling method was used.

According to Etikan, Musa and Alkassim (2016), the purposeful sampling method is used when the researcher selects participants based on research purpose and expects each participant to provide valuable contribution to the study. The participants were selected on the following criteria: 1) having at least three years of experience of employing differentiated instruction; 2) being ready to demonstrate their practices; 3) teaching in middle school.

Middle school includes grades from seven to ten and students of approximately 12 to 15 years old.

All the teachers of the chosen school are expected by the school administration to implement differentiated instruction in their classrooms, however, I selected five teachers who are teaching in middle school. The reason why I selected middle school teachers is that the chosen school admits seventh grade students from different state schools. Thus, middle school students have diverse academic abilities and needs. It is crucial to effectively

implement differentiated instruction in middle school as it helps to maximize each student’s potential and level up their academic abilities and needs by the time they get to high school.

In addition, Logan (2011) states that effective implementation of differentiated instruction in middle school is important because student differences are more overt during this period.

Therefore, given the importance of effective implementation of differentiated instruction, I decided to involve middle school teachers in this study.

Research Instruments

Two methods of data collection were used: semi-structured online individual interviews and online classroom observations. Due to the pandemic, the school moved to online teaching format in March 2020. Since that time all the lessons were taught online and

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the length of a lesson reduced from 40 minutes to 20 minutes. Nobody was allowed to come to the school building in the online format. Therefore, I interviewed the participants and observed the lessons via their school online system, the TEAMS platform online.

Donalek (2005) define a qualitative research interview as a “shared journey” stating that the outcome of the interview is not just the respondent’s interpretation of his/her past experience, but a co-created meaning assigned to the experience as a result of interaction of researcher and participant (p. 124). The researcher also indicates that the most frequently used method in qualitative data collection is the interview. Since the current research explores individuals’ perceptions and practices, interviewing seems to be one of the best data

collection methods that allows the researcher to hear the voice of each participant, to listen to their experiences and stories.

Semi-structured online interviews were carried out to find answers to the research questions. The participants were asked a series of open-ended questions relating to different parts of the research topic. The questions were clearly articulated and brief. Each interview was audiotaped to ensure accuracy and lasted 30-40 minutes. Face-to-face interviews were not possible because of the quarantine, so the interviews were held online via the TEAMS platform and audiotaped on my personal cell phone to enhance confidentiality.

After interviewing, the participants selected a lesson to demonstrate their practice.

The participants were allowed to choose a lesson for observation in order to let them share their experience as openly as possible, be prepared and not surprised. B y observing the lessons, I was able to see teacher’s examples of implementation of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions. Observations allow a researcher to notice the things that may lead to deeper understanding of the situation (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The classroom observations were carried out after interviewing. I observed the lessons online via the

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TEAMS platform and used an observational protocol. Each lesson observation lasted 20 minutes because this is the length of lesson that is taught in the online mode.

Data Analysis Procedures

This research followed general phases of data analysis and interpretation process suggested by Leavy (2017) such as data preparation and organization, initial immersion, coding, categorizing and theming and interpretation. The data was prepared for data analysis by making the transcription of interview recordings and reviewing the lesson observation protocols. Since the interviews were held in the languages that were convenient for the participants, the transcriptions were also made in the Kazakh and Russian languages. The quotes of the participants, which were included in Chapter 4, were translated into the English language. The instance of translation is illustrated in the picture below.

Figure 1. An example of translating quotes into the English language.

Then an initial immersion strategy was used by reading, looking at and thinking about the data which allowed me to ‘feel’ the pulse of the data as Saldaña explains, to develop ideas by taking brief notes about thoughts and ideas (as cited by Leavy, 2017). An initial

immersion helped me reduce the data by choosing the data that would best help address the research goal and find the answers to research questions.

The next step was a coding process which helped classify and reduce the data collected. In Vivo coding strategy was used as it maintains the participants’ language. After the coding process, the codes were grouped in similar codes. While studying codes and

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categories, I was engaged in a process of grouping the data based on the two research questions. As a result, the findings were divided into two big groups, such as perceptions of differentiated instruction and practices of differentiated instruction, and each group was divided into subgroups. The subgroups were identified based on similar codes. The coding process can be observed in the following image. The interview questions were coloured in turquoise; similar answers in yellow; unique answers in blue.

Figure 2. An example of identifying similar and unique answers.

As can be seen from the coding process, participants’ own words were highlighted so that they could be used during the analytic process. The similar answers were grouped and given a theme, while the unique answers were also analyzed and included in the findings chapter.

Ethical Considerations

The research was conducted in accordance with ethical principles and standards that are described by Leavy (2017). I submitted a proposal for a qualitative case study to the Ethics Committee of Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education. After the case study was approved by the committee, I communicated to the school director to get

permission to conduct research in the school premises. When the permission was gained, middle school teachers received an email from me in which I invited them to take part in the research. The criteria for selecting participants, research procedure and the nature of the study

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was clearly outlined in the email. I selected those participants who expressed a desire to contribute to the research and responded to the invitation by sending an email to me.

When I received emails from the participants who agreed to participate, I circulated a letter of informed consent and sent the consent form via email. Informed consent includes the information about risks and benefits of participation, the participants’ rights, confidentiality and the participants’ rights to skip questions. All the five participants printed the informed consent form that was sent to their email addresses, read and signed it. After signing the informed consent form, they took a photo of it and emailed it back to me.

The information provided by the participants is kept confidential. The participants’

names were replaced with pseudonyms and the subjects they teach were generalized (e.g.

Humanities and Science) to provide more confidentiality; those teachers who agreed to participate received informed consent through their private email or cell phone, depending on their preference; the answers to the interview questions as well as the research data, audio and written transcripts and lesson observation protocols are kept in my private laptop protected by password. All electronic and paper data will be destroyed after one year.

There are minimal risks associated with this study. The participants might feel mild psychological discomfort in thinking about challenging times during quarantine and the efforts they have made to be successful regarding differentiated learning. To minimize the impact of the risk, the participants were given the opportunity to skip any question and stop participation at any time without repercussion. The participants were explained that their decision whether or not to participate in this study would not affect their employment or professional status in school. Since we used the online platform for interviewing it is also possible they could have been overheard by someone, which was explained to them in advance. To reduce this risk, it was told to the participants that if someone happens to enter

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the room for the participant and the researcher, the interview can be stopped and then started again when the participant is comfortable.

The expected benefits associated with participation were explained to the participants of the study as such: opportunities to share and reflect practices of employing differentiated instruction. Moreover, the individual teachers, who participated in the research, got a chance to be heard, share their experience and reflect practices of employing differentiated

instruction under quarantine conditions. All teachers of the chosen school and teachers of other schools in Kazakhstan and other countries, who are practicing differentiated instruction, can benefit from the findings of the study as it revealed the practices of differentiated

instruction under quarantine conditions. Since the school identified the improvement of the use of differentiated instruction as one of the priorities of school development, the school will also benefit from the findings of this research. Those schools in Kazakhstan and other

countries which are interested in this approach may benefit from the research as well.

Finally, the results may also be beneficial to other researchers and practitioners interested in the contemporary topic of perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction for local or international audiences including teachers and school administrators.

Conclusion

To explore teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction, a

qualitative case study was conducted at one of the schools for gifted students in the Eastern Kazakhstan region. The site was selected in accordance of convenience sampling whereas the participants were chosen using the purposeful sampling. In order to collect data, two different methods were incorporated: interviewing and lessons observations. The data collected was analyzed according to the steps suggested by Leavy (2017). This chapter discussed ethical considerations and benefits of the research.

In the following chapter, I will present the findings of the current study grouping them according to the research questions.

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Chapter 4: Findings of the Study

This chapter presents the findings of the research on teachers’ perceptions and practices of differentiated instruction under quarantine conditions in one of the schools for gifted students in Eastern Kazakhstan.

The findings were interpreted and analysed based on two research questions: 1) What are middle school teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction under quarantine

conditions? and 2) What are middle school teachers’ practices of differentiated instruction during the quarantine?

The findings are divided in this chapter by each of the questions, focusing on

teachers’ perceptions and teachers’ practices of differentiated instruction. Each question was divided into themes as identified while analysing the data collected.

To promote confidentiality, the participants’ names were replaced by pseudonyms.

The following table illustrates the pseudonyms and subjects that the participants teach:

Table 1. Participants’ Pseudonyms and Subjects They Teach.

# Pseudonym Subject

1 Adel Humanities

2 Ayaulym Science

3 Balzhan Humanities

4 Timur Science

5 Togzhan Humanities

In the school where the research was conducted, Humanities include such subjects as Kazakh language, Russian language, English language, Literature. Sciences include various subjects such as Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geography.

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Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction

In this section, I describe teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction in general and how their perceptions changed due to COVID-19. As such, this section answers the first primary question for this thesis. The interviews were coded by hand following the In vivo coding strategy. This strategy was chosen because it is used by many qualitative researchers, and it does not limit the focus and allows to maintain the respondents’ language (Leavy, 2017). From the data analysis, I found three themes. These are: 1) Meeting students where they are, 2) Benefits of differentiated instruction for students, and 3) Quarantine broadens understandings of differentiated instruction. Broadly, the data collected revealed that teachers value differentiated instruction and consider the approach beneficial for all students.

However, teachers’ understandings of differentiated instruction vary. Therefore, this category was divided into several themes to describe the findings from the interview.

Meeting Students Where They Are

Overall, the data analysis indicates that teachers believe that differentiated instruction is used to meet students’ needs and to maximize their potential, and that they understand

differentiated instruction as using tiered assignments, providing support as well as a choice of performing a task based on their interests. This section describes teachers’ perceptions of what differentiated instruction is and what teachers understand by student needs.

The interviews have shown that some teachers see differentiated instruction as an approach used to meet students’ academic needs, while others believe that it can be used to suit students’ learning styles and interests. For instance, Adel believes that the main focus of using differentiated instruction should be directed to meeting students’ needs in terms of learning styles:

I think that differentiated instruction ought to be used at every lesson, and students’

learning styles should be taken into account while preparing the materials for a lesson.

For instance, we know that students absorb information differently. Some students are

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visuals, while others are auditory learners. These three types of perceptions should be taken into account.

As we can see from Adel’s explanation, she saw how differentiated instruction could be integrated from before teaching (preparation) through implementing lessons, and how

important students’ learning styles are in learning. In the next exam

Сурет

Figure 2. An example of identifying similar and unique answers.
Table 1. Participants’ Pseudonyms and Subjects They Teach.

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