Kindergarten teachers' perceptions of the differentiated approach in learning and teaching
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of differentiated instruction and its use in kindergarten. How do kindergarten teachers perceive differentiated approach and how do they evaluate differences between their students? Do they recognize any criteria of differentiation? The research was qualitative and utilized classroom observation processes, planning and implementation of differentiated activities, and finally interviews with kindergarten teachers. After an initial short period of classroom observation in one public kindergarten school, four different activities were designed and implemented. A presentation of the program was created with data collected from the implementation. Semi-structured interviews were organized with ten kindergarten teachers working in the region of Achaia-Greece. The interviews included the implemented program presentation, questions before and after the presentation. The analysis of the results showed that five kindergarten teachers out of ten, identified the differentiated approach with reference to special needs/learning difficulties and the special education / special school. All kindergarten teachers recognize the importance of a differentiated approach and accept that their students have different interests / needs / abilities, differences which they characterize as expected and / or positive. Most of the kindergarten teachers identified differences in the implemented program concerning the content, the individual / group factor, and the utilization of the children's interests, while only four reported differences in the outcome. Although seven kindergarten teachers stated that they implement group activities, most of them identified group teaching as the main difficulty in implementing the differentiated approach.
Article Details
- How to Cite
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Vellopoulou, A., Κανελλάκου Ν.-Α., & Papapanou, I. (2021). Kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of the differentiated approach in learning and teaching. Investigating the child’s World, 18, 10–25. https://doi.org/10.12681/icw.30017
- Issue
- Vol. 18 (2021)
- Section
- Scientific articles & educational projects
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