The Impact of Differentiated Instruction on Mathematics Achievement and Motivation at Modern International School, Oman
List of Authors
Deepika Krishna Prasad, Lubna Ali Mohammed, Popoola Kareem Hamed
Keyword
Differentiated Instruction (Individualized Learning), Student Engagement, Motivation, and Early Mathematics Education
Abstract
Aim of the present work is to address the topic of differentiated instruction and its potential to transform early mathematical experiences of first graders at Modern International School located in Oman. Differentiated Instruction (DI) meets the individual needs of students, such as students with low math skills whose motivation toward the subject is often low, especially in cases when traditional methods of teaching would not suffice. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the effectiveness of differentiated Instruction interventions with a control group that used only standard methods. We analyse whether the DI increases achievement from student motivation by looking across pre and post motivation, student surveys and teacher feedback. In this context as well, this paper aims to strengthen the topic in casual framework of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), that calls for interventions that are not too difficult or too easy and can be done in collaboration with those around. It also deals with the DI applied in classrooms where not all students have the same ability. The expected results should be aimed to show how DI can transform learning spaces into more engaging, flexible and effective ones, and provide insights to improve the way early mathematics is taught around the globe.