Teachers' Practices of Differentiated Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms

Differentiated instruction is a critical educational strategy for addressing the diverse needs of students in mixed-ability classrooms. However, its consistent application remains a challenge, influenced by teachers' comprehension of differentiated instruction and the challenges they face in practice. This paper aims to delve deep into English language teachers' practices of differentiated instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. The semi-structured interview as an information-gathering strategy was employed to explore the participants’ narratives of differentiated instruction and the problems, they face in implementing it in their classrooms. Four English language teachers were selected purposively from two public secondary schools in Rupandehi, Nepal. The study reveals that differentiated instruction enhances students’ classroom engagement and fosters inclusion by promoting personalized instruction, collaboration, and diversity. The study also reveals time constraints, large class sizes, and issues of teacher training and support as the challenges faced in their classrooms. The findings suggest that teacher education programmes should make differentiated instruction a key component of their curriculum to better equip future teachers.