Differentiated Instruction in Turkish Public Schools: Teachers’ Levels of Implementation

This study aims to identify the level of teachers’ differentiated instruction practice. In this study, a descriptive survey model was adopted. For the purposes of the study, data were collected from 413 teachers working in public schools in Izmir during the 2023–2024 academic year. Data were collected via Personal Information Form and Differentiated Instruction Scale and were analyzed by using SPSS program. Before the data analysis, Cronbach's Alpha coefficients and the normality distributions of the data were calculated for the purpose of reliability assessment. It was revealed that the data were normally distributed and the reliability coefficients of the scale demonstrated satisfactory levels. For analytical purposes, Independent Samples T-Test and ANOVA were run. Findings showed that teachers' differentiated instruction practices were at a moderate level. This finding indicates that they occasionally adapt their teaching to address student differences and that they need more support to develop sustainable practices. Findings also illustrated that teachers' levels of application of differentiated instruction do not differ according to gender, age, educational background and length of teaching experience in terms of total scale score and student characteristics, culture, readiness, socio-economic level, measurement and evaluation, learning environment sub-dimensions. On the contrary, teachers' levels of practice of differentiated instruction varied in terms of the variables such as school level, training about inclusive education and differentiated instruction. This study revealed teachers' levels of differentiated instruction practice and contributes to teachers, schools, and relevant stakeholders.