Abstract:

The realisation that the traditional one-size-fits-all model of teaching does not cater for the diverse needs of learners in the classroom saw the introduction of differentiated instruction being used as a pedagogical response, aiming to tailor teaching to learners' varying readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. Framed within Tomlinson’s theory of differentiated instruction, this interpretive qualitative research which used the case study design therefore explored differentiated instructional strategies used when teaching English language in primary schools of the Manzini region. Ten (10) English teachers who were purposively selected from five (5) primary schools which were conveniently selected took part in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The objectives of the study were to: Establish differentiated instructional strategies used by primary school teachers during English language lessons; Explore primary school teachers’ use of differentiated instructional strategies in English Language lessons; Determine challenges that primary school teachers encounter when using differentiated instruction in English Language lessons; Establish strategies that primary school teachers engage to minimise the challenges. The study found that teachers engaged varied strategies to differentiate instruction. Some of the strategies include grouping and peer support, supplemented by visual aids and interactive activities. Another finding was that teachers were consistently challenged by large class sizes, a severe lack of resources, significant time constraints, and limited pedagogical knowledge of differentiated instruction. The study further found that teachers employed mitigation strategies such as improvisation, collaboration with colleagues, and sacrificing personal time for remediation. The study therefore recommends that the Ministry of Education should reduce class sizes to enable differentiation and implement practical, school-based teacher training to provide teachers with pedagogical capacity for it.

Keywords:

Strategy, instruction, differentiating, challenges, mitigation.