Differentiated Instruction in Rural and Peri-urban KwaZulu–Natal Primary School Mathematics Classrooms

Differentiated instruction is regarded as a viable option to improve mathematics education, while also being set out as a policy requirement in many countries. This study focusses on the implementation of differentiated instruction by South African primary school mathematics teachers. Underpinned by theoretical ideas of social justice, differentiated instruction strategies and teacher decision-making processes, teachers’ differentiation practices are analysed in recorded teacher interviews. Twelve teachers in rural and peri-urban areas of KwaZulu–Natal participated in the study. The findings indicate that these mathematics teachers focus on supporting reading, in-the-moment individualised teaching, peer tutoring and using available resources to support differentiated instruction in their classrooms. The findings also indicate that teachers’ knowledge of differentiated instruction affects their decisions about differentiated instruction. We recommend that teachers’ professional development programmes focus more on differentiated instruction that covers how teachers can use content, product, process and environment differentiation support.