Bridging the Curriculum-to-Classroom Translation Gap: Differentiated Instruction Under Revised KSSR in Malaysian Primary Schools

Differentiated instruction is increasingly promoted as a response to learner diversity in Malaysian primary schools and is broadly compatible with the student-centred orientation of the Revised Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR Semakan), which integrates curriculum standards, classroom-based assessment (Pentaksiran Bilik Darjah, PBD), higher-order thinking skills and 21st-century learning. However, curriculum expectations do not automatically translate into differentiated classroom practice. Malaysian studies report moderate to high levels of teachers’ curriculum understanding, whereas differentiated practice remains at a moderate level in some contexts. Drawing on a narrative review of Malaysian and international literature, this issue paper examines the curriculum-to-classroom translation gap across four dimensions: teacher capacity and professional readiness, classroom feasibility, assessment and curriculum demands, and school-level implementation conditions. The review suggests that differentiated practice depends not only on teacher knowledge but on the interaction of pedagogical skill, assessment literacy, classroom conditions, resources, workload and organisational support. Five directions are proposed: aligning curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; providing sustained practice-based professional learning; improving classroom and school conditions; strengthening the use of PBD for instructional decisions; and establishing continuous feedback mechanisms for curriculum implementation. The experience of KSSR Semakan offers timely lessons for the 2027 School Curriculum.