Differentiated Instruction as A Learner - Centred Form of Teaching in Primary Education: Views and Attitudes of Greek Teachers

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the attitudes and opinions of active Greek teachers regarding the implementation of Differentiated Instruction (DI) as a student - centred form of teaching in Primary Education. In particular, it is investigated whether during the planning and implementation of teaching teachers proceed to specific teaching actions that have as their focus the student, such as collecting information before the beginning of the teaching process about the students' learning readiness, learning profile and interests, adapting the teaching of a teaching unit to areas that were not understood by the students, using a variety of ways and means in the presentation of the new content of the learning unit, using a variety of methods and media in the presentation of the new content of the learning unit, and using a variety of methods and media in order to improve the learning process. The research was conducted with a sample of two hundred and ten teachers who taught in primary schools in Greece. A structured questionnaire was used as a research tool. The main conclusions that emerged in the research are as follows: a) A high percentage of the research participants report that before the beginning of the teaching process they collect information about the students' learning readiness, learning profile and interests, b) A high percentage of the research participants report that they use the students' ideas and experiences to design activities in the classroom, that in designing activities they take into account the different ways in which each student.