Exploring Teaching Beliefs and Readiness of Using Differentiation Instruction: From Hong Kong Elementary Teachers' Perspectives

• In Event: 16.059 - Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: 16.059-4 - Student and Teacher Views on Learning Environments

Abstract

Catering for individual differences has been one of the concerns in Hong Kong curriculum reform. Differentiated instruction is regarded as the most effective way to catering for individual differences. Understanding teachers’ teaching beliefs and readiness for differentiation is the cornerstone to supporting the reform. Using a mixed method approach, with the use of questionnaire and focus group interviews with teachers from two Hong Kong elementary schools, the purpose of this study is to examine teachers’ teaching beliefs upon and their perceptions of readiness towards differentiated instruction. Findings indicate that teachers generally held positive attitudes towards differentiation but few differentiated teaching strategies were found to be less ready by teachers. Implications are then discussed at the end of the paper.

Authors

• Sally Wai-Yan Wan, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Fergus Tsz-Hin Cheung, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• David Chong-Kwai Yeung, Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Chun Jacky Wong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong