Pre-K Teachers' Practices for and Perceptions of Differentiating Instruction for Children Struggling With Math Concepts

• In Event: Problem Solving and Challenges for Teachers and Learners

Abstract

Pre-K teachers in public schools are often presented with children at varying levels of school readiness. Differentiated instruction, whereby teachers modify their teaching based on the developmental level of each individual child, allows teachers to meet the diverse learning needs of their classrooms. The following study looks in-depth at pre-K teachers’ practices for and perceptions about differentiating for children who are behind their peers in math. Qualitative data was collected via interviews with 20 pre-k teachers. The findings suggest that teachers tend to employ repetition as a strategy and vary in their perceptions of math learning.

Authors

• Anne Kou, MDRC

• Nicole Leacock, MDRC

• Shira Mattera, Manpower Demonstration Research Corp.