A phenomenological study of teacher perceptions of implementing the differentiated instruction approach

In the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) era of accountability teachers are required to meet the needs of students who come from diverse backgrounds and ability levels. Teachers are receiving more mandates and many teachers are adopting teacher-leader roles to adapt to the ever-changing requirements of their expanding roles. Differentiated instruction is the vehicle for educational reform and teachers must implement differentiated instruction proactively to maximize student potential. This qualitative phenomenological study explored perceptions and lived experiences of 20 tenured New York City secondary education English Language Arts teachers regarding implementing the differentiated instruction approach. The study focused on (a) teachers' self-perception as instructional leaders, (b) teacher application of differentiated instruction, and (c) obstacles and enablers of practice. Findings of the study indicated that while teachers have a positive impression of differentiated instruction, few believe in its feasibility because of the time and workload involved. The results also indicated that teachers fail to collect data about student potential and lack knowledge about the approach and how to manage it. Teachers identified administrative mandates and ineffective professional development as obstacles and administrative accountability measures and support as enablers of implementing the approach.