Impact of differentiated instruction on pupils’ performance in fractions among junior high school pupils in the Tamale metropolis of Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.7.2.133Keywords:
Differentiated Instruction, Fractions, Impact, Performance, PupilsAbstract
This study investigated the effect of differentiated instruction (DI) on students’ achievement in mathematics using a quasi-experimental, pretest–posttest control group design. The study was grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which emphasizes learning through social interaction and scaffolding within the zone of proximal development. The target population for this study comprises all basic school pupils within public schools in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana. A sample of 102 students was drawn from intact classes using cluster random sampling and assigned to experimental and control groups. An achievement test served as the primary data collection instrument. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The results indicated a significant difference in post-test performance between the two groups. The experimental group exposed to differentiated instruction obtained a higher mean score than the control group. The difference was statistically significant indicating a strong effect of the intervention on students’ mathematics achievement. The study concludes that differentiated instruction significantly enhances students’ performance in mathematics. It is recommended that mathematics teachers integrate differentiated instructional strategies to better address learner diversity and improve academic achievement in secondary school Mathematics classrooms.
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