Peer-reviewed article
Differentiated Instruction as Proactive Classroom Management in Early Childhood Science Learning: A Multi-Site Qualitative Case Study
Nurnaningsih Nurnaningsih, Edi Waluyo, Deni Setiawan ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This qualitative case study looked at how teachers in four early childhood education institutions in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, used differentiated instruction in science lessons. Researchers observed classes, interviewed teachers and reviewed lesson plans. Teachers adjusted task difficulty, used flexible groups, offered varied hands-on activities and gave responsive support. These practices were linked, in teachers' accounts and observations, with more sustained engagement, clearer routines and less need to correct behaviour after it happened. Limited planning time and high teacher-child ratios made individual support harder.
Key points
- Differentiation was carried out through adjusted task complexity, flexible grouping, varied hands-on activities and responsive scaffolding.
- These practices were associated with more sustained engagement, clearer routines and transitions, and less reactive behaviour correction.
- The authors suggest instructional design worked as a form of proactive classroom management.
- Teacher competence and instructional flexibility supported implementation.
- Limited planning time and high teacher-child ratios constrained individualised support.
Limitations
The abstract describes a small qualitative study of purposively selected teachers in one regency, so the findings show associations and perceptions rather than measured effects and cannot be generalised. It reports no child outcome data.
Abstract
Early childhood classrooms are developmentally heterogeneous, making instruction and classroom management inseparable challenges. This study examined how differentiated instruction was enacted within science-based learning and how teachers perceived and managed the resulting classroom dynamics. A qualitative multi-site case study was conducted across four early childhood education institutions in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Participating teachers were purposively selected because they implemented differentiated instruction, used inquiry-oriented science activities, and had at least two years of early childhood teaching experience. Data were generated through non-participant classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of daily lesson plans and instructional materials, then examined thematically. Three interconnected findings emerged. First, differentiation was enacted through adjusted task complexity, flexible grouping, varied hands-on activities, and responsive scaffolding. Second, these practices were associated with more sustained engagement, clearer routines and transitions, and less need for reactive behavior correction, suggesting that instructional design functioned as a form of proactive classroom management. Third, teacher competence and instructional flexibility supported implementation, whereas planning time and high teacher–child ratios constrained individualized support. The study proposes that differentiated science learning can support classroom management when differentiation, inquiry, routines, and responsive interaction are deliberately aligned. The findings offer implications for teacher professional learning, lesson planning, staffing, and inclusive early childhood practice.