The Implementation of Differentiated Instruction in EFL Learning and Students’ Perceptions

Abstract

This study aims to examine the implementation of differentiated learning in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction at SD Negeri 1 Banjar Jawa and explore students' perceptions of the approach. Given the diversity of students' learning characteristics, this study aims to determine how teachers adapt materials, processes, and learning environments to meet individual students' needs and how students perceive the implementation of this strategy. Using mixed methods, data were collected through questionnaires, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews with 37 fifth-grade students and English teachers. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were analyzed through data reduction and thematic drawing. The results indicate that differentiated learning was effectively implemented through varied teaching materials, flexible grouping, and a conducive classroom atmosphere, which increased student engagement, motivation, and understanding. Students' perceptions of this approach were very positive, with reports of increased self-confidence and decreased learning anxiety. The implications of this study support the widespread use of differentiation strategies to improve the quality of language learning at the elementary level.