The Role of Primary School Leaders in Supporting Teachers to Apply Differentiated Instruction and Inclusion in Classrooms in a School in Sharjah, UAE

Abstract

Differentiated instruction and inclusion have become an essential part of the modern pedagogy, ensuring that pupils with variant academic levels and educational needs receive equitable learning opportunities. Diverse research highlights the significance of teachers’ application of those approaches; however, limited studies focus on school leaders’ role in supporting teachers to effectively implement them in classrooms, particularly in the UAE context. This study explores how primary school leaders in Sharjah promote Differentiated Instruction and inclusion, and examines the strategies applied, challenges faced, and support provided to educators. Using a mixed-method approach, the study gathers qualitative data via semi-structured leaders’ interviews and quantitative data by a teachers’ questionnaire, besides the data analysis of students’ assessments results. This provides an understanding of leaders’ practices and their effect on differentiation and inclusion. The findings of this study show that school leaders play a vital role in supporting teachers in implementing DI and inclusion. It highlights the obstacles that leaders encounter that may hinder the successful implementation of those approaches. The research highlights the need for leadership strategies, policy implementation, and continuous educators’ support to enable teachers to apply DI and inclusion. This research adds to the existing literature on educational leadership by bridging the gap of knowledge, particularly on the leaders’ role and its impact on inclusive education and DI implementation in the UAE. The findings of this research add valuable insights for instructors, administrators, and policymakers to improve strategies and policies that support inclusive teaching, which impact students’ outcomes and learning progress.