EFFECT OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ON INTEREST AND ACHIEVEMENT OF MATHEMATICS LOW ACHIEVERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN ABUJA NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This study examined the effect of differentiated instruction on interest and achievement of mathematics low achievers in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory Nigeria. Six research questions and six hypotheses guided the study. Quasi-experimental research design was used for the study. The population of the study consists 2017/2018 primary 4 pupils in Bwari Area Council of the F.C.T numbering 7,477 with 3,388, males and 4,089 females. The sample size for the study consists of 146 (66 males and 80 females) identified mathematics low achievers drawn from six intact classes in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT. The researcher used multi-stage sampling technique. Firstly, the researcher used purposive sampling technique to draw Bwari Area council from the six Area Councils in Abuja where majority of pupils with low achievement were identified. Simple random sampling was also used to draw ten public schools from Kubwa in Bwari Area Council. Based on the record of poor achievements of pupils in the ten public schools, the researcher purposively selected six public primary schools and primary 4 classes with high records of mathematics poor achievement. Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) and Mathematics Interest Rating Scale (MIRS) were the instruments used in collecting data for the study. The instruments were validated by three experts from the Faculty of Education, two was from educational Psychology unit of the Department of Educational Foundations and one from Mathematics Education of the Science Education Department in University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Cronbach Alpha formula was used to measure the internal consistency of (MIRS), which yielded a reliability estimate of .92. Kuder-Rechardson formula 20 (K-R 20) was used to determine the reliability of (MAT), which yielded a reliability estimate of 0.89. The pre-test and post-test data were analyzed using mean and standard deviations for research questions and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) for testing the hypotheses.  Findings of the study revealed that that the use of differentiated instruction in teaching mathematics low achievers in primary school increased their interest in mathematics more than the directed and dictated strategy (F=179.677, P<0.05); that the use of differentiated instruction (DI) in teaching mathematics low achievers in primary school improved the achievement in mathematics more than the directed and dictated strategy (F=19.321, P<0.05); the influence of gender on interest of mathematics low achievers in primary school is significant (F=8.250, P<0.05); and that the influence of gender on achievement of mathematics low achievers in primary school is also not significant (F= 2.176, P>0.05). The findings also indicated that the interaction effect of instructional strategies and gender on mathematics interest of mathematics low achievers in primary school is not significant (F=0.205, P>0.05); and that the interaction effect of instructional strategies and gender on mathematics achievement of mathematics low achievers in primary school is not significant (F=1.584, P>0.05). Based on these findings, it was concluded that differentiated instruction is an effective teaching method that can be used to enhance the interest and achievement of mathematics low achievers. Some of the notable educational implications the study are that differentiated instruction can be a valuable tool for enhancing achievement and interest of mathematics low achievers and that curriculum planners and authors may need to modify the primary and basic education curriculum and textbooks to include differentiated instruction. The researcher recommended that pupils should be exposed to differentiated instruction to enhance their interest and achi