Elementary teachers’ competence in multigrade in differentiated instruction: An action plan

Abstract

Multigrade classrooms are common in rural and under-resourced schools, where teachers handle multiple grade levels in one class. The findings attempted to determine the competence of elementary teachers in multigrade Differentiated Instruction in Tubigon West District, Tubigon, Bohol during the school year 2025–2026, as a basis for developing an action plan. The study was conducted at public and private elementary teachers in Tubigon West District, Tubigon, Bohol, with purposive sampling method to over 50 teacher respondents. It employed an adapted questionnaire. The research design involved a descriptive-correlational research design. The following statistical treatments were used: simple percentage, while weighted mean, and the Pearson-moment product correlation r. The study examined the respondents’ profile, level of competence in implementing multigrade differentiated instruction, the relationship between profile variables and competence, and the challenges encountered. The respondents were mostly younger, predominantly female, and largely Teacher I–III, with many pursuing or having completed graduate studies and generally having considerable teaching experience and participation in school-level trainings. Overall, they demonstrated a very high level of competence in instructional planning, instructional delivery, and classroom management. Results showed no significant relationship between competence and age, gender, designation, and educational attainment, while teaching experience and training and seminars were significantly related to competence. The most common challenges encountered were time constraints and difficulty in meeting curriculum demands while differentiating instruction, with an overall frequency described as often. Based on these findings, the proposed action plan is recommended for adoption to further enrich the competence of teachers in the implementation of multigrade DI.