English teacher's challenges in managing differentiated instruction at Islamic junior high school

Differentiated instruction is a key focus in the Indonesian curriculum, emphasizing the need to tailor learning experiences to students’ diverse abilities, learning styles, and proficiency levels. This study focuses on the challenges faced and how the English teacher overcame them that were formulated through two research questions: (1) What challenges do English teacher face? (2) How does the English teacher overcome these challenges? Using a qualitative case study, data were collected through observations and interviews with an English teacher at an Islamic Junior High School in Sidoarjo. The findings show that the challenges included administrative tasks, limited resources, instruction delivery, student engagement, and assessments. To address these challenges, the teacher maintained a positive attitude, collaborated with colleagues through MGMP, improved digital literacy through training, implemented tiered learning, provided personalized support, managed time effectively, and motivated students with clear guidance. This study provides practical recommendations for improving differentiated instruction and suggests further research on its impact on student performance at different educational levels.