Türkiye Century Education Model 2024 middle school mathematics teaching program differentiation through support: Program and teacher perspectives

This study aims to examine the “differentiation through support” component included in the Türkiye Century Education Model 2024 Middle School Mathematics Curriculum and to explore teachers’ views on the concept of differentiation. The research was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the support practices within the curriculum document were evaluated using the document analysis method, during which categories and codes were developed. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten mathematics teachers to investigate their knowledge, experiences, and awareness regarding differentiation within the curriculum. The study was designed as a qualitative study, and the interview data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that the curriculum’s support approach is predominantly based on process differentiation, with the most common differentiation practices focusing on concept formation, materials use, and modeling strategies. However, individualized learning practices and those based on students’ interests or learning pace were observed to be limited. Teachers’ views revealed that intuitive experiences in the field primarily drive differentiation in practice, whereas the theoretical guidance provided in the curriculum remains largely unrecognized. Factors such as time constraints, infrastructure, and class size were identified as significant obstacles to implementation. The study emphasizes that differentiation is not only a pedagogical but also an ethical responsibility, suggesting that educational curricula should be structured in a more inclusive, student-centered, and practice-oriented manner.