The Impact of Differentiated Instruction Strategy in Life Skills and Family Education on the Development of Twenty-First Century Skills Among Sixth-Grade Primary Students

This study aimed to identify the effect of using the differentiated instruction strategy in the Life Skills and Family Education course on developing 21st-century skills among first-grade intermediate female students. The researcher adopted a quasi-experimental design. The study sample consisted of (50) first-grade intermediate students from Fatimah Al-Zahra Intermediate School, affiliated with the Eastern Province Education Office in the city of Dammam, during the academic year 1446 AH. The sample was equally divided into two groups: an experimental group (25 students) and a control group (25 students). To achieve the study objectives, a 21st-century skills questionnaire was developed, along with a teacher’s guide that included an introduction to the differentiated instruction strategy and the steps for its implementation. The results revealed no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in the post-test, as the mean scores for both groups were equal (4.50), indicating that the difference did not reach the level of statistical significance. However, the results showed a statistically significant difference within the experimental group between the pre-test and post-test in favor of the post-test, where the mean score increased from (2.50) before implementation to (4.50) after implementation across all skill dimensions. In light of the study findings, the researcher recommended reconsidering and developing teaching strategies for the Life Skills and Family Education course for first-grade intermediate students in a manner that meets students’ needs and considers their interests. The study also emphasized the importance of employing teaching strategies and educational activities that consider individual differences among students, given their positive impact on developing 21st-century skills.