Content Differentiation Strategies In English Reading Instruction: A Descriptive Study In Merdeka Curriculum Context

Octavia, Septa and Hidayah, Jumatul and Suhermanto, Hadi (2026) Content Differentiation Strategies In English Reading Instruction: A Descriptive Study In Merdeka Curriculum Context. Sarjana thesis, Institut Agama Islam Negeri Curup.

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Abstract

This study aims to describe the strategies, reported implementation, and challenges of content differentiation in English reading instruction within the Merdeka Curriculum context. Using a qualitative descriptive design, this study involved five English teachers (T1–T5) at SMP Negeri 3 Rejang Lebong as participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, supplemented by a single teaching module used as a limited cross-check for one participant, as classroom observation could not be conducted within the time available for this research a limitation acknowledged transparently and reflected in the phrasing of the second research question. Findings show that the four teachers reported a spectrum of practice ranging from systematic, explicit differentiation (tiered texts, proficiency-based grouping) to explicit rejection of differentiating reading materials, descriptively associated with differences in reported training access. Regarding reported implementation, teachers described broadly similar lesson structures with varying frequency of differentiation; these findings remain tentative given the limited observational data available. Regarding challenges, teachers reported a substantial and unevenly distributed preparation burden, resource gaps specific to each teacher’s approach, student-level barriers, and in one case institutional pressures that appeared to discourage differentiation. This study concludes that content differentiation in reading instruction at this school is not uniformly practiced, but varies according to training access, resource availability, and institutional pressure experienced by each teacher. Further research incorporating classroom observation and fuller document analysis is recommended to verify these self-reported findings.

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Thesis (Sarjana)

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