Approach in physical education and sports class: An action research

This study aims to find out applicability of differentiated instruction approach in Physical Education and Sports classes with secondary school fifth grade students. For this reason, the study has been designed as an action research. The study was conducted at Eskişehir Tepebaşı Ticaret Odası Secondary school for 11 weeks between 26.02.2015 and 28.05.2015 in 2014 – 2015 academic year spring term in Physical education and Sports lessons at 5-B class. Implementation was fulfilled with whole class; however, data of 8 students who were identified as focus students were used more intensely. "Centers" and "stations" strategies that are among strategies used at differentiated instruction approach were used in the study. Quantitative and qualitative data collection tools such as "video records", "reflective diaries", "student diaries", "semi structured interviews" and "Physical Education Lesson Attitude Scale" were used in the research. Quantitative data were analyzed using "SPSS for Windows 22" package program, and qualitative data were analyzed through descriptive analyses. Quantitative analyses of the study revealed that there was a significant increase in attitudes of the students towards "Physical Education and Sports Lesson" in countenance of post test scores. As for the findings of qualitative data, it was observed that there was an increase in students' effectively participation to the lesson; their action numbers increased; their group work habits and their social interaction developed; it had positive contributions to their autonomous studying habits. In addition to those, students were observed to increase their consciousness in terms of sharing and taking responsibilities, and to develop positive attitudes towards respecting the differences. Benefiting from product and process evaluation created positive results. Process evaluation was observed to provide positive contributions to the planning of upcoming lessons. As a result of this research, it has been found out that using differentiated instruction approach in Physical Education and Sports lesson is possible. It has been suggested that teaching and learning process can be adapted to this approach using different strategies.