PERSPECTIVES OF TEACHERS IN THE ENHANCEMENT OF MULTIGRADE INSTRUCTION IN LOWER CALANASAN, APAYAO

This qualitative study explored the perspectives of multigrade teachers regarding the enhancement of Multigrade Instruction in Lower Calanasan, Apayao. It specifically examined teacher insights on instructional strategies and classroom management, availability and adequacy of learning resources, professional development opportunities, assessment and evaluation practices, the challenges they encountered, the strategies they employed, and their recommendations for improvement. A total of 20 multigrade teachers from six (6) elementary schools in Lower Calanasan, namely Ferdinand, ASSAT, Ninoy Aquino, Kabugawan, Soda, and Langnao, served as the respondents.

Using a descriptive case study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring themes across the dataset. The findings revealed that while teachers showed creativity in adapting instructional strategies and customizing activities, they faced persistent issues such as inadequate instructional materials, vague assessment guidelines, limited training specific to multigrade education, insufficient support systems, and lack of policy attention. Teachers highlighted the need for differentiated instruction, context-sensitive teaching aids, and learner-level aligned assessments.  Despite these difficulties, teachers employed practical coping strategies such as peer teaching, differentiated tasks, contextual learning, and flexible scheduling. Their recommendations included the institutionalization of multigrade-focused training, allocation of specialized resources, consistent supervisory visits, implementation of clear grading policies, and establishment of a division-level support structure for multigrade education.