In this interview with Temidayo Jaiyesimi, who was a panellist at the recently concluded Association of International Schools in Africa(AISA) Conference in Senegal, we discuss how Nigerian teachers can make learning more inclusive, engaging, and effective, even in resource-constrained classrooms. The conversation explores practical ways to apply differentiated instruction, meet exam standards, and foster creativity and equity in schools.

In many Nigerian schools, teachers manage large classes with limited resources. How can differentiation be realistically implemented in such environments without overburdening the teacher?
Without overburdening the teacher, a lesson plan should focus on one core objective while allowing for varying entry levels, supports, and output levels for students.

After a brief introduction using visual, audio, and kinaesthetic methods, the teacher could ask a quick hinge question to regroup students based on their understanding of the concept.

The questions should follow the Must/Should/Could task model: everyone does the “Must,” then chooses the “Should,” and those who have mastered the concept move to the “Could.”

Re-teach the group unable to complete the “Must” tasks using worked examples, allow the “Should” group to practice more questions, and challenge the “Could” group with application-based tasks.

This pre-planned formative assessment ensures all students’ needs are met at their individual levels without burning out the teacher.

Nigeria’s classrooms often bring together learners with diverse linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. How can teachers adapt their methods to ensure no learner is left behind?
Answer:
Teachers can start by establishing clear routines and presenting easy-to-follow steps supported by worked examples. It’s also important to use multiple learning modes  such as audio, visual, and hands-on  to make concepts more accessible.
Cultural responsiveness is key. Teachers should use visuals, gestures, multilingual word banks, and allow translanguaging: brainstorming first in a home language before refining in English. Grounding lessons in local contexts also boosts belonging and relevance.

Structured peer support, through mixed-ability groupings that rotate regularly, allows every student to learn and teach at different times.

However, these strategies will only be effective when students’ basic physiological needs are met.

Many schools follow a rigid curriculum tied to exams like WAEC and NECO. How can teachers practice differentiation while still ensuring students meet national assessment standards?

Describing the system as a “rigid curriculum tied to WAEC/NECO” captures exam pressure but overgeneralizes. National standards set learning outcomes, not rigid methods. A better term is “exam-driven, standards-aligned curriculum.”

The key is to meet the same standards through the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) — a framework that builds flexibility into lesson design from the start.

Teachers can use backward design: unpack exam blueprints into clear learning targets, plan instruction that leads to those outcomes, and offer multiple ways to access and demonstrate learning: visuals, worked examples, vocabulary supports, or short oral explanations — all scored with one standards-aligned rubric.

Tiered Must/Should/Could tasks allow for varying complexity but the same goal. Add formative checks such as hinge questions and exit slips to identify misconceptions, reteach quickly, and extend learning where needed.

Regular low-stakes exam practice and error analysis help students build exam fluency and long-term retention.
This keeps learning differentiated in method but uniform in standards — improving both equity and performance.

Teacher training and professional development are often inconsistent across the country. What kind of support systems or policies can help educators better understand and apply differentiated instruction?
The Federal Ministry of Education (FME) should introduce a concise National Differentiated Instruction Framework– a standards-aligned guide showing one objective with multiple learning pathways.

The guide should include video exemplars, WAEC/NECO-aligned sample items, and examples of UDL, Must/Should/Could tasks, and hinge questions.

The FME and Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) should co-develop it alongside TRCN, UBEC, and WAEC/NECO, ensuring alignment with national assessments.

State Ministries of Education would adapt and implement it, supported by colleges of education and universities for training.

A steering group including these bodies, teacher unions, and subject associations would help ensure the framework remains practical and classroom-ready.

From your experience, what are low-cost or no-cost strategies Nigerian teachers can use to identify students’ learning needs and tailor instruction accordingly?
Teachers can start each class with quick multiple-choice questions. Each student can hold up a cardboard card labelled A, B, C, or D to indicate their answer. This allows the teacher to instantly assess understanding, no marking required.

A brief error analysis after questioning can reveal misconceptions. Teachers can also keep a simple observation checklist (names × skill needs/strengths) while circulating. Sampling three notebooks per day builds a full class picture by the end of the week.

A Must/Should/Could board helps students work at their appropriate level without extra worksheets. Peer roles such as Reader–Solver–Checker and think-aloud exercises reveal strategies in real time.

Adding visuals and home-language prompts can make understanding visible even when English proficiency is limited. These insights can guide flexible grouping while keeping instruction aligned with the same standards.

In Nigeria’s context, where many students already face socio-economic challenges, how can educators design learning experiences that are challenging but still motivating?
Clearly communicate what students must learn and show model answers so they understand expectations. Then give them choices in how to show their learning — writing a paragraph, drawing a labelled diagram, or giving a short oral explanation.

Use one objective for all, but vary the levels of support: everyone completes the “Must,” adds practice in the “Should,” and attempts challenges in the “Could.” You change the support, not the standard.

Make lessons relatable by using examples from local markets, neighbourhoods, or familiar texts. Add short recall drills for quick wins and daily “pulse checks” with A/B/C/D cards to group students for reteaching or extension.

Use low-cost methods — chalkboard work, multilingual word lists, reusable routines — to keep engagement high and costs low.

Many Nigerian schools prioritise rote learning for exam success. How can teachers foster a culture of critical thinking, creativity, and innovation within such a system?
Start with the same exam content but shift the focus from recall to reasoning. Add one-minute “why” or “how” questions, or ask students to analyse and correct an error in a worked example.

Use think–pair–share and student-generated exam questions, where peers solve and refine each other’s work. Build choice within structure — such as writing a paragraph, designing a poster, or demonstrating an idea — and grade creativity based on reasoning, not decoration.

Mini design challenges tied to real-life situations (e.g., market data, water use) make learning relevant. End with a 3-2-1 exit (3 ideas, 2 connections, 1 new question) to promote reflection.

This keeps lessons exam-aligned while developing critical and creative thinking — with no extra cost.

Creating a culture of excellence often requires leadership support and community buy-in. What role can school leaders, parents, and policymakers play in sustaining this culture?
School leaders should protect weekly collaboration time, define non-negotiables (clear objectives, success criteria, hinge checks), and use short classroom visits for coaching. Data dashboards showing attendance, mastery, and completion rates should drive improvement, not blame.

Parents and communities should participate in termly goal-setting, attend student showcases, support reading and homework routines, and contribute local expertise to make learning relevant.

Policymakers and school boards should fund continuous coaching instead of one-off workshops, reduce administrative burdens, align inspections to simple evidence checklists, and provide small grants for low-cost teaching materials.

Growth should be celebrated, not just high scores. Consistent, standards-based scoring guides help maintain quality and fairness across schools.

In your view, what does innovation look like in a typical Nigerian classroom, especially where there’s limited access to technology or teaching aids?
Innovation in Nigerian classrooms is often low-tech but high-thinking. Teachers can write objectives on the board, show one model answer, then let students choose how to show their learning through writing, drawing, or speaking.

Everyday materials — bottle caps for counters, cardboard for fractions, or local texts — can be used creatively. Learning stations (reading, practice, peer explanation) add variety.

Hinge checks with A/B/C/D cards allow for quick regrouping, and 30-second exit slips help teachers assess understanding.

Bilingual word banks, student-generated questions, and quick error analysis make learning visible without devices.

However, overcrowded classrooms pose challenges. The Ministry of Education should enforce pupil–teacher ratio targets, redeploy teachers to high-need areas, expand classroom capacity, and recruit paraeducators or teaching assistants (such as NYSC members).

Prioritising early grades, providing reusable materials, and funding ongoing school-based coaching will make high-quality instruction both realistic and sustainable.

Finally, how can Nigerian educators balance traditional expectations , like discipline and respect for authority, with modern teaching approaches that encourage inquiry, collaboration, and experimentation?
Answer:
Balance comes from a “both–and” approach: structure and authority alongside inquiry and collaboration.

Start each lesson with visible objectives and success criteria, followed by “I do, We do, You do”  model, guided, and independent practice. Assign clear group roles (reader, writer, presenter) and agree on noise levels to maintain order.

Keep discipline predictable: entry routines, attention signals, seating plans, group contracts, and a short consequence ladder. Address misbehaviour with restorative conversations;  name the harm, hear the student, agree on a fix, and reset expectations.

Use questioning protocols like Think–Pair–Share and cold call with warmth; calling on students who haven’t volunteered, but doing it kindly and fairly.

Emphasize cultural respect through call-and-response greetings, and brief parents on how modern methods improve WAEC/NECO outcomes. With leadership support, discipline and inquiry can reinforce each other, not compete.