Navigating Equity in Personalized ELT: Differentiated Instruction in One-on-One Private Tutoring

Abstract

This study investigates how a tutor exercises pedagogical flexibility to navigate educational equity through differentiated instruction in a one-on-one private English tutoring context. While differentiated instruction has been widely explored in formal classroom settings, its role in individualized tutoring as a form of compensatory education to address socioeconomic disparities remains underexamined. This research adopts a qualitative case study design involving two fifth grade students with polar opposite profiles: one with high socioeconomic status and extensive English exposure from a private school, and another with low socioeconomic status from a public school facing limited resources and irregular attendance. Data were collected through participant observation, semi structured interviews, and the tutor reflexive journals to capture instructional decisions and students learning responses. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in how instruction is adapted to bridge specific learning gaps. Predicted results indicate that by tailoring content and processes through methods such as using kinaesthetic storytelling for the active learner and visual gaming-based scaffolding for the shy learner the tutor can effectively optimize holistic skills. The findings are expected to demonstrate that differentiated instruction in private tutoring functions as a targeted support mechanism and a meaningful space for reducing educational inequality. This research implies that radical personalization is essential in providing a fair learning trajectory for students regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds.