HIDDEN PEDAGOGY IN MULTIGRADE CLASSROOMS: TEACHER-CREATED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES IN RURAL BALOCHISTAN

Abstract

In rural, under-resourced schools, multigrade teachers develop systematic instructional
strategies through experience. However, this classroom-based expertise is often overlooked by
teacher education programs, curriculum guidelines, and supervision frameworks. This study
defines these teacher-created practices as hidden pedagogy: explicit and deliberate classroom
knowledge that remains excluded from institutional recognition. Using Bernstein’s theory of
pedagogic discourse, the study conducted focus group discussions with twenty experienced
teachers, structured observations in ten schools, and documentary analysis in Balochistan,
Pakistan. Reflexive thematic analysis identified four key components: curriculum reconstruction
across grades, rotational classroom flow with flexible grouping, peer learning that redistributes
instructional roles, and learning extension through community engagement and local resources.
Gender analysis showed that female teachers face distinct social constraints that influence the form
and feasibility of these practices. Because the study did not measure student outcomes, it does not
claim that these practices necessarily improve learning. The findings cautiously develop hidden
pedagogy as an analytical lens that differs from Bernstein’s invisible pedagogy: its instructional
logic is explicit, while its institutional status is hidden. The study outlines implications for teacher
education, curriculum policy, and gender-responsive school support, while emphasizing that
recognition must accompany structural reforms in staffing, training, and materials.