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Centre For Learning ResourcesAnnual Report
2011-12
Centre For Learning Resources8 Deccan College Road, Yerawada, Pune - 411006
E-mail : [email protected] Website : www.clrindia.net
Annual Report 2011-12
1 Director's Message
3 About CLR
Background
Goals
Main Activities
4 Early Childhood Care And Education
8 Elementary Education
10 Yuva English
12 Other Professional Activities
14 Funding / Acknowledgements
CONTENTS
Annual Report 2011-12 1
This is a very unusual Annual Report in the life of The Society for Educational
Improvement and Innovation and Centre For Learning Resources.
For the first time in the Centre's life, this report has not been crafted by Zakiya
Kurrien carefully, lovingly and with an exacting attention to detail. For the first
time, it has not had the enthusiastic, boundless energy of John Kurrien poured
into it.
Zakiya and John took retirement from the Centre on March 31, 2012. They
remain Directors Emeriti and John have recently taken over as Co-Chairpersons
of the Governing Council. Their insights into the challenges of educating the vast
majority of Indian children meaningfully remain invaluable resources for all of
us who work at the Centre.
Zakiya and John started their journey to improve education in India over 27
years ago. It was not fashionable, and certainly not financially viable, then to
make the quality of education the poor received the centre of one's concern.
And they stayed with it tenaciously over the next quarter of a century, despite
challenges and obstacles. In the process, they made a name for themselves and
for Centre For Learning Resources as a premier source of insights for improving
learning quality in government schools. All of us who have chosen to carry on
that task today benefit from that single-minded devotion of theirs.
We wish Zakiya and John a continuing journey of meaning and fulfilment as they
adjust to a different rhythm, still of their own making.
Chittaranjan Kaul
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
BACKGROUND
The Centre For Learning Resources (CLR) was established in Pune in 1984. It is a non-profit
educational institution of The Society For Educational Improvement And Innovation which is
registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860, the Bombay Public Trust Act of 1950 and the
Foreign Contribution Regulation Act of 1976.
The CLR acts as a technical support organisation to NGOs working at the grassroots level, and to
government and private schools. Its main activities are as follows:
GOALS
MAIN ACTIVITIES
The expansion of elementary education and early childhood education in India has often not been
matched by a similar concern for the quality of teaching and learning. This has resulted in dreary
and unstimulating classrooms, millions of elementary school dropouts and unacceptably low levels
of learning in our classrooms. Moreover, the significance of the first three years in early child
development is also not sufficiently understood. The main goal of the CLR is to improve the quality of
early childhood care and development and elementary education that the vast majority of rural and
urban children receive in our country.
Inservice training of elementary school teachers, instructors in alternative education centres and support classes, and
balwadi/anganwadi workers in early childhood education (ECE) programmes.
Inservice training of teacher trainers and supervisory
personnel for early childhood and elementary
education.
Training of personnel in early childhood
development programmes which target caregivers of children in the birth to 3
years age group.
Development of training materials.
Development of instructional materials in various curricular
areas, with an emphasis on functional literacy and
numeracy, including audio-visual materials for
environmental education, language development, and
English as a second language.
Consultancy in curriculum development, educational project
design, academic and other research inputs to schools, NGOs and
government agencies, funding organisations and international
bodies.
Annual Report 2011-12 3
Advocacy - including exhibitions for public
awareness
ABOUT CLR
Annual Report 2011-12 4
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION
A creative learning session in progress at an anganwadi centre in ICDS Dharni
Participants at a supervisors' training
STRENGTHENING THE PRE SCHOOL (ECE) COMPONENT IN ICDS ANGANWADIS OF DHARNI
BLOCK, AMRAVATI DISTRICT
This ongoing action research project focuses
on capacity building at all levels of the
Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) in Dharni Block to implement good
quality early childhood education for the
predominantly tribal pre-schoolers' in the
area, and to demonstrate decentralized
strategies for this purpose that can be
replicable within ICDS in other parts of the
country.
Initiation of Phase Two
In the year 2011-2012, this project was
extended to another 72 anganwadis beyond the existing 19 that were selected as Observation
Centers.
All 91 anganwadi workers were provided continuous, intensive on-site training and mentoring
support through field visits by CLR's Dharni-based staff. This was over and above the support from
their supervisors through monthly circle level training programmes. The circle level trainings are
now reaching all 215 anganwadis in Dharni.
We also initiated the training of anganwadi
helpers to enhance their participation in the
day-to-day ECE programme.
A Block Resource Team (BRT) which includes
CLR's field team and nine ICDS supervisors
provides training and mentoring support to
the anganwadi workers. It has also initiated
the process of building awareness among the
communities about the importance of ECE
and the actual involvement of the community
to sustain the work in the anganwadis.
Annual Report 2011-12 5
Impact
The anganwadi centers reported increased retention of children, improved services and a positive
attitudinal shift among the ICDS staff towards their roles and responsibilities. The Middle Level
Training Centres (MLTC) instructors at Nagpur reported that the CEO of Nagpur was impressed with
the Observation anganwadi initiated as part of the project at Nagpur.
Selection of CLR's Dharni Project for the National Research Studies on Best Practices in ECE.
A case study on CLR's project in ICDS-Dharni is being undertaken by Centre for Early Childhood
Education and Development (CECED), Delhi, as part of their National Research Studies on best
practices in ECE.
CLR has developed 11 ICDS anganwadi
centres in the Mulshi Block, Pune District,
with the aim of developing model
observation sites for other ICDS and NGO
functionaries undergoing training in early
childhood education (ECE). The centres are
also intended to serve as natural and
continuous labs for the designing and
piloting of further ECE materials and
processes. The training and mentoring of
anganwadi workers and their helpers was
continued this year. In a positive move, the
ICDS supervisor of Kalvan Beat, Mulshi
Block, took initiative and distributed CLR's
ECE kits to all the anganwadis under her supervision. She also conducted an introductory training
session along with CLR field staff.
Observation Visits
The Observation Centres were visited by various professionals and institutions this year, including
the following:
- The Child Development Officer and his team from Maharashtra State Council of Educational
Research and Training (MSCERT).
- Staff of Project SCOPE (Strengthening Communities for Universal Pre- School Education) an
initiative of Forbes Marshall, Pune, who are working in the urban project of the ICDS at
Kasarwadi.
- Education Consultant to UNICEF – Maharashtra.
OBSERVATION- CUM- LAB CENTRES TO DEMONSTRATE EFFECTIVE ECE IN MULSHI BLOCK
Learning through free-play method, Mulshi
Sites for Developing Training Materials
As good ECE practices are implemented in these lab anganwadis, they provided appropriate sites for
developing audio-visual training materials. Three training videos were developed this year on the
following topics: Emergent Literacy, Early Mathematics, and Role of Helpers in anganwadis.
Reaching the Community
Several parent meetings were organized wherein the importance of ECE and issues related to the
upbringing of young children were addressed. It is encouraging to note the support being extended
by parents towards the ICDS activities. Another noticeable change is that the anganwadi workers
realize the significance of home visits and are undertaking them.
Yadgir District, North Karnataka
CLR provided technical support for ECE interventions being implemented within ICDS by Kalike
Samruddhi Upakram and Community Development Foundation (CDR) in Yadgir district, Karnataka.
We developed Baseline and School Readiness Tools for the ICDS at Yadgir, Karnataka. This was
followed with the first training of Master Trainers for their ECE programme. The Kannada edition of
the teacher's handbook accompanying the CLR Early Learning Kit has been revised and is under
publication.
Forbes Marshall, Pune
CLR is providing technical support to the Forbes Marshall CSR Initiative called 'Strengthening
Communities for Universal Pre- School Education' (SCOPE) which is being implemented in 27
anganwadi centres in the ICDS Block of Pimpri Chinchwad.
CLR supports this initiative with the provision of ECE Kit's, conducting trainings for anganwadi
helpers and setting up monitoring systems within the programme.
During the year, CLR had an introductory meeting with a NGO 'Swadhar', which is going to be the
future implementing local partner for Forbes Marshall for this initiative. The objective of this
meeting was to acquaint them with the processes and best practices followed at the anganwadi
centres in Dharni.
It has been encouraging to note that the initiative is reporting commendable improvements in the
learning abilities of children covered under it and a considerable increase in community involvement
in the initiative.
BUILDING CAPACITIES WITHIN NGO-CORPORATES-GOVERNMENT PARTENRSHIPS FOR EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: NORTH KARNATAKA AND URBAN PUNE.
Annual Report 2011-12 6
Annual Report 2011-12 7
A CAREGIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR PROMOTING HOLISTIC HOME-BASED CHILD
CARE IN RAJNANDGAON BLOCK, CHATTISGARH
A programme for providing integrated messages for health, nutrition and psychosocial development
up to caregivers of birth-3 year old children (and pregnant women) was launched in 164 villages of
Rajnandgaon Block of Chhattisgarh. This programme brings together workers from Health, WCD
departments and State Literacy Mission Authority. The intention is to promote convergence of
objectives and actions relating to this age group among these Government Departments.
32 Master Trainers and over 600 Village Communicators have been enrolled for this project. CLR is
training the Master Trainers and helping them train the village communicators for reaching the
caregivers. CLR's curriculum and education package for caregivers for birth to 3 years age group is
being used in the intervention.
Annual Report 2011-12 8
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
TEACHING OF ENGLISH IN REGIONAL MEDIUM SCHOOLS
English Resource Centre (ERC)
Orientation of teachers and provision
of grade specific materials to students.
Around 300 teachers per grade were
oriented to grade specific student
materials and transaction of the
course in the classrooms. Around
11,000 students per grade from 230
regional medium schools were
provided with learning materials
and taught the course. The grade
specific courses that were conducted
included - Grade 3: Let's Read & Write English (R&W), Grade 4: Let's Read & Write English, We Learn
English (WLE) and Grade 5: We Learn English.
'Enhance Your English' Course
This 19 day course to improve the basic English language skills of teachers was conducted in 3
batches for approximately 75 teachers.
Constitution of Teacher Mentors Team (TM's)
A key aspect of our approach for institutionalizing the English Resource Centre, in Pune Municipal
Corporation(PMC) schools, is the constitution of a Teacher Mentors (TM's) team. The Teacher
Mentors are selected, trained and they have the responsibility for mentoring and supporting
assigned school teachers through on-site visits. Over time, they are expected to form the core of an
English language resource group for PMC School Board. The mentor development programme aims
at enabling them to do the following:
· Develop English language familiarity and confidence to converse, read and write in English.
· Develop an understanding of children's foreign language learning processes and devise
contextually appropriate interventions for improving classroom transactions.
· Learn motivationally appropriate ways of assisting teachers to improve their classroom
effectiveness.
The impact of the mentoring programme was apparent in the post-test results conducted with
students from classes 3, 4 and 5. Under this study, 298 students from mentored schools and 1012
students from non mentored schools were covered. While all schools showed significant
improvement from base-line results, the performance in mentored schools was noticeably higher
and was especially apparent in the much higher scores on the more complex skills.
CLR Staff with Teacher Mentors Team
Annual Report 2011-12 9
As a move towards institutionalizing the ERC, the School Board allocated a physical space for the
same within the premises of a PMC school. The ERC was inaugurated by the School Board
chairperson Ms. Sangita Tiwari, in the presence of other school board members, teacher mentors
and CLR staff.
Radio Programme
CLR's interactive bilingual radio programme “Aamhi Ingraji Shikto”/We learn English, designed to
improve the English speaking skills of students studying in government regional medium schools,
continued to run successfully in over 800 Pune Zilla Parishad Schools.
The CLR is developing a “Graded Reading Series” for students learning English as a second or third
language in regional medium schools. The books in this series feature fictional and non-fictional
reading materials that can also be read at earlier levels by students in English medium schools. They
contain graded language structures and controlled vocabulary, combined with age-appropriate,
enjoyable content. The first level of this series was published this year, consisting of 12 titles.
“The CLR books are easy to read, offer many activities, helps understand letter sound association
easily, helps learn simple to complex concepts smoothly and has helped children a lot to learn
English on their own. The teacher mentors have been very helpful in providing understanding on
vowel pronunciation, spellings, etc”
Vijaya Karale, Teacher, PMC School No 134 (B).
DEVELOPING GRADED READING MATERIALS IN ENGLISH
Fig. : The Post-Test results of Class 3 students reflecting the impact of the Mentoring Programme
(Class 4 and 5 students demonstrated similar improvement)
Annual Report 2011-12 10
YUVA ENGLISH
The Yuva English (YE) course is designed
especially for young people who have
completed Class 10 from regional medium
schools and have limited English skills.
Nearly 1495 students took the course during
the year with over 26 non-profit
organizations participating.
A formal assessment of over 1000 learners
revealed significant improvements in all
English language skills. Students, instructors
and non-profit heads, all reported that the
students displayed a significantly higher level of confidence while using the language.
During the year, we also improved our pre- and post-test instruments and developed an instructor
selection tool for use by participating organizations. We also produced a training DVD meant for use
by instructors to ensure that the key teaching points remain fresh in their minds.
We conducted a Yuva course for 8 visually impaired students from Jagruti School. The course
provided valuable learnings for modifications necessary in the course for this segment.
The success of this pilot, positions Yuva for a larger distribution. A number of different segments,
including ITI's, D.Ed colleges, engineering colleges and commercial organizations have been
identified for the purpose.
Average percentage score Pre-Test Post-Test
YE Learners from Jagruti School for visually impaired girls with CLR staff
Annual Report 2011-12 11
To highlight the effectiveness and
widen the reach of the Yuva
Programme, a promotional DVD,
featuring the experiences of the
learners across various cities and the
subsequent impact on their English
language skills was prepared.
It has been proposed to have one
Instructors Training Programme
every month, so that the course
reaches out to many learners. For this
CLR has drawn out the calendar for the
YE-ITP till Dec. 2012.
“In this course there is more
emphasis on encouraging
the learners to talk. In
earlier courses that I have
taught only I would talk and
learners would be sitting
passively."
Instructor at JSS, an NGO
in Mumbai
A Yuva English Course in progress
Yuva English Course Learning kit
Annual Report 2011-12 12
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Ms Anjali Gokhale, Dr. Harini Raval and Ms Vidya Ghughari were invited for the Core group meeting
on the revision of MIS in ICDS under the Rajmata Jijau Mission by the Department of Women and
Child Department in December 2011.
CLR is participating in a UNICEF funded nationwide study on 'Best Practices in Early Childhood
Education in India', undertaken by Centre for Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED),
Ambedkar University, New Delhi. On behalf of CLR, Ms Anjali Gokhale and Dr Harini Raval are
conducting a case study of anganwadis in Patan district, Gujarat.
Ms Vidya Ghugari participated in a training on ECCD, organized by NEG-FIRE in order to develop a
web based MIS on ECCD and RTE in November 2011.
Ms Rajashree Pande and Mr Moiz Raja Shaikh represented CLR at an International Conference on
Assessing and Evaluating the English Language Education, Teaching and Learning, in Hyderabad, in
March 2012.
Dr. Harini Raval participated in a workshop organized by UNICEF and Maharashtra SCERT for
consultations on conducting a base-line study on ECE activities in Maharashtra ICDS.
Three Academic Papers by Dr. Harini Raval were authored and published in prominent journals.
- 'Institutionalizing planning, enactment and reflections of daily lessons through appropriate
organizational restructuring' in the Asia-Pacific Educational Researcher.
- 'Contextual factors that foster or inhibit para-teacher professional development : the case of an
Indian, non-governmental organization' in the International Journal of Training and
Development.
- A paper on 'Understanding the design research process : The evaluation of professional
development programme in Indian slums' was accepted and presented by her co-authors at a
paper presentation at the AERA Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Chittaranjan Kaul participated in the following:
§ Invited to be the Coordinator of a State Resource Group for English, by Maharashtra
Prathmik Shikshan Parishad (MPSP).
§ Delivered a talk on 'The Decade Ahead for Education in India', at the Harvard India
Conference, 2012
Annual Report 2011-12 13
Dr. John Kurrien participated in the following:
§ A RTE Conference in Jaipur organized by the Rajasthan RTE Consortium, in June 2011, where
he gave a presentation entitled: “The Rajasthan Education Scenario: A RTE Perspective”.
§ A Consultation on The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and Law”
organized by 'Save The Children' in consultation with Centre For Learning Resources at the
ILS Law College, Pune in June 2011, where he helped conceptualize and moderate the
Consultation along with Ashok Agarwal, a Lawyer and an Activist.
Dr. John Kurrien and Chittaranjan Kaul participated in the following:
§ Meetings relating to the framing of Maharashtra State Rules for the RTE Act. Our efforts led
to the incorporation of rules for periodic assessment of student outcomes.
§ A National Conference on 'Children, Schooling and Crisis—What Recent Research Reveals' in
Delhi organized by NEG-Fire, October 2011.
Ms. Zakiya Kurrien was invited as a resource person at the Consultation on training for Programmes
in Early Child Care and Development organized by Mobile Crèches in New Delhi in March 2012,
wherein she presented the CLR's training approaches and content related to Care giver, Education
and Early Child Education.
Dr John Kurrien, Ms. Zakiya Kurrien and Chittaranjan Kaul attended two meetings, convened by the
Maharashtra Prathmik Shikshan Parishad (MPSP), related to the proposed State Resource Group on
English, held in Mumbai and Pune in 2011.
Dr. Susan McKenney of University of Twente, Netherlands, and Open University of Amsterdam
visited CLR under an ICSSR-NWO grant for discussions on initiating an academic partnership
between CLR and the two institutions.
CLR was invited as a member of the Publisher Action Group- Ensuring quality books (Pag-e) formed
by a group of eminent publishers of children's books deeply commited to quality publishing and
business ethics and publishing in all Indian languages.
Annual Report 2011-12 14
Funding
Acknowledgments
The CLR gratefully acknowledges the grant received from Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust for the Early
Childhood Education projects in Dharni Block of Amravati District and Yadgir District. We also thank
New Education Group, Foundation for Innovation and Research in Education (NEG-FIRE) for co-
funding the project in Dharni Block.
We are grateful to the Jamsetji Tata Trust and Michael and Susan Dell Foundation for supporting the
activities related to the English Resource Centre in the PMC schools.
We are grateful to Tech Mahindra Foundation for funding the development and piloting of the
English language course entitled “Yuva English”.
We thank The Karuna Trust, UK, for funding the development of video training materials in Early
Childhood Education.
We gratefully acknowledge the guidance and cooperation of the members of our Governing Council.
The members are:
Mr. Ardeshir Dubash Mr. Milon Nag
Dr. John Kurrien Mr. Gautam Patel
Ms. Zakiya Kurrien Dr. Farrokh Wadia
Ms. Ingrid Mendonca Dr. Statira Wadia
FUNDING / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Centre For Learning ResourcesAnnual Report
2011-12
Centre For Learning Resources8 Deccan College Road, Yerawada, Pune - 411006
E-mail : [email protected] Website : www.clrindia.net