Preschool Assessment Tool - FSG Consulting · 2020. 2. 24. · 1 Overview of the Preschool Assessment Tool 2 Approach to developing the tool 2.1 Classroom observation 2.2 Child learning

1 © FSG |

Preschool Assessment Tool PROGRAM TO IMPROVE PRIVATE EARLY EDUCATION

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Glossary of terms (1 of 2)

1 year PIPE APSs: APSs with partner solutions for 1 year

2 year PIPE APSs: APSs with partner solutions for 2 years

Activity-based learning (ABL): Learning through structured play-based activities, games, and experiences that provide

developmental benefits across the cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional domains

ABL solution provider: Private companies providing ABL solutions including curriculum materials, teacher training and

continuous support for proper implementation of the program

Administrator: Individual business-persons who leverage an existing asset or infrastructure to set up APSs. Administrators

predominantly run these schools.

Affordable Private School (APS): Educational institutions that are accessed by low-income households. APSs operate from

Kindergarten to grade 8 or above, are not government-aided, trust-aided or trust-funded and charge all-inclusive fees between

INR 500 – INR 1650 per child per month (i.e., including books, tuition fee, admission/ readmission fee, uniforms, and excluding

transportation)

Control APSs: APSs using no external interventions

Early Childhood Education (ECE): The formal education a child receives between the ages two through five. Although early

childhood is typically considered to range from birth to age six, this narrower definition has been chosen to reflect the

research’s interest in the years when formal pre-primary education is typically provided in India

English-medium education: Education with English rather than the local vernacular as the primary language of instruction

Full curriculum PIPE APSs: PIPE APSs using full school curriculum

Learning Manager: Member of ABL solution provider’s implementation team assigned to facilitate implementation in a

particular school. A Learning Manager assigned to a school will deliver all touchpoints to that school (including school visits,

teacher training, parent engagement visits etc.)

Markers: Indicators or signs that parents use to assess whether their child is learning

“Right” markers: Parents assess their children are learning by asking if they can actually understand the content

“Wrong” markers: Parents assess if their children are learning by asking if they can recite rote memorized content

© FSG | 3

Glossary of terms (2 of 2)

Partner: 8 private companies providing high-quality ABL solutions to the APS market

Partner solutions: Play/ activity based programs including curriculum materials and continuous support for proper

implementation of the program, provided by PIPE partners

PAT: Pre-school assessment tool to assess the impact and sustainability of ABL in APSs

PIPE APSs: APSs using PIPE partner solutions

Preschooling/ Preprimary classes: All formal educational classes prior to first grade

Program to Improve Private Early Education (PIPE): Program to replace rote memorization technique with activity based

learning in the ~300,000 APSs in India

Single subject PIPE APSs: PIPE APSs using single subject curriculum

Socioeconomic class/NCCS: The New Consumer Classification System (NCCS) is used to classify households into

socioeconomic classes based on two variables: Education level of the chief wage-earner, and the number of consumer

durable goods owned by the household from a predefined list of 11 durables. For a full list of variables and the exact

classification system, see http://www.mruc.net/?q=new-consumer-classification-systemnccs

Standalone preschool: Preschool providers that do not offer classes beyond preprimary

Tuition class: After-school coaching/tutorial classes that provide extra academic support to children

“Working poor” households/Low-income households: Households belonging to socioeconomic classes D1 to A3 under

the New Consumer Classification System (NCCS). These households constitute the middle 70 percent of urban India and

have an average monthly household income of between INR 9,000 and INR 20,000. The term “low-income household” has

been used interchangeably with the term “working poor”

http://www.mruc.net/?q=new-consumer-classification-systemnccs







4 © FSG |

Agenda

1 Overview of the Preschool Assessment Tool

2 Approach to developing the tool

2.1 Classroom observation

2.2 Child learning outcomes

2.3 Stakeholder interview

3 Key relevant resources

4 About PIPE and FSG

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PIPE developed the Preschool Assessment Tool with two

objectives

• Track impact of good pedagogy (e.g. Activity-Based Learning) in

preschool by measuring change in the classroom environment and child

learning outcomes

• Track sustainability of good pedagogy by measuring administrator,

teacher and parent engagement

1

2

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Why the Preschool Assessment Tool?

Adapted to Indian

context based on

existing tools

(ECERS 3, IDELA)

Assesses

stakeholder buy-in

on good pedagogy

in addition to change

in classroom

environment and

learning outcomes

Efficient Scalable

Comparable

Less than 4 hours

required to complete

assessment of a

school

Minimal training

required

Doesn’t require

expert probing skills

Produces a simple

score on 100

Each score has a

clear description

Rigorous

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PAT contains 5 distinct sections to track impact and

sustainability

Description

Classroom environment

Parent interviews

Child learning outcomes

Rationale

Examples

Assesses

physical setup

of classroom Assesses

culture through

peer interactions

and teacher-

student

engagement

Interactions &

risk-taking

involved in good

pedagogy

happens in safe

environments

Teachers asks

open-ended

questions and

responds

positively

Evaluates level

of parent

engagement Checks if

parents assess

learning

Conducive

home

environment is

essential to

reinforce

learning

What do you do

at home to help

your child learn

Math?

Measures child

learning

outcomes in

English, Math

and executive

function Assessments for

end of Sr. KG

and Grade 2

Good pedagogy

improves child’s

understanding

of concepts and

learning

outcomes

Read “pin”

(UKG) Solve two

subtraction

problems (Gr 2)

Teacher interviews

Checks if

teacher

– Knows that

good

pedagogy

helps learning

– Can guide

parents to

help child at

home

Teacher

capability is

essential to

implementation

of good

pedagogy

How would you

teach numbers

11-20 to your

class?

Impact Sustainability

Sections Administrator interviews

Checks if

administrator

– Knows that

good

pedagogy

helps

learning

– Shares

benefits with

parents

Administrator

understanding

and buy-in is

essential for

continued use of

good pedagogy

According to

you, how does a

good teacher

teach counting?

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The entire tool is scored on 100

Section Score

(=A*B*C)

Number of

questions (A)

Maximum score per

question (B)

Number of

interviewees

assessed (C)

Classroom

environment 36 12 3 1

Child learning

outcomes 70

End of UKG 40 8 1 5

End of Grade 2 30 2 3 5

Administrator

interview 27 9 3 1

Teacher interview 27 9 3 1

Parent interview 401 6

4 questions with a

maximum score of 1.5 5

2 questions with a

maximum score of 1

Total score2 100

1: Parent interview scores = (4*1.5*5)+(2*1*5) =40

2: Total score: (36+70+27+27+40)/2 = 100

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Agenda








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PIPE followed a 3-step process to develop a robust classroom

environment tool

Developed criteria to

assess tools under

consideration

– Contextually relevant

– Granular

– Easy-to-use

Reviewed 4 classroom

assessment tools

– Early Childhood

Environment Rating

Scale 3 (ECERS 3)

– Classroom

Assessment Scoring

System Tool (CLASS)

– Early Childhood

Education Quality

Assessment Scale

(ECEQAS)

– Measuring Early

Learning Environments

(MELE)

Selected ECERS-3 as it

most closely fit criteria laid

out in step 1

The ECERS 3 tool was

modified and adapted to

ensure:

– Relevance

– Ease of use

– Comprehensiveness

Adapted tool Developed criteria Selected tool

1 2 3

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Contextually

relevant

Assesses factors that determine a good learning environment

Assesses factors that are relevant to Indian APSs

Granular

Provides an objective assessment about the classroom environment through

observation-based criteria

Differentiates effectively between bad, good and better environments

Captures improvements or changes to the classroom environment

Easy to use

Can be used with minimal training

Can be used by individuals not trained in education

Allows for objective scoring

Criterion Description

PIPE looked for tools that were relevant to the APS context,

granular and easy to use


1 2 3

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PIPE leveraged the ECERS 3 tool to develop the classroom

environment assessment section

Tool name Description Selected? Rationale for

selecting / not selecting

Early Childhood

Environment Rating

Scale 3 (ECERS 3)

3rd edition of ECERS-R

scale

Captures: Classroom

environment data for 35 items

organized in 6 sub-scales

Training required: 3-4 days

Yes Covers relevant criteria

Granular

Easy-to-use

Classroom Assessment

Scoring System Tool

(CLASS)

Captures: Teacher behaviors

linked to student learning

Training required: 2 days

No Focused on interactions between staff

and children and among children

Does not evaluate materials, physical

environment, planning and curriculum

Early Childhood

Education Quality

Assessment Scale

(ECEQAS)

Captures: Classroom

environment data for 63 questions

across 3 sections

Training required: 1 day

No Scoring is insufficiently simplified

Some aspects not relevant to urban

APSs (e.g. hazardous conditions,

noise pollution)

Measuring Early

Learning Environments

(MELE)

Captures: Classroom data across

7 sections

Training required: Unavailable to

PIPE

No Version of tool assessed not

simplified enough


2 3 1

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PIPE shortlisted 10 sub-scales from ECERS-3 that were the

most relevant to the Indian APS context (1/7)

Sub-scale Item Rationale for including / not including in PAT

Space and

furnishings

Indoor space Children require space to interact and engage in learning experiences

The teacher needs to access students to facilitate learning

Furnishings for care, play

and learning

Space and resources are constrained at APSs

Furniture for play and learning other than desks is rare

Room arrangement for

play and learning

Space and arrangement are critical to effectively implement good

pedagogies like activity-based learning

While availability of space is important, it needs to be used in order to

have impact

Space for privacy Given space constraints in an APS, solution providers have little

control over this aspect

Privacy does not have the same cultural value as in a Western/

American context

Child-related display Display of children’s artwork helps with self esteem and reflects

classroom work and learning

Space for gross motor

play

Most APSs do not have a garden/ compound or play space

Gross motor equipment Given the absence of open play spaces, it is unlikely that an APS will

have space for gross motor equipment

Item included in PAT


2 3 1

Item dropped from PAT

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Personal care

routines

Meals/snacks Solution providers have little control over this aspect

– E.g. Most children are toilet trained by the time they start preschool

in India

– E.g. Children at APSs also carry their own snacks from home

Toileting/ Diapering

Health practices

Safety practices


2 3 1

Item included in PAT Item dropped from PAT

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Language and

literacy

Helping children expand

vocabulary

Expanding vocabulary is important for children to begin using

language in speaking and writing

Encouraging children to

use language

Encourages more conversation and language use

Opportunities for conversation lead to better exposure to language

and more chances of practicing it

Staff use books with

children

Use of books/ print is solution provider–specific

The tool was designed to be solution provider-agnostic

Encouraging children’s

use of books

Becoming familiar with

print


2 3 1


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Learning

Activities

Fine motor Tool is designed to be solution-provider agnostic

Fine motor activities, art, etc. are not always part of solution providers’

curricula, particularly for single-subject providers Art

Music and movement

Blocks

Dramatic play

Nature/science

Math materials and

activities

Separate item on ‘Materials and activities’ included in the tool, which

includes Math materials and activities

Math in daily events Reinforcing Math concepts through references to daily life (e.g.

counting down, time limits for clean up) ensures conceptual learning of

Math


2 3 1


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Learning

Activities

Understanding written

numbers

“Math in daily events” included to assess Math learning in the class

Including two Math criteria is superfluous for a one-hour classroom

observation

Promoting acceptance of

diversity

Solution providers have little control over this aspect

Schools are usually responsible for promoting acceptance of diversity

Appropriate use of

technology

Not all solution providers have products that use technology

Not all APSs have access to technology


2 3 1


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Interaction Supervision of gross motor There is limited gross motor activities in most APSs due to space

constraints. Also, this may be very intervention specific

Individualized teaching and

learning

Given the class size, teacher-student ratio and teacher capability, this

becomes difficult for a partner to impact and control

Staff-child interaction Positive interactions help create a safe learning environment

Peer interaction Peer interaction leads to increased conversation and better learning

through collaboration

Discipline Classroom management is essential for a smooth implementation of

good pedagogy


2 3 1


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Program

structure

Transitions and waiting

times

Lead to minimal wasted time

Provide a natural way for children to move from one session to the

next

Free play Solution-provider specific

Whole-group activities for

play and learning

Collaboration leads to better learning

Captured in items such as materials and activities and student

engagement


2 3 1


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PIPE modified the scoring criteria

Category Original approach Challenges Proposed

approach Rationale

Scale 0-7 Wide

Require expert skills to

differentiate

0-3 Narrow, mutually exclusive set

Scoring

indicators

Greater than 5

indicators

Not mutually

exclusive

Overlap between criteria

creates confusion in

scoring for non-experts

Large set of scoring

options

Less than 3

indicators

per criteria

Mutually

exclusive

Operationally easy to execute

while retaining key indicators

Approach Full day

assessment

requiring 3 hours in

class

Most users of the tool

would not be able to

spend 3 hours in a

single classroom

1 hour in

class

Feasible to observe a class for

1 hour

Time frame gives access to a

range of activities and

sessions including transitions

and interactions


2 3 1

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Agenda








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PIPE wanted to assess children using ‘markers’ which…

Are activity based tasks or questions that parents can use with children to

check for learning

Test understanding of concepts that rote memorization techniques cannot

deliver

Can be used by parents of any background irrespective of technical

knowledge or education qualification

Highlights gaps in ECE to help parents realize the need for good ECE

Are easy to administer so parents can use them at home with readily available

resources

Are age-appropriate and customized for target children

23 © FSG |

PIPE followed a 4-step process to finalize which markers of

child learning to assess on PAT

Identified 50+

potential markers1

Narrowed to ~20

markers1

Piloted 20

markers1

Identified 50+

potential markers

based on IDELA

assessments and

interviews with

experts, parents,

teachers, and APS

administrators

Shared the markers

with 50+ parents

across Mumbai, Delhi,

Bangalore and

Hyderabad and

briefed them on the

purpose of the activity

Observed parents use

the markers with their

children and

discussed the

experience to

understand the

challenges they faced,

the questions they

found most suitable

etc.

Based on interactions

with parents, PIPE

finalized 8 markers to

include on PAT

Refined markers e.g.,

tweaked language

and collateral based

on parent feedback

Narrowed this list to

~20 markers based on

3 criteria:

– Tests age-

appropriate key

concepts/ constructs

– Highlights gaps in

ECE (Most children

should not be able to

answer questions/

perform activity)

– Resonates with

parents (Parents

should realize the

significance of their

children being

unable to perform

the task/ answer the

question)

1 2 3 Finalized 8

markers1

4

1: For details on the approach, please refer to ‘Customizing a Comprehensive Tool To Measure Early Learning

Outcomes for Children in India’.

2: For details on ASER, please refer to ASER Centre Test Samples

https://www.fsg.org/customizing-comprehensive-tool-measure-early-learning-outcomes-children-india




http://img.asercentre.org/docs/Bottom Panel/Key Docs/vrcenglishfinal.pdf

24 © FSG |

SI

no. Construct Marker/ Questions1 Expectation

1 English reading “Can you read ‘pin’?” [Show word ‘pin’] Child should be able to read

new and unfamiliar 3 letter

phonic words correctly

2 English speaking “Can you tell me in English

what is happening in this

picture?” [Show a

picture of park with 2-3

children playing different

games]

Child should be able to say at

least one sentence using

English words about a familiar

topic/ theme

3 One-to-one

correspondence

“Can you give me 12 sticks?” [Ask while

pointing to a bowl with 20 ice cream sticks]

Child should be able to count

up to 12 sticks correctly

4 Comparing

numbers

“Can you identify the

greatest number here?”

[Show numbers

6, 3, 5, 9, 4, and 7

arranged randomly]

Child should be able to

identify the greatest single

digit number from a random

group of numbers

Finalized 8 markers to include on PAT based on pilots (1/2) 4

1: To be asked to children at the end of Sr KG

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SI

no. Construct Marker/ Questions1 Expectation

5 Abstract addition “There are 3 apples in this

box. If I were to add 2 more,

how many would be there

in total?” [Point towards a

photo of 3 apples. Do not

indicate the numbers with

fingers or otherwise]

Child should be able to do

abstract addition with single

digit numbers

6 Executive

function

“Can you complete this puzzle?“ [Give the

child a four-piece puzzle]

Child should be able to

complete up to 4-piece

puzzles

7 Oral vocabulary “Name as many animals as you can.” Child should be able to recall

and name at least 6 animals

8 Shape

identification

“Can you point to something circle-shaped in

this room?”

Child should be able to point

to something shaped like a

circle in the environment

Finalized 8 markers to include on PAT based on pilots (2/2) 4

1: To be asked to children at the end of Sr KG

26 © FSG |

Ask the child to read this tool. Mark the child at the highest level he/she can reach.1

1: Question is based on ASER Centre Test Samples

S1

no Question 0 1 2 3

1 (Ask child to read this

tool. Mark the highest

level that a child can

reach)

Child cannot identify

at least 5 letters

Child can identify 5

letters

Child can read all 4

sentences

Child can read entire

story

PAT also contains a simple test for children at the end of

Grade 2 to assess Math and reading skills (1/2)


27 © FSG |

PAT also contains a simple test for children at the end of

Grade 2 to assess Math and reading skills (2/2)

Ask the child to read this tool. Mark the child at the highest level he/she can reach1

1: Question is based on ASER Centre Test Samples

S1

no Question 0 1 2 3

1 (Ask child to read this

tool. Mark the highest

level that a child can

reach)

Child cannot identify

at least 4 numbers

Child can identify at

least 4 numbers

Child can complete

both simple

subtraction problems

Child can complete

both carry forward

subtraction problems


28 © FSG |

Agenda






2.3.1 Administrator interview

2.3.2 Teacher interview

2.3.3 Parent interview



29 © FSG |

PIPE used a five-step approach to design a tool to assess

administrator’s ability to support good pedagogy

Identified key

skills of an

administrator

Identified

areas of inquiry

to measure

this skill

Developed

questions

for areas

of inquiry

De

sc

rip

tio

n

Key skills

that an

administrator

should have

to ensure

good

classroom

implementati

on and child

learning

A B C

Ex

am

ple

Key areas of

inquiry to

measure

administrator's

performance on

key skills (through

in-person

interview or

evidence

gathered)

Know that

children

should

understand

concepts

and not just

recall

content

Examples of

concepts in

English and Math

that children

should know

How does a good

teacher check if

children are

learning Math?

Simple open-

ended questions

Limited probing

skills required

Steps

Edited tool

to flow

like a

conversation

Restructured

questions to

make the

interview

conversational

D Developed

scoring

options for

questions

E

0: Unaware

3: Conceptual

assessments like

counting objects

A scoring scale of 0-

3 that captures

response for each

question. For e.g.

– A score of ‘0’

implies no

awareness of the

area of inquiry


implies practice of

good pedagogy

30 © FSG |

PIPE identified what a good administrator should be able to

do and areas of inquiry to measure this skill in PAT (1/4)

A good

administrator

should…

Areas of inquiry to measure this skill Rationale for including/ not including in PAT

Know that

children

should learn

and not just

recall content

Check how an administrator assesses

whether a UKG child knows

– English

– Math

Administrators are likely to implement good pedagogy

correctly if they know that children should learn and not

just recall content

Children’s understanding in Math and English are key

components of grade 1 readiness

Narrow and targeted response set as assessment on

specific concepts

Check how administrator assesses if

UKG child is ready for Grade 1 Math /

English

Including grade 1 readiness leads respondents to answer

“checking for annual assessments”

Check what administrator believes

teachers must do to assess if children

are learning English / Math

Captured within response set for skill #2 “Know that good

pedagogy helps learning”

Know that

good

pedagogy

helps learning

Check what administrator believes is the

best way to teach

– counting

– reading

Administrators are likely to facilitate good pedagogy if they

know that good pedagogy helps learning

Narrow and targeted response set due to standardized

curriculum for Math and English

Check what administrator has done in

the past 2 years to improve Math/English

learning in pre-primary

Broad response set

Not relevant to assess buy-in on good pedagogy

Check how administrator has

differentiated school from other schools

Broad response set

Not relevant to assess buy-in on good pedagogy

2

Area of inquiry included in PAT Area of inquiry dropped from PAT

A

B

1

31 © FSG |



A good

administrator

should…

Areas of inquiry to measure this skill Rationale for including / not including in PAT

Ensure

teachers

implement

good

pedagogy

Check how administrator supports

teachers to teach English and Math well

Difficult to verify

Lots of probing required to determine the quality of support

offered

Ask administrator to describe activities

they have seen/heard in a pre-primary

class that they thought were good

Question is too theoretical

Difficult to verify

Description of one or two activities does not imply

consistent follow-up

Ask administrator what they do to make

sure implementation is good

Large response set

Difficult to verify

Ask administrator how often they visit

the classroom

Difficult to verify

Frequent visits do not necessarily mean monitoring is of

good quality

Ask administrator how they make sure

English and Math are taught well

Large response set

No direct implication on buy-in on good pedagogy

Ask administrator what his/her typical

day in school is like

Large response set

Vague question to determine whether administrator visits

classroom to monitor quality

After you ask administrator what the best

way to teach students counting/reading,

check how administrator makes sure this

happens in classrooms

Too nuanced/technical for a typical APS administrator

Unclear how to differentiate “good” administrator from a

“bad” administrator

3

A

B


32 © FSG |



A good

administrator

should…


Know how

parents can

support

effective

teaching

Check what the administrator tells UKG

parents about how they can check

learning in English and Math

Parents currently check rote memorization

Parents are unaware of learning or approaches to learning

(e.g. activity-based learning)

Parent buy-in on good pedagogy and awareness of

correct markers key to ensuring sustainability of good

pedagogy in the school

Check what the administrator tells UKG

parents about how they can help their

children learn at home

Check how many times the administrator

has engaged parents to inform them of

good learning in the school

Administrator should have an organized process to

communicate messages to parents, which indicates

systematic delivery of messages

Check what the administrator tells

parents about how the school teaches

children well

Hard to verify responses

Large response set

Check how the administrator tells

parents these messages

Ask administrator to give examples of

feedback that parents have provided

about their child’s learning at school

Even schools using bad pedagogies could receive

favorable feedback from parents

Ask administrator what parents should

check at the end of UKG to know that

their child has learnt English/Math

Including “At the end of UKG” leads respondents to

respond with “check end of year assessment”, which may

be rote or conceptual

A

B

4


33 © FSG |



A good

administrator

should…


Advocate

learning

versus recall

Check for whether and how

administrator advertises good learning

Check for whether and how

administrator communicates learning

approaches to prospective parents

Excluded as this gets captured under ‘educates parents’

Administrators may choose not to advertise learning

approaches but still facilitate good pedagogy within their

school

A

B


34 © FSG |

A set of questions were developed for each area of inquiry

(1/4)

A good

administrator

should ….

Areas of inquiry

to measure this

skill

Questions Rationale for keeping or dropping

question

Know that

children

should

understand

concepts and

not just recall

content

Check how

an

administrator

assesses

whether a

UKG child

knows

– English

– Math

1. According to you, how does a good

teacher teach counting?

While administrators do not individually

check student learning, they are

expected to know how a teacher should

check learning

Limited prompting required


teacher teach reading?

4. How would you check if a UKG child is

ready for Grade 1 Math/English?

Including ‘ready for grade 1…’ leads

respondents to provide ‘checking for

annual assessments’ as the response

5. In class, what do teachers do to check

if children are learning Math/English?

Overlaps with knowledge area of “How

to teach this effectively to students”

6. How would you check if your UKG child

knows Math?

Most responses were ‘delegation’ as

their time is generally spent on higher

grades

7. How would you check if your UKG child

knows English?

C

Questions in red were considered, but then dropped Questions in green have been included in PAT

1

35 © FSG |


(2/4)

A good

administrator

should ….

Areas of inquiry

to measure this

skill


question

Know that

good

pedagogy

helps learning

Check what

administrator

believes is

the best way

to teach

– Counting

– Reading


teacher teach counting?

While administrators may have never

taught a class, they are expected to

know how an effective teacher teaches

Tests specific understanding of activity-

based pedagogy

Narrow response set

Doesn’t require expert probing skills


teacher teach reading?

10.According to you, what is the best way

to teach children counting?

Question feels uncomfortable to ask an

owner/administrator who may have

never taught a class

11.According to you, what is the best way

to teach children to read?

12.What have you done in the past 2 years

to improve Math and English learning in

pre-primary?

Not relevant to assess buy-in on good

pedagogy

Large response set

13.How have you differentiated your

school from other schools?

Not relevant to assess buy-in on good

pedagogy

Large response set

C


2

36 © FSG |


(3/4)

A good

administrator

should ….

Areas of inquiry

to measure this

skill


question

Ensure

teachers

implement

good

pedagogy

Check how

the

administrator

supports

teachers to

teach English

and Math well

14.How do you support your teachers to

teach English and Math well?

Difficult to verify

Lots of probing required to determine

the quality of support offered

15.Can you describe activities you have

seen/heard in a pre-primary class that

you would say were good?

Theoretical

No implication on buy-in on good

pedagogy

16.What do you do to make sure

implementation is good?

Large response set

No direct implication on buy-in on good

pedagogy

Difficult to verify

17. How often do you visit? Difficult to verify

Frequent visits do not necessarily mean

monitoring is of good quality

18.What is your typical day in school like? Large response set

Vague question to determine whether

administrator visits classroom to

monitor quality

19.After “According to you, what is the best

way to teach counting/reading” ask

“And how do you make sure this

happens in your classrooms?”

Too nuanced/ technical for a typical

APS administrator

No direct implication on buy-in on good

pedagogy

Not sure how to differentiate good

owner and bad owner

C

3

37 © FSG |


(4/4)

A good

administrator

should ….

Areas of inquiry

to measure this

skill


question

Know how

parents can

support

effective

teaching

Check what

the

administrator

tells UKG

parents about

how they can

check

learning in

English and

Math

Check what

the

administrator

tells UKG

parents about

how they can

help their

children learn

at home

20.What do you tell UKG parents about

how they can help their child learn

English/Math at home?

Checks if administrator knows how to

direct parents to help their child learn at

home


how they can check learning in English

/Math?

Checks if admin knows how to direct

parents to check for conceptual learning


how they can help their child learn at

home?

Hard to verify

Large response set

23.How do you tell them these messages? Hard to verify

Large response set

24.Can you give examples of feedback

that parents have provided about their

child’s learning at your school?

Doesn’t have implication on buy-in on

good pedagogy

25.At the end UKG, what should parents

check to know that their child has learnt

English/Math?

Including ‘at the end of UKG’ leads

administrators to respond with ‘check

end of year assessment’…

C


4

38 © FSG |

PIPE restructured these questions to ensure the interview is

conversational

[Warm up] How have you been doing?

[Warm up] How is the school doing?

[Warm up] We are interested in talking about Sr KG

Question 1: According to you, how does a good teacher teach counting? Can you give examples?

Question 2: According to you, how does a good teacher teach reading? Can you give examples?

[Transition] I am keen to discuss what a good teacher does.

Question 3: How does a good teacher know if a child is learning Math?

Question 4: How does a good teacher know if a child is learning English?

[Transition] Moving to parents, what kinds of jobs do the parents who send their children to your

school do?

Question 5: What do you tell such parents about how they can check learning in Math? Can you give

examples of questions?

Question 6: What do you tell such parents about how they can check learning in English? Can you give

examples of questions?

Question 7: What do you tell such parents about how they can help their child learn Math at home? Can

you give examples of questions?

Question 8: What do you tell such parents about how they can help their child learn English at home?

Can you give examples of questions?

D

39 © FSG |

Each question is scored on a scale of 0 to 3 (1/7)

Question 0 1 2 3

According to you,

how does a good

teacher teach

counting? Can you

give examples?

(Prompt “any

more” once)

Mentions one or more

of the following:

Ask child to:

Repeat (e.g.

rhymes, numbers)

Write (numbers,

names)

Unsure/ unaware


of the following:

Flash cards

Draw and count on

blackboard

Demo by teacher

using materials/

students

Use smartboard

Mentions one of the

following:

Mentions two or more

of the following:

Students use materials (e.g. sticks, beans,

pencils, beads, abacus)

Play games (e.g. snakes and ladders)

According to you,

how does a good

teacher teach

reading? Can you

give examples?

(Prompt “any

more” once)


of the following:

Write

Memorize word

spellings

Unsure/unaware

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following OR

one in column 3:


of the following:

Ask child to:

Read stories in

class

Read simple words

from newspaper/

story book

Phonics

Blending, segmenting

TLMs (e.g. flash cards, word-wheel, posters)

Family words (e.g. ‘ad’, ‘og’, ‘at’, ‘in’)

Sight words

E

40 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

How does a good

teacher know if a

child is learning

Math?

(Prompt “Can you

suggest more

ways to check”

once)


of the following:

Ask child to:

Recite1-100

Write numbers

Write number

names

Check test

scores/report card

Unaware

Mentions one of the

following:

Mentions two of the

following OR one in

column 3:


of the following:

Ask child to:

Fill missing

numbers

Identify 'before-

after' numbers

Compare

quantities/

numbers (e.g.

bigger/ smaller,

less/ more than,

largest/ smallest)

Ask child to:

Identify numbers at random

Identify shapes

Count using objects (e.g. beads, fruits,

vegetables)

Add or subtract

Recite tables

E

41 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

How does a good

teacher know if a

child is learning

English?

(Prompt “any

more” once)


of the following:

Ask child to:

Recite A-Z

Recite rhymes

Repeat after

teacher

Write alphabets

Check test

scores/report card

Unsure/ unaware

Mentions one of the

following:

Ask child to:

Identify letters at

random

Match sounds with

letters

Write dictated

alphabets / words /

spellings

Respond to simple

questions (for e.g.

“What is your

name?”)

Use every day

phrases like “good

morning,” “please,”

“thank you”

Read familiar

words taught in

class (cat, bat,

apple)

Speak in English

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following:

Ask child to:

Describe a picture in English/ Narrate a story/

event

Read new words (e.g. in newspaper, story

book, billboard)

Match the word to the picture

Follow instructions in English

Name objects starting with a letter

Phonics

Blending of sounds

E

42 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

them [parents]

about how they can

check learning in

Math?

(Prompt “any

more ways to

check” once)

(Prompt “Give

examples of

homework” if the

response is

“Ensure

homework is

completed”)


of the following:

Check if child can:

Recite 1-100

Recite tables

Copy numbers

Check report cards

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing

Mentions one of the

following:

Mentions two of the

following OR one in

column 3:


of the following:

Check if child can:

Fill missing

numbers

Identify 'before-

after' numbers

Compare

quantities/

numbers (e.g.

bigger/ smaller,

less/ more than,

largest/ smallest)

Check if child can:


Identify shapes

Count using objects (e.g. beads)

Add or subtract

E

43 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

them [parents]

about how they can

check learning in

English?

(Prompt “any

more ways to

check” once)

(Prompt “Give

examples of

homework” if the

response is

“Ensure

homework is

completed”)


of the following:

Check if child can:

Recite 1-100

Recite tables

Copy numbers

Check report cards

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing


the following:

Check if child can:

Read words in the

textbook

Identify letters

Identify colours/

animals/ vehicles

Speak in English

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following

Check if child can:

Read “new” words

Describe a picture/ event/ story with some

English

Match sounds with letters

Identify sounds of letters/ phonics

Respond in English to new questions (e.g.

“What did you learn in school?”)

E

44 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

them [parents]

about how they can

help their child

learn Math at

home?

(Prompt “any

more” once)

(Prompt “Give

examples of

homework” if the

response is

“Ensure

homework is

completed”)


of the following

Ask child to:

Recite numbers

Copy numbers

Check report cards

Send to tuitions

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing

Mentions one of the

following


of the following OR

one in column 3


of the following

Ask child to:

Arrange currency

in order of value

Word problems for

addition/

subtraction

Play simple games

(e.g. snakes and

ladders)

Teach kids to sort

(e.g. shapes, size,

colour)

Transact using real

money

Read numbers at

random (e.g.

mobile and bus

numbers)

Ask child to:

Count objects

Identify shapes, etc.

Revise lesson taught at school

Add or subtract

E

45 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

such parents about

how they can help

their child learn

English at home?

(Prompt “any

more” once)


of the following

Ask child to:

Recite poems

Recite A-Z

Send to tuitions

Check exam results

Attend PTM

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing


of the following


of the following OR

one in column 3


of the following

Ask child to:


Describe their

routine/ picture/

event/ TV show

etc.

Tell/ Read stories

together in English

Show English

stories/ cartoons

on YouTube, TV (or

similar media)

Speak in English

Ask for sounds of

letters/ phonics

Follow simple

instructions (e.g.

“Go carefully”)

Ask child to:

Read words taught in school

Identify letters at random

Identify colours / animals / vehicles, etc.

Practice writing alphabets


Encourage conversations in English

E

46 © FSG |

Agenda











47 © FSG |


teachers’ ability to support and implement good pedagogy

Identified key

skills of a

teacher

Identified

areas of inquiry

to measure

this skill

Developed

questions

for areas

of inquiry

De

sc

rip

tio

n

Key skills

that a

teacher

should have

to ensure

good

classroom

implementati-

on and child

learning

A B C

Ex

am

ple

Key areas of

inquiry to

measure

teachers’

performance on

key skills (through

in-person

interview or

evidence

gathered)

Know that

children

should

understand

concepts

and not just

recall

content

Examples of

concepts in

English and Math

that children

should know

Let’s say you

have a

niece/nephew in

UKG. How will

you check for

his/her learning in

Math?

Simple open-

ended questions

Limited probing

skills required

Steps

Edited tool

to flow

like a

conversation

Restructured

questions to

make the

interview

conversational

D Developed

scoring

options for

questions

E

0: Unaware

3: Conceptual

assessments like

counting objects


3 that captures

response for each

question. For e.g.


implies no

awareness of the

area of inquiry


implies practice of

good pedagogy

48 © FSG |

PIPE identified what a good teacher should be able to do

and areas of inquiry to measure this skill in PAT (1/2)

A good teacher

should… Areas of inquiry to measure this skill Rationale for including / not including in PAT

Know that

children should

learn and not

just recall

content

Check how a teacher assesses what a

new child who has joined his/her class

knows:

– in English

– in Math

Teachers are likely to implement good pedagogy correctly

if they know that children should understand learn and not

just recall content

Children’s understanding in Math and English are key

components of class 1 readiness

Check if the teacher assesses whether

children have developed socio-emotional

awareness

Evaluating socio-emotional understanding is a very high

expectation to have of an APS teacher

Know that good

pedagogy helps

learning

Check if the teacher uses activity-based

methods to teach

– counting

– reading 3-letter words

– concepts in non-Math or non-English

subjects (e.g. EVS)

Teachers are likely to implement good pedagogy correctly

if they know that good pedagogy (e.g. ABL) helps learning

Math and English concepts are standardized across pre-

primary

Math and English understanding is a key component of

Grade 1 readiness

Non-Math or non-English concepts are not standardized

across pre-primary classes

Check if teacher knows ways to address

learning gaps in Math/English

Even teachers who do not use good pedagogy might be

able to address learning gaps

Good pedagogy may not be the only solution to address

these gaps

Check if teacher understands that creating

a student-centric culture in the classroom

helps activity-based learning

Most accurately assessed through observation in the

classroom environment section


1

2

A

B

49 © FSG |

PIPE identified what a good teacher should be able to do

and areas of inquiry to measure this skill in PAT (2/2)

A good teacher

should… Areas of inquiry to measure this skill Rationale for including / not including in PAT

Prepare for

lessons and

follow a detailed

session/lesson

plan

Check for

– a day’s lesson plan

– resources / material planned to be

used for the lesson

Lesson planning in an activity-based classroom is best

assessed through classroom observation

Use materials

correctly to

teach concepts

Check for correct usage of materials while

describing one activity in the lesson plan

done in the past week

Best assessed through classroom observation

Know how

parents can

support effective

teaching

Check for suggestions given to parents to

help children learn Math/ English at home

Check for suggestions given to parents to

assess child’s learning in Math/ English

Checks if teacher recognizes parent ability to support /

augment good pedagogy through activities at home

Keep parents

updated on child

progress and

manage

concerns

Check if updates are given to parents

about child’s learning progress

Check parents’ expectations are

managed and their concerns addressed

Managing parent expectations and sharing progress on

child learning does not necessarily mean that the teacher

implements good pedagogy in his/ her classroom

Teacher might be able to satisfy parent expectations (e.g.

giving children written work and tests) without teaching

through good pedagogy

Have received

formal training

to teach pre-

primary classes

Check if teacher is trained in early

childhood education (ECE)

Training is required but not sufficient to measure

capability to implement good pedagogy

3


A

B

50 © FSG |

A good teacher

should…

Areas of inquiry

to measure this

skill


question

Know that

children

should learn

and not just

recall content

Check how a

teacher

assesses what

a new child

who has joined

his/her class

knows:

– in English

– in Math

1. Let’s say you have a niece or nephew

who is in UKG. How will you check what

he/she knows in Math?

Checks for awareness on what children

should learn

Narrows response to specific questions

as opposed to process

Doesn’t require expert probing skills 2. Let’s say you have a niece or nephew

who is in UKG. How will you check what

he/she knows in English?

3. If a new child joins your class, how will

you check for his/her learning in Math?

Responses include process and logistics

that are not relevant to this question (e.g.

“first I will make sure they are

comfortable…”) 4. If a new child joins your class, how will

you check for his/her learning in

English?

5. In class, tell us all the ways you check if

a child is learning math?

Using ‘in class’ forces generic ‘whole-

class’ related response (e.g. asking

children to chorus numbers at the end of

a number activity) 6. In class, tell us all the ways you check if

a child is learning English?

A set of questions have been developed for each area of

inquiry (1/3)


1

C

51 © FSG |

A good teacher

should …

Areas of inquiry

to measure this

skill


question

Know that

good

pedagogy

helps learning

Check if the

teacher uses

activity-based

methods to

teach

– counting

– reading

3-letter

words

7. How would you teach numbers 11-20 to

your class?

Tests specific understanding of activity /

play based pedagogy

Narrow response set

Doesn’t require expert probing skills 8. How would you teach ‘addition’ to your

class?

9. How do you teach your class to read 3

letter words?

10.How do you teach your class the

concept “heavy or light”

Non math/ non English concepts aren’t

standardized

Buy-in on good pedagogy better

represented through Math and English

concepts

11.What would you do if a child is

struggling with counting?

Checks for teacher’s ability to recognize

and address learning gaps

Does not explicitly check for teachers

buy-in on good pedagogy (e.g. ABL) 12.What would you do if a child is unable

to read new 3-letter words?

13. In class, describe activities that you

have done to teach children Math/

English?

Large response set

Requires skilled probing skills to

distinguish rote and activity-based

delivery (e.g. use of flashcards)

May require multiple verbose prompts


inquiry (2/3)


2

C

52 © FSG |

A good teacher

should…

Areas of inquiry

to measure this

skill


question

Know how

parents can

support

effective

teaching

Check for

suggestions

given to

parents to help

children learn

Math/ English

at home

Check for

suggestions

given to

parents to

check for the

child’s learning

in Math /

English

14.What do you tell parents to do at home

to help their child learn math?

Checks if teacher recognizes parent

ability to support at home

Checks for awareness of simple

activities to reinforce Math/ English

Doesn’t solicit broad responses

Doesn’t require expert probing skills

15.What do you tell parents to do at home

to help their child learn English?


how they can check learning in

English?

Checks if teacher is able to guide

parents to assess learning outcomes

Narrows responses to a handful of

questions

Doesn’t require expert probing skills 17.What do you tell UKG parents about

how they can check learning in Math?

18.What can parents who are not educated

do at home to help their children with

Math?

Not all APS parents are uneducated

Including ‘…who are not educated’

distracts interviewees

19.What can the parents who are not

educated do at home to help their

children with English?


inquiry (3/3)


3

C

53 © FSG |


conversational

[Warm up] How have you been doing?

[Warm up] What classes do you teach?

[Warm up] We are interested in talking about your Sr KG class

Question 1: How would you teach the numbers 11-20 to your class?

Question 2: How would you teach ‘addition’ to your class?

Question 3: How do you teach your class to read 3-letter words?

[Transition] I am keen to know how you assess children. Let’s take a scenario:

Question 4: Let’s say you have a niece or nephew who is in Sr KG. How will you check what she/ he

knows in Math?

Question 5: And how will you check what your niece or nephew knows in English?

[Transition] Moving to parents, what kinds of jobs do the parents who send their children to your

school do?

Question 6: What do you tell them about how they can check learning in Math?

Question 7: What do you tell them about how they can check learning in English?

Question 8: What do you tell them to do at home to help their children with Math?

Question 9: What do you tell them to do at home to help their children with English?

D

54 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

How would you

teach the numbers

11-20 to your

class?

(Prompt “any

more” once)


of the following:

Ask child to:

Repeat (e.g.

rhymes, numbers)

Write (numbers,

names)

Unsure/ unaware


of the following:

Flash cards

Draw and count on

blackboard

Demo by teacher

using materials/

students

Use smartboard

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following:

Students use materials (e.g. sticks, beans,

pencils, beads, abacus)

Play games (e.g. snakes and ladders)

How would you

teach ‘addition’ to

your class?

(Prompt “any

more” once)


of the following:

Write numbers/

addition on board

Make children copy

from board

Dictation

Unsure/ unaware


of the following:

Draw items on the

board

Objects for

demonstration (e.g.

beads, blocks,

magnets, sticks,

pencils)

Practice worksheets

Use smartboard

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following:

Children use materials like beads, beans. sticks,

stones, abacus, etc.

Children draw, colour or count pictures to add

Play games (e.g. with dice, cards)

Word problems

E

55 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

How do you teach

your class to read 3

letter words?

(Prompt “any

more” once)


of the following:

Write

Memorize word

spellings

Unsure/unaware

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following OR

one in column 3:


of the following:

Ask child to:

Read stories in

class

Read simple words

from newspaper/

story book

Phonics

Blending, segmenting

TLMs (e.g. flash cards, word-wheel, posters)

Family words (e.g. ‘ad’, ‘og’, ‘at’, ‘in’)

Sight words

Let’s say you have

a niece or nephew

who is in UKG.

How will you check

what she/he knows

in Math?

(Prompt “Can you

suggest more

ways to check”

once)


of the following:

Ask child to:

Recite1-100

Write numbers

Write number

names

Check test

scores/report card

Unaware

Mentions one of the

following:

Mentions two of the

following OR one in

column 3:


of the following:

Ask child to:

Fill missing

numbers

Identify 'before-

after' numbers

Compare

quantities/

numbers (e.g.

bigger/ smaller,

less/ more than,

largest/ smallest)

Ask child to:


Identify shapes

Count using objects (e.g. beads, fruits,

vegetables)

Add or subtract

Recite tables

E

56 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

And how will you

check what your

niece or nephew

knows in English?

(Prompt “Can you

suggest more

ways to check”

once)


of the following:

Ask child to:

Recite A-Z

Recite rhymes

Repeat after

teacher

Write alphabets

Check test

scores/report card

Unsure/ unaware

Mentions one of the

following:

Ask child to:

Identify letters at

random

Match sounds with

letters

Write dictated

alphabets / words /

spellings

Respond to simple

questions (for e.g.

“What is your

name?”)

Use every day

phrases like “good

morning,” “please,”

“thank you”

Read familiar

words taught in

class (cat, bat,

apple)

Speak in English

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following:

Ask child to:

Describe a picture in English/ Narrate a story/

event

Read new words (e.g. in newspaper, story

book, billboard)

Match the word to the picture

Follow instructions in English


Phonics

Blending of sounds

E

57 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

them [parents]

about how they can

check learning in

Math?

(Prompt “any

more ways to

check” once)

(Prompt “Give

examples of

homework” if the

response is

“Ensure

homework is

completed”)


of the following:

Check if child can:

Recite 1-100

Recite tables

Copy numbers

Check report cards

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing

Mentions one of the

following:

Mentions two of the

following OR one in

column 3:


of the following:

Check if child can:

Fill missing

numbers

Identify 'before-

after' numbers

Compare

quantities/

numbers (e.g.

bigger/ smaller,

less/ more than,

largest/ smallest)

Check if child can:


Identify shapes

Count using objects (e.g. beads)

Add or subtract

E

58 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

them [parents]

about how they can

check learning in

English?

(Prompt “any

more ways to

check” once)

(Prompt “Give

examples of

homework” if the

response is

“Ensure

homework is

completed”)


of the following:

Check if child can:

Recite 1-100

Recite tables

Copy numbers

Check report cards

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing


the following:

Check if child can:

Read words in the

textbook

Identify letters

Identify colours/

animals/ vehicles

Speak in English

Mentions one of the

following:


of the following

Check if child can:


Describe a picture/ event/ story with some

English

Match sounds with letters

Identify sounds of letters/ phonics

Respond in English to new questions (e.g.

“What did you learn in school?”)

E

59 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

them [parents]

about how they can

help their child

learn Math at

home?

(Prompt “any

more” once)

(Prompt “Give

examples of

homework” if the

response is

“Ensure

homework is

completed”)


of the following

Ask child to:

Recite numbers

Copy numbers

Check report cards

Send to tuitions

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing

Mentions one of the

following


of the following OR

one in column 3


of the following

Ask child to:

Arrange currency

in order of value

Word problems for

addition/

subtraction

Play simple games

(e.g. snakes and

ladders)

Teach kids to sort

(e.g. shapes, size,

colour)

Transact using real

money

Read numbers at

random (e.g.

mobile and bus

numbers)

Ask child to:

Count objects

Identify shapes, etc.

Revise lesson taught at school

Add or subtract

E

60 © FSG |


Question 0 1 2 3

What do you tell

them [parents]

about how they can

help their child

learn English at

home?

(Prompt “any

more” once)

(Prompt “Give

examples of

homework” if the

response is

“Ensure

homework is

completed”)


of the following

Ask child to:

Recite poems

Recite A-Z

Send to tuitions

Check exam results

Attend PTM

Ensure homework is

completed

Do nothing


of the following


of the following OR

one in column 3


of the following

Ask child to:


Describe their

routine/ picture/

event/ TV show

etc.

Tell/ Read stories

together in English

Show English

stories/ cartoons

on YouTube, TV (or

similar media)

Speak in English

Ask for sounds of

letters/ phonics

Follow simple

instructions (e.g.

“Go carefully”)

Ask child to:

Read words taught in school


Identify colours / animals / vehicles, etc.

Practice writing alphabets


Encourage conversations in English

E

61 © FSG |











Agenda

62 © FSG |


parents’ ability to support child learning

Identified key

skills of a parent

Identified

areas of inquiry

to measure

this skill

Developed

questions

for areas

of inquiry

De

sc

rip

tio

n

Key skills

that a parent

should have

to ensure

child learning

A B C

Ex

am

ple

Key areas of

inquiry to

measure parents’

performance on

key skills (through

in-person

interview or

evidence

gathered)

Support

learning at

home

Examples of

engagement with

child or support

provided to child

at home to learn

English and Math

What do you do

at home to help

your child learn

Math?

Simple open-

ended questions

Limited probing

skills required

Steps

Edited tool

to flow

like a

conversation

Restructured

questions to

make the

interview

conversational

D Developed

scoring

options for

questions

E

0: Unaware

3: Conceptual

activities like

counting objects


3 that captures

response for each

question. For e.g.


implies no

awareness of the

area of inquiry


implies practice of

good pedagogy

63 © FSG |

PIPE identified what a good parent should be able to do and

areas of inquiry to measure this skill in PAT

A good parent

should …. Areas of inquiry to measure this skill Rationale for including/ not including in PAT

Support

learning at

home

Describes simple activities like

– Counting items

– Reading new words to reinforce

concepts being taught in school

Engaging with children at home helps reinforce key

concepts

Check for

learning

Asks questions to test understanding

rather than recall of key Math/ English

concepts

Checking for learning will help parents assess if their child

has understood key concepts or rote memorized content

Be aware of

learning

Values understanding of concepts

Expects children to learn rather than just

recall content

Parents who are aware of learning are likely to expect

children to learn concepts

Recognize

techniques

that lead to

good learning

Recognizes that teachers/ schools should

use good pedagogy to teach concepts

Difficult for APS parents to specify what a good technique

to teach concepts is

1

2

3

4


A

B

64 © FSG |


inquiry (1/7)

A good parent

should …. Areas of inquiry Questions

Rationale for keeping / dropping

questions

Support

learning at

home

Examples of

engagement with child or

support provided to child

at home to learn English

and Math

1. What do you do at home to help

your child learn Math?

Narrows response to a specific

subject and helps parents articulate

their answer better

2. What do you do at home to help

your child learn English?

Narrows response to a specific

subject and helps parents articulate

their answer better

3. Generally at home who spends

time with the child after he/ she

is back from school?

Not an indicator of supportive home

environment, as it only checks for

the individual who spends time

4. Who helps the child study at

home?

Not an indicator of supportive home

environment, as it only checks for

the individual who helps the child

study

5. If your child struggles with

English/ Math, what do you do?

Already included in (1) and (2) in a

direct manner

Question fails if the parent doesn’t

believe their child is struggling

C

1


65 © FSG |


inquiry (2/7)

A good parent

should …. Areas of inquiry Questions


questions

Support

learning at

home

Examples of

engagement with child or

support provided to child

at home to learn English

and Math

6. What all activities have you

done with your child in the last

week?

Hard to accurately assess the

answers due to the large response

set

Check for

learning

Examples of questions

asked or activities

described to assess

understanding of

concepts/ content recall

in English and Math

Awareness of rote

Awareness of conceptual

understanding

7. How do you check if your child

is learning counting?

Narrows response set

Received either rote answers such

as “check homework”/ “send to

tuitions” or “count objects”

8. How do you check if your child

is learning to read?

Narrows response set

Only received rote answers such as

“check homework”/ “send to tuitions”

9. What do you do to check if your

child is learning Math?

Narrows response set to a specific

subject but at the same time broad

enough to get a range of both rote

and conceptual answers

10.What do you do to check if your

child is learning to read English?

Narrows response set to a specific

subject but at the same time broad

enough to get a range of both rote

and conceptual answers

C

1

2


66 © FSG |


inquiry (3/7)

A good parent

should…. Areas of inquiry Questions


questions

Check for learning

Examples of questions asked or activities described to assess understanding of concepts/ content recall in English and Math

Awareness of rote

Awareness of conceptual understanding

11. How do you track your child's progress in school?

Hard to accurately assess the answers due to the large response set (e.g. “check diary” and “ask teachers”)

12.How do you spend time with your child at home?

Hard to accurately assess the answers due to the large response set (e.g. “I play with my child” could mean playing games or letting the child play video games which might not be helpful)

Be aware of learning

Expect children to learn concepts rather than just rote memorize

13.At the end of Sr KG, what should your child know in Math?

[Using visual aid with 2 conceptual options, and 2 rote options]

Narrows response to a specific subject and helps parents articulate their answer better

Visual aids with a mix of 2 conceptual and 4 rote techniques are required because the question is difficult to answer without options

14.At the end of Sr KG, what should your child know in English?

[Using visual aid with 2 conceptual options, and 2 rote options]

Narrows response to a specific subject and helps parents articulate their answer better

Visual aids with a mix of 2 conceptual and 4 rote techniques are required because the question is difficult to answer without options

C

2

3


67 © FSG |


inquiry (4/7)

A good parent



questions

Recognize

techniques

that lead to

good learning

Preference between ABL

and rote

Awareness of rote


understanding

15. What are the 2 best ways in

which teachers should teach

your child Math? [Show visual

aids with a mix of 3 conceptual

and 3 rote techniques]

Difficult for APS parents to specify

what the best way to teach is

16. What are the 2 best ways in

which teachers should teach

your child English? [Show

visual aids with a mix of 3

conceptual and 3 rote

techniques]

Difficult for APS parents to specify

what the best way to teach is

17. How are English/ Math taught

differently in this school?

Purpose of question is to ascertain

whether parent values product

However, valuing product is not

relevant to assess whether parents

can support child learning

18. What do you like about the

current teaching techniques

Elicits vague responses like

“discipline” and “teacher is friendly”

which are hard to verify

C


68 © FSG |


inquiry (5/7)

A good parent



questions

Recognize

techniques

that lead to

good learning

Preference between

ABL and rote

Awareness of rote

Awareness of

conceptual

understanding

19. Are you aware of any new

approaches the school is using to

teach English and Math?






20. Out of the following 5 options,

which of the 2 are most important

for your child to learn in Math: Say #’s from 1-50 in correct

order Count and give 8 objects Write numbers Learn spelling of number names Recite tables

Already covered in (13) and (14)

Too many options to remember

verbally

Only 1 conceptual option is high bar


which of the 2 are most important

for your child to learn in English: Recite poems Practice cursive writing Read new 3 letter words Learn words by heart Recite A to Z






C


69 © FSG |


inquiry (6/7)

A good parent



questions

Recognize

techniques

that lead to

good learning


and rote

Awareness of rote


understanding

22. Can you please rank the

following 5 cards in ordering of

decreasing important for your

child’s education?

(Share the 5 Math cards)

Say #’s from 1-50 in correct

order

Count and give 8 objects

Write numbers

Learn spelling of number

names

Recite tables

Complicated to administer and score

Complicated for parents to

understand


which of the 2 are most

important for your child to learn

in English

(Share the 5 English cards)

Recite poems

Practice cursive writing

Read new 3 letter words

Learn words by heart

Recites A to Z

Complicated to administer and score

Complicated for parents to

understand

C


70 © FSG |


inquiry (7/7)

A good parent



questions

Recognize

techniques

that lead to

good learning


and rote

Awareness of rote


understanding2

24. If you had a money voucher

what would you like to spend it

on: English / Math tuition <Product name> Textbooks

Valuing product is not relevant to

assess whether parents can support

child learning

Options were not defined clearly

(e.g. if tuition classes also use the

ABL product, parents might opt for

‘tuitions’ but still value the product)

25. If the school gave you following

options, which one of them

would you opt for: Decrease in annual fees by

200 but no program Increase in annual fees by

200 with the program Discount to purchase

notebooks Free extra tuition classes

Valuing product is not relevant to

assess whether parents can support

child learning

Options were not defined clearly

(e.g. if parents are facing financial

difficulties, they might pick cost-

saving options even if they value

good pedagogy)

C


71 © FSG |

In parallel, we piloted the shortlisted questions in only visual

format

Pros

– Easy for the assessor to commission

– Doesn’t require multiple prompts or providing detailed explanation

Cons

– Parents shortlist ‘interesting options’ as compared to desired outcomes (e.g.

identifying single largest number or matching letter sounds)

Decision: Discontinued this approach for the time being

C

72 © FSG |


conversational

[Warm up] What is your child’s name?

[Warm up] What class does your child study in?

[Warm up] We wanted to talk a little about what all you do with your child at home

Question 1: At home, how do you help your child learn Math?

Question 2: At home, how do you help your child learn English?

Question 3: How do you check if your child is learning Math?

Question 4: How do you check if your child is learning to read English?

[Transition] We also wanted to know your opinion on what your child should learn:

Question 5: At the end of Sr KG, what should your child know in Math? [Show 4 visual aids with a mix of

2 conceptual and 4 rote techniques]

Question 6: At the end of Sr KG, what should your child know in English? [Show 4 visual aids with a mix

of 2 conceptual and 4 rote techniques]

D

73 © FSG |


Questions 0 1 2 3


of the following:


of the following:

Mentions two or

more of the

following or one out

of column 3:

Mentions two or more of

the following:

1) What do you

do to check if

your child is

learning

Math?

(Prompt “any

more ways to

check” once)

Send to tuitions

Send to school

Check exam results/

progress report

Recite numbers

Write numbers/

number names

Don’t do anything

Unsure

Ask child to

Count items (fruits/ vegetables)


Identify shapes

Identify currency value

Recite tables

Check homework/ notebook

Ask child to

Transact with money

Play games

involving cards/ dice

Identify missing

number before/ after

Add/ subtract/ divide

2) What do you

do at home to

help your

child learn

Math?

(Prompt “any

more” once)

Send to tuitions

Send to school

Recite numbers

Don’t do anything

Unsure

Ask child to

Count items (fruits/ vegetables)

Write number names

Recite tables

Do sums in notebook

Revise what’s taught at school

Identify shapes in the environment

Help with homework

Ask tuition/ school teacher

Ask child to

Transact with money

Identify largest

numbers

Identify missing

number before/ after

Do word problems

Play games

involving cards/ dice

E

74 © FSG |


Questions 0 1 2 3

3) At the end of

Sr KG/ this

grade what

should your

child know in

Math?

[Use visual aid

with 2

conceptual

options, and 2

rote options]

Rote responses 1 correct response 2 correct response


of the following:


of the following:

Mentions only one of

the following:

Mentions two of the

following:

4) What do you

do to check if

your child is

learning to

read English?

Recite A-Z

Send tuitions

Send to school

Check exam results/

progress report

Recite nursery

rhymes

Attend parent teacher

meeting

Don’t do anything

Unsure

Ask child to:


Read words/ alphabets in school/ tuition book

Check spellings

Homework

Ask child to:

Read new words

Match sounds and

letters

Identify sounds in

words

Match words and

picture of the word

Read simple

stories

E

75 © FSG |


Questions 0 1 2 3


of the following:


of the following:


of the following or one

in column 3:


of the following:

5) What do you

do at home to

help your

child learn

English?

Send to tuitions

Send to school

Recite nursery

rhymes

Spouse/ sibling helps

Don’t do anything

Unsure

Ask child to:


Read words/ alphabets in school/ tuition book

Have simple conversations in English

Follow simple instructions given in English

I speak to my children in English

Ask child to:

Read new words

Show simple

English cartoon/

stories on

YouTube (or

similar media)

Read out English

stories

3) At the end of

Sr KG/ this

grade what

should your

child know in

Math?

[Use visual aid

with 2

conceptual

options, and 2

rote options]

Rote 1 correct response 2 correct response

E

76 © FSG |

Agenda








77 © FSG |

Accessing relevant sources

Name of source Link

IDELA Click here

Early Childhood Environment Rating

Scale 3 (ECERS 3)

Click here

Classroom Assessment Scoring System

Tool (CLASS)

Click here

Early Childhood Education Quality

Assessment Scale (ECEQAS)

Click here

Measuring Early Learning Environments

(MELE)

Click here

https://idela-network.org/

https://www.ersi.info/ecers3.html

https://curry.virginia.edu/classroom-assessment-scoring-system

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/melqo-measuring-early-learning-quality-outcomes.pdf

78 © FSG |

Agenda








79 © FSG |

The Problem: Children in school in India are not learning

1. Findings from assessment of 207 children commencing grade 1 in Affordable Private Schools (APSs), conducted by FSG in 2016-17 2. Findings from assessment of 50,000 students in grades 9 and 10, conducted by Education Initiatives in the states of Gujarat,

Maharashtra and Rajasthan in 2013-14

In grade 10

Only 35% students can read at

grade 4 level

Only 32% students can place

decimal numbers in increasing order

Only 24% can calculate area of a

circle

Leads to poor learning outcomes in

secondary school2 Weak foundation in early years1

In grade 1

78% can’t read simple three-

letter words

54% can’t pick 12 pencils from

a stack of 20

82% can’t complete a simple

4-piece puzzle

Children are exposed to rote memorization techniques in early years

and hence struggle to cope with primary education

80 © FSG |

2

4

86% of children from urban, low-income families are exposed

to pedagogically inappropriate “rote” techniques

1. IRS 2014, The research selected households belonging to socioeconomic classes A3-D1 according to the New Consumer

Classification I 2- FSG research. Percentage of parents of 4 and 5 year olds enrolled in a private educational institution. Assumes that

those in non-APS private preprimary classes will transition on to grade one at an APS I 3-1- e.g., the teacher would stand in front of the

class and ask children to memorize “A for Apple, B for Bat, C for Cat ...”

Low-income families

aspire and are willing

to pay for “quality

education” for their

children

86% of children from

low-income

households in urban

India attend

affordable private

schools (APSs)2

1

Low-income families

constitute ~70% of

urban India1

APSs use

pedagogically in-

appropriate “rote”

teaching techniques 3

3

81 © FSG |

The Solution: Adopting activity based learning in early years

can provide the right educational foundation to succeed in life

1. J. Heckman and D. Masterov, The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children, Working Paper 5, Invest in Kids Working

Group, Committee for Economic Development. 2004I 2- M. Hohmann, D.P. Weikart, ‘Educating Young Children: Active Learning

Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs’, Early Childhood Counts: Programming Resources for Early Childhood Care and

Development. The Consultative Group on ECCD. World Bank. 1999

Nobel laureate James Heckman

highlighted that return on investments

in early years are highest compared to

remedial programs later1

Activity based learning is the right

pedagogy2 in teaching children in the

early years and giving them a solid

foundation

Why focus on the early years?

Why focus on activity based

learning?

82 © FSG |

PIPE aims to replace rote memorization technique with activity

based learning in 300,000 APSs in India

Please click on the image to

include a link on YouTube

Leading to children from low-income families getting a solid foundation

and an equal opportunity to succeed in life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9pXjMRCeoU&t=10s

83 © FSG |

PIPEs impact: More schools and better outcomes

FSGs Pre-School Assessment Tool was used to asses 38 PIPE schools and 20 non PIPE control schools i.e. APSs where no ABL solutions

have been introduced across classroom environment, student learning outcomes and engagement of teachers, owners and parents

2018 Dipstick Assessment

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80Preschool assessment test score

% o

f sch

oo

ls a

sse

sse

d

PIPE

average

Control

average

Control (20 schools) PIPE (38 schools)

54%

Schools served by PIPE partners

Nu

mb

er

of A

PS

s

35

161

409

Jul

2018

Jul

2017

Jul

2016

Jul

2015

0

Signed up

84 © FSG |

Our efforts are supported by

To learn more about our work please visit www.fsg.org/pipe

http://www.fsg.org/pipe

http://www.fsg.org/pipe

85 © FSG |

Our team* brings together strategic, educational, and

operational experience and expertise

* The team shown here is representative of the PIPE team for 2018-19

Vikram Jain

Program Lead Leads the PIPE program

15 years of strategy, operations and

consulting experience

Worked with Monitor Inclusive Markets,

McKinsey and Deloitte

MBA, London Business School

Lakshmi Narayanan G

Field Team, Bangalore 7 years of work experience, with

extensive experience in the education

space in Bangalore

MA-Development, Azim Premji

University

Gauri Kirtane

Quality Team Over 10 years of experience in education

leadership, with a focus on teaching, learning and curriculum design

Most recently, Education Manager for more than 35 centers and 1200 students at the Akanksha Foundation

EdD, University of Pennsylvania

Sana Kazi

Program Team 6 years of consulting experience in the

education sector Worked with PwC, Center for Civil

Society and Goldman Sachs MPA, LSE

Sriramprasad Rangarajan

Partner Team 6 years of operations and consulting

experience in India and Africa

Launched an employability assessment

tool that has been commissioned on

30,000 +candidates

Worked with HCL, PwC and Athena

MSc Operations Research, LSE

Total team size: 14

Roles and responsibilities:

Partner team: Capacity building of partners, Best

practice development

Quality team: Monitoring in schools , Best practice

development

Program team: Dissemination and program

management

Field team: Monitoring in schools

86 © FSG |

FSG is a mission driven non-profit (501 c3) focused on Scale

Social Impact

We are well known for having

pioneered innovative

approaches

Low-income

housing

Catalytic Philanthropy Philanthropy that considers the big picture

Inclusive Markets Creating markets that work for everyone

Shared Value Creating business value and social value

Collective Impact Organizing around common goals

Early Childhood

Education

We use these approaches to

help global leaders create

impact and promote their

effective use

We leverage these approaches

to run initiatives that create

scale sustainable impact 100,000

Opportunities

Initiative

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

87 © FSG |

FSG Inclusive Markets (FSG IM) believes that markets can

and should benefit the poor

We believe that markets should be part of the portfolio of solutions for social change.

Our strength is in understanding how to make inclusive business models work, and how to get them to scale.

We create impact in various program areas by:

driving new thinking for the field, and

making change happen on the ground.

We are a “mission driven” and non-profit unit whose work is entirely public domain.

Documents

Preschool Assessment Tool - FSG Consulting · 2020. 2. 24. · 1 Overview of the Preschool Assessment Tool 2 Approach to developing the tool 2.1 Classroom observation 2.2 Child learning