The Case of Basic Skills and Behaviors Acquisition by Gambian Teachers

Background: The Gambia

Population:1.4 million 574 schoolsOfficial language: English Major languages: Wolof, Serer-Sine,

Saraxulle, Pulaar, Maninkakan, Mandjaque, Mandinka, Jola.

Language of instruction: English

Background: Reading outcomes EGRA 2011:

Grades 1, 2, and 3 averagedOverall students’ performance in reading skills (familiar words and non-familiar words reading and passage reading) is very low.

In region 1 and 2 students are able to read at most 13 to 14 words out of 60, whereas students in regions 4, 5 and 6 are able to read on average only 3 to 6 words in a minute.

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National assessment NAT, 2012

G3 Student performance in English content areas

41.3

49.0 46.8

30.9

44.6

53.1

44.839.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

G3E

nglis

h (%

)

Recog

nising

lette

rs

Spellin

g

Readi

ng c

ompr

ehen

sion

Vocab

ular

ies

- Visu

al lin

king

- Cog

nitio

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- Ver

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Key issues in most current reading instructions

Teachers often prioritize oral repetition over connecting sounds and symbols

So the children don’t “get” that there is a connection between print and sound, and don’t practice making that connection automatic.

Students have very poor knowledge of English, especially in rural areas.

(Field observations, Kenya 2012, Gambia 2011)

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Pilot Monitoring and Evaluation

.

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BaselineLearning outcome

s

Monitoring the implementation

Teaching –learning process

Ex-post assessmen

tLearning

outcomes

The Treasure Chest,not a Black Box!

Pilot implementation

Classroom lessons were monitored by coaches (3 to 4 visits)

Generally only about 25 out of 50 lessons were covered

If most students had not learned various lessons, teachers were told to restart

Nevertheless, outcomes were significant

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The implementation: number of lessons covered, out of 50 (Jola)

Dec-11 Jan-12 Feb-12 Mar-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jun-120

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Jola -lesson taught on the day of the obser-vation Talinding

Annex LBSTalinding Proper LBSSt. John Vianey LBSNdemban LBS class 1Ndemban LBS class 2Somita LBSKanuma LBSKilly LBSSibanor LBSSt Matthews LBSTamba-kunda LBSArrangalen BCSKappa LBS class 1Kappa LBS class 2

Lesson U

nit

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The outcomes• Large differences between pilot and

comparison schools• Transference of national language reading

skills into English

Despite the fact that:

The pilot was only partially implemented; fewer than 25 of 50 lessons were taught

Anticipated targets were not achieved on average, but several classes attained goals

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The outcomes: student performance

Percentage of students reading at least 80% of letters correctly

Baseline Post-test

Comparison Pilot Comparison Pilot

Jola 8.0% 15.9% 31.1% 49.1%

Mandinka

10.8% 10.7% 3.2% 36.9%

Pulaar 16.5% 7.6% 29.5% 68.7%

Saraxulle 5.3% (N=3) 2.0% (N=3) 16.5% 41.1%

Wollof 6.7% 16.7% 12.6% 56.8%

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The outcomes: reading connected text

Percentage of children reading at least 1 word in National Language passage (45-49 words, 1 minute)

Note: Wolof comparison data questionable

Comparison Pilot Comparison PilotJola

0 0 3.4% (N=6) 22.9%

Mandinka 1.4% (N=1) 0 3.2% (N=1) 50.0%

Pulaar

1.4%(N=2) 0.7% (N=3) 2.1%(N=3) 44.3%

DSarahulle

1.8 (N=2) 2.0% (N=3) 4.3% (N=4) 17.0%

WWolof

0.7 (N=1) 0.5 (N=1) 43.3% 31.6%14

The outcomes: student performance in English

Percentage of children reading at least 1 word - posttest

Comparison Pilot

JJola

1.7% (N=3) 51.5%

MMandinka

6.5%(N=2) 31.9%

PPulaar

1.4% (N=2) 23.3%

SSarahulle

1.0% (N=1) 17.0%

WWollof

59.1% 64.3%

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The “Who” Who are the trainees?

Teachers (125 Year I, + 100 Year II)

Coaches (around 60 coaches)

School directors

Trainers of teachers

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The “What”: Principles for efficient literacy instructionInputs from cognitive neuroscience:

- Perceptual learning of scripts

- The role of working memory- the importance of speed

- Fluency , Automaticity – the importance of analogies

- The chunking principle in memory

- Relationship between reading and comprehension

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The “What” Knowledge and method

Teaching reading in national languages:

- Knowledge of the language (orthography and basic linguistic features)

- Knowledge of the reading methodology (emergent literacy, basic decoding skills, reading fluency and reading comprehension) 18

The “What”Elements of an efficient teaching of early literacy

a) Phonological awareness and emergent literacy exercises

b) Instruction of letters one by one, particularly in the beginning (synthetic phonics) “touch and say”

c) Systematic introduction of blending syllables and blending words “touch and say”

d) Techniques for individual turns for each student

e) Opportunities for independent reading every day

f) Build local-language vocabulary

g) Opportunities for reading practice at home

h) The initial reading instruction to make children master the reading mechanisms under these principles, may only need 13 to 15 weeks of consistent work. 19

The “What” Detailed lesson plans

STEP 1. Review letters sound and shape in mixed-up order STEP 2. Phonological awareness (first 10 lessons only)

STEP 3: Teach new letter, sound, shape, key word analysis; point to the right letter, touch it, say it (text book)

STEP 4: Blend letters to form syllables and syllables with new letter to form words (textbook)

STEP 5: Independent reading practice (with text book); brief feedback to all by teacher and better students during independent practice

STEP 6: Homework (practice writing new letters and words)

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The “What”Develop Consistent Routines for Each Part of the Lessons

Teacher will allow time for students to think and process

All students will get practice

Teacher will know which students are confident with answers

Students will be able to devote mental energy to learning, not figuring out the activities during the lesson

The “What”Follow Routines EXACTLY

Following the scripted routines helps teachers make the best use of instructional time.Often teachers talk too much during lessons and don’t give

the students enough practice.

It takes practice to learn the routines so that they are “automatic”.Practice the routines during theTOT.

Write scripted routines during the TOT.

The “How” Features of effective professional development Introduction of scripted lessons for teachers Hands on training, provided periodically inside

the the classes. Use the modeling approach for teaching

behaviors and practices including small videos to show new practices

Supporting teachers: coaching within the schools

Recognize the coaching as part of in-service training

Improve capacity of training providers 23By Aigly

Zafereirakou, Moldova, April 2012

The “How” An evolving training model: the coaching

50 Classes in

Jola

50 classes in

Mandinka

50 classes in

Sarahule

50 classes in

Pulaar

50 Classes in

Olof

The “How”An evolving model: national trainers and integrated locally coaches

Periodical support, M&E

by the

National team,

MoE

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In each school:

-1 to 4 classes for reading in NL-I to 2 coaches-- the school director

The “How”Training of trainers: scripted lessons, practice, video analysis, coaching

Safi, a teacher who becomes a trainer… she learns how to teach blending syllables, Fundamental workshop Oct 2011

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The “How”Role as Coach

Each coach is selected among experienced teachers

Insures that teachers follow scripted lessons

Observes each teacher twice a month

Provides feedback to teachers about what they are doing well and how to improve their instruction

Meets with teachers in groups twice a month to discuss observations

Receives support

What the Coach do?

Coach

Observe

Support/Problem

Solve

Collect Data

Train

Demonstrate

From the classroom observations (i)

Are the teachers following the steps in the scripted lesson plan?

1816

1820

16

4

2

31

5

1

0

0 0 0

1

53 3 3

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Mandinka Sarahulle Wolof Pulaar Jola

Missing

No

Sometimes

Yes

Coach observations, June 2012 records

Classroom observations (ii)

Are the teachers point to print when saying letter sounds orreading syllables and words?

18 1817

22

15

2 05

0

6

3

0

0 00

1

52 2 3

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Mandinka Sarahulle Wolof Pulaar Jola

Missing

No

Sometimes

Yes

Coach observations, June 2012, records

Classroom observations (iii)

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Coach observations, June 2012, records

Are the teachers giving each students individual terms andcorrective feedback?

18

12

19

23

16

2

5

2

0

6

2

0

10

02

6

2 1 2

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Mandinka Sarahulle Wolof Pulaar Jola

Missing

No

Sometimes

Yes

Challenges for Teacher Professional Development Be consistent in leadership and

management Understanding the “coaching” Equity in supporting teachers in difficult

geographic areas Use of IT to reach out teachers (cell

phones, radio) Refresh training for coaches and

national trainers Focus on results: All Children Reading!

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Impact: one year later1. Pilot evaluation shows promising results:

MoE capacity increased; the piloted and revised materials are creating a new dynamic in boosting reading for all children.

2. The coaching model showed efficiency in introducing new teaching skills and practices and impacts the national professional development system.

3. A community of practice is starting to take place in the country, sharing experiences in supporting all teachers using the coaching approach

4. The initial teacher training institution introduces a reading module

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