Multi-grade Teaching: The Latin American Experience South Asia Regional Conference on Education Quality New Delhi, India October 24-26, 2007 Eduardo Velez.

Multi-grade Teaching: The Latin American Experience

South Asia Regional Conference on Education QualityNew Delhi, India

October 24-26, 2007

Eduardo VelezSector Manager for EducationHuman Development Sector

Latin America and the Caribbean

Rural Education…a global challenge

In Latin America is a challenge because:-20% enroll late-About 40% repeat 1st grade and about 25% repeat 2nd grade (repetition in primary education represent a waste of about $3.5 billion annually and together with late entry create high heterogeneity in ages of children in the classroom and this limits learning, specially when traditional methods are used)-Average schooling is about 4.5 years-Roughly half of the kids in 4th grade can’t read

However, basic education in rural areas in LAC, like everywhere else

- raises incomes and reduces poverty

-helps to sustain economic growth (a minimum level of human capital is required for this)

-is not sufficient for any modern economy, but a necessary first step to get there

-has important externalities: lower fertility, better child health, ‘human capabilities’ (Sen)

Net Enrollment Rate in Primary Education

Source: UNESCO

Rural Education in LAC…and quality

Why we still have the gap in basic education?

-Not enough resources

-Inadequate use of resources

-Bad quality:

Low learning

Late entry, high repetition and dropout

-Focus on coverage not enough, quality is key

Rural Education…and quality

Why low quality? (1)

-Traditional expository methodology: emphasis on memorization and not in comprehension skills

-Limited amount of time in first grades to learn basic skills

-Cultural barriers in transition from home to school mainly in minority areas

-Lack of text books and learning guides for students and teachers that are appropriate with active methodologies and that respond to the diversity within the classroom (specially different learning rhythms)

-Rigid calendars, promotion and evaluation systems

-Insufficient time for effective learning, specially in language and in math



-Overloaded curriculum and not related to student’s environment

-Ineffective and inadequate pre- and in-service training for teachers

-High percentage of incomplete schools where teachers have not received training nor material to deal with the situation

-Few teachers have been trained in active teaching process

-Schools located in isolated areas do not attract qualified teachers

-Permanent transfers of rural teachers to urban areas



Students:

-Under-nourished children

-Health problems

-Inadequate psycho-social development (little exposure to ECD)

-Lack of motivation and support for learning (from families)

Then…what to do?

What can be done to correct these problems in rural education?1. Schools must be adapted to function more effectively2. Student learning skills before entering primary education must

be improved 3. Flexible and open programs for children and out-of-school

youth 4. Organization of planning, management and monitoring

mechanism at the local level must be created5 Advocacy, social mobilization, community participation and

stimulation of demand for quality education must be promoted

Multi-grade (the New School approach)

A proposal to improve rural education. An agreement among Ministers of Education in LAC-Need to view the school as a fundamental unit of change. Effectiveness of improving policies is largely determined by school factors-Need to change teaching and learning practices (improving classroom teaching practices demands a profound revision of basic education in light of the new education paradigm centered on the child as an active subject who participates in his own learning process). Improvement of student learning is central challenge for education policy-Change the role of the teacher (not simply transmitter of information) New type of school with renovated teaching methods, different learning rhythms and styles.--Need for more personalized and group learning; the lack of flexibility of the traditional frontal teaching limits learning process, specially in poor schools


Objectives for the student in a new school1.Develop a child-centered active and participative learning process

2.Develop higher level thinking skills

3.Advance at their own pace in learning

4.Develop activities of tolerance, solidarity and cooperation

5.Improve learning achievement

6.Improve self-esteem

7.Gender equity in participation in school activities


Objectives for the teachers in a new school1.Improve teaching practices

2.Modify their role from expository to facilitating roles with permanent interaction with their student

3.Positive attitudes towards the pedagogical strategy

4.Satisfaction with their work


Objectives for the administrators in a new school1.Change the role from traditional supervisory functions to a more pedagogical support and advisor to teachers

2.Positive attitudes towards the pedagogical methodology


Objectives for the community in a new school1.Strengthen the relationship between the school and the community

2.Promote the participation of parents in the different activities of the school

3. Articulate curriculum content with the family and the community

4. Serve as information center for the community


Objectives for the educational system in a new school1.Offer complete quality primary education

2.Reduce repetition and drop out rates

3.Improve learning achievement

4.Improve equity


Two fundamental assumptions for the implementation

of the new school reform

1.Introducing changes at the level of the student implies innovation in the teacher training, the administrative structure of the school and its relationship with the community. This requires specific strategies for children, teachers, administrative personnel and the community

2.It is indispensable, from the beginning, to develop mechanisms that are replicable, decentralized and feasible from a technical, political and financial standpoint. The design of the system has to include strategies to go to scale


Features of the new school (1)

1.It offers full primary education at multi-grade schools where one, two or three teachers handle several grades simultaneously

2.It benefits students, teachers, administrators and communities through its four interrelated components: curriculum process, teacher training, school administration and school-community articulation

3.It uses classroom teaching materials proven to have a positive impact on learning, such as textbooks, classroom libraries and learning corners

Multi-grade (the New School approach) Features of the new school (2)

4.It moves from traditional lecture-based teaching towards a new method based on comprehension and non-rote learning, that respect different students’ learning paces, on the teacher’s role as a facilitator and evaluator, and on participation and cooperative learning

5.It encourages strategies of ‘learning by doing’, such as student government to teach democracy, participation and civil responsibilities, social skills to promote habits of collaboration, companionship, solidarity, and tolerance. Children learn to act responsibly in organizing and managing the school through committees, and to comply with work plans


6.Numerous evaluations have shown that the quality of education can be improved despite a school’s limitations in terms of resources

7.It gives teachers an opportunity for horizontal participation through teaching workshops or study circles for training and follow-up

8.Teachers receive in-service training at sequenced workshops providing firsthand experience with methodologies similar to those they will apply with their students. Training is decentralized, replicable and continuous


9.Students learn to be active, creative, participatory and responsible. Develop capacity to communicate, to think creatively, to analyze and, above all, to apply what they learn at school in the family and community

10.Students use an active methodology that allows them to learn by doing and through play. This helps them to solve problems in daily life

11.Children work in small groups facilitating cooperative learning and systematic interaction, It also favors a collective building of knowledge and tutorial support between students



12.It offers learning guides to help students acquire the basic lessons included in the curriculum. The guides are designed to promote participatory methodology with a learning process focused on the student. The teacher acts as a facilitator

13.The classroom becomes an area for dynamic and active work, developed with all available resources and through cooperative activities and student government

14.Study topics proposed in the guides are related to student’s way of life and that of their communities



15.Promotion is flexible and respect each student’s pace of learning.Repetition is eliminated. Children are able to study and help their parents with domestic chores or productive activities like harvesting without jeopardizing the quality of their education and without having to drop out of school

16.The school operates as an in information center and a force for community integration. Parents take part in school activities and the school supports activities of benefit to the community. There are specific instruments to help the teacher understand the community and to build its relationship with the school. COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY

Multi-grade (What is the New School approach?)

Basic education innovation innovation developed in Colombia

Set out to address all the nested factors of education simultaneously, rather than ineffectively tackling each in isolation

Systemically integrates curricularcurricular, in-service training training and follow up, community community and administrative administrative strategies

Guarantees accessaccess and qualityquality of basic education

Evolved from a local and state innovation to a national policynational policy - - implementation in most rural schools of Colombia (20,000 at the end of the 80´s.)

Multi-grade (What is the New School approach?

Child centeredChild centered, participatory, cooperative and self-paced learning

Relevant curriculumcurriculum based on children's daily life

FlexibleFlexible calendar, promotion and grading systems

Closer, stronger relationship between the school school and the communitycommunity

Emphasis on the formation of democratic and democratic and participatory valuesparticipatory values

What does the New School approach promote?

Effective Effective and practicalpractical in-service teacher training strategies

New roleNew role for the teacher

New generation of interactiveinteractive self paced, self directed learning textbooks

What does the New School approach promotes?

Children, teachers, administrative staff and community through its four interrelated

components, integrated at the school and community level in SYNERGYSYNERGY

Who does the New School approach benefit?

Teacher trainingComponent

AdministrativeComponen

t

CurricularComponen

tSYSTEM

Community Component

The New School Reform - Empirical Evidence

• Multi-grade school reform is recommended by international organizations based on positive research findings (for many cases –rural isolated areas- is the only option!)

• Improved academic achievement, higher propensity to remain in school, and other outcomes such as democratic attitudes

• Remaining issues: Absence of experimental research (selection bias, internal validity); definition of multi-grade schools; causal inference; etc.

The quality of education in Colombia is close to the average

Per capita income USD $

Score

220

225

230

235

240

245

250

255

260

265

270

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000

ArgentinaChileBrasil

Colombia

Mexico

VenezuelaParaguayBolivia

Dominican RepublicHonduras

Average

Source: UNESCO. First Comparative International Study on Quality of Education, 1999.

Urban score

Rural schools in Colombia have better quality than urban schools

220

225

230

235

240

245

250

255

260

230 235 240 245 250 255 260 265 270 275 280

Ru

ral S

core

ColombiaArgentina

Chile

Brazil

Mexico

Paraguay

RepublicDominican

BoliviaVenezuela

Honduras

Average

Cuba

Ru

ral score


In rural education, in math only Cuba’s scores are above Colombia’s

Language

Math

em

ati

cs

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250 255 260

Cuba

Chile

Brasil

MexicoParaguay

Dominican Republic

Bolivia

VenezuelaHonduras

Colombia

Argentina


Independent Variables Creativity Civics Self-Esteem

Student characteristics:Age 1.307 * 1.337 * .899 *Male .140 -1.426 * -.919 **Works .829 ** -.947 ** .111Repeater -2.075 * -2.092 * -2.190 *Hours watching TV -.264 -.438 * .214

Family characteristics:Poor region -.438 -1.564 * .627N of books at home .580 .291 2.138 *TV at home 2.176 * 2.431 * .522Radio at home .403 -.055 -.097Homework help -.518 1.019 * .038

School characteristics:Escuela Nueva .336 1.249 * .575Student-teacher ratio .007 .014 -.004Electricity access 2.865 * 1.446 * -1.599 *N of supervisory visits .076 ** -.006 .086 **

Teacher characteristics:Female -1.667 * .017 .677Years of experience .081 * -.015 -.063Education university graduate .982 .711 * -3.110 *Lives in school 3.144 * 1.489 * 1.209 *Pay scale .610 * .013 .099

Constant 27.633 33.019 40.709R 2 .163 .124 .067N 2,519 2,330 2,372

* Statistically significant at the 1% level or better.* Statistically significant at the 5% level. Escuela Nueva Study in Colombia.

EXPLAINING NONCOGNITIVE SCORES

EXPLAINING EDUCATIONAL OUTPUT SCORES WITHIN GRADES (MATH)

Independent Variables Grade 3 Grade 5

Student characteristics:Age .175 .005Male 1.134 ** 1.264 **Works .232 -.021Repeater -1.581 * -1.219 **Hours watching TV -.224 .003

Family characteristics:Poor region -.823 1.638 **N of books at home 1.710 * .741TV at home .157 .469Radio at home .705 .001Homework help -.776 .968

School characteristics:Escuela Nueva 3.110 * .541Student-teacher ratio -.132 * .004Electricity access 1.173 1.705 **N of supervisory visits -.070 -.068

Teacher characteristics:Female -.673 -1.301Years of experience .086 ** .180 *University graduate 4.453 * 4.418 *Lives in school 1.774 * 3.337 *Pay scale .209 .070

Constant 45.738 43.483R 2 .102 .081N 1,480 1,025


Grade 3 Grade 5Independent Variables B T B T

Student characteristics:New School 3.82 *** 4.34 2.35 * 1.82Student / teacher ratio 0.03 0.62 -0.06 -0.66Electricity access 4.55 *** 3.58 4.25 *** 2.60Located in Valle 3.84 *** 3.68 -0.20 -0.15Located in Cauca 1.42 1.36 0.69 0.55

(Located in Narino)Principal characteristics:

Female 2.45 *** 3.01 2.51 * 1.84University completed -3.25 *** -3.78 0.89 0.89Years of administrative experience 0.16 *** 2.69 0.12 1.52

Teacher characteristics:Male 3.04 *** 3.77 0.87 0.62Years teaching subject 0.09 1.54 -0.09 -1.01University completed -1.24 -1.02 .030 0.02Monthly salary 0.00002 *** 2.03 0.000003 0.25Hours subject taught per week -0.48 -1.59 0.80 ** 2.14

Family characteristics:Family member is university graduate 1.98 * 1.73 0.40 0.23Family member is secondary graduate 3.73 *** 3.83 0.80 0.56Family member is primary graduate 3.34 *** 3.97 0.34 0.28(None of the above)Electricity access -1.71 -1.42 -2.58 * -1.65TV in home 0.74 0.80 2.23 ** 2.23

Student characteristics:Female 0.98 1.40 -0.99 -1.13Age 0.38 1.40 -0.17 -0.50Works -1.18 * -1.66 -2.97 *** -3.31Repeated at least 1 grade -3.04 *** -4.02 -2.08 ** -2.37≥ 6 absences this year -1.96 * -1.93 -0.91 -0.60≥ 1 hour TV / day 1.60 ** 2.12 1.02 1.13≥ 1 school attended -1.21 -1.53 1.66 * 1.72≥ 1 hour homework / day 0.92 1.29 1.08 1.29

Constant 34.82 42.8

R 2 0.25 0.11Adjusted R 2 0.22 0.07N 673 557Note: (***) indicates statistically significant at 1 percent.

(**) indicates statistically significant at 5 percent.(*) indicates statistically significant at 10 percent.B is the unstandardized OLS coefficient and T is the T statistic.All hypothesis tests are two-tailed.Standard errors are calculated with White's Heteroskedasticity-Consistent Covariance Matrix (White 1980).

SPANISH ACHIEVEMENT AS A FUNCTION OF STUDENT, FAMILY, TEACHER, & SCHOOL VARIABLES

Independent Variables Grade 3 Grade 5

Age .139* -.119**Male .546* .330**Works .112 .912*Repeater -.320 .036Poor region .061 -.317Escuela Nueva .247 -.306**

-2 log likelihood 776.014 991.307N 1,698 1,202Mean dependent variable 6.2 17.4


Logit Coefficients

PREDICTED DROPOUT PROBABILITY BY GRADE

Results from different statistical analysis confirm:

Superior achievements of children of Escuela Escuela NuevaNueva

Significant reductionreduction in drop outdrop out and repetitionrepetition rates

Improvement in self-esteemself-esteem and civic civic behaviorbehavior

The National Planning Department of Colombia concluded:

““Escuela Nueva compensates for socio economic Escuela Nueva compensates for socio economic limitations when comparing children of Escuela limitations when comparing children of Escuela

Nueva of socio economic level 1 with socio Nueva of socio economic level 1 with socio economic level 2.”economic level 2.”

01020304050607080

%%

Turns Lead Feedback

NEUEUT

Comparative Study on Demoracratic Behavior in Guatemala – AED/Juarez and Associates (R.Chesterfield)

The New School approach in Guatemala

19981998: ENFENF implemented the Model in 20 low-income schools of Bogotá, identified with the poorest academic performance in a local standardized test

After two years of ENFENF intervention, an evaluation led by National University of Colombia confirmed an increment in language skills of 40.36% and in math of 69%

These schools, with lowest ranking in the city among 2,500 centers evaluated, performed better than the city's average

Adaptation of the New School approach to Urban Populations

5,745 indirectly benefited5,745 indirectly benefited, including parents and community members

As it began, 55% of the children were excluded from the school system; after one year of intervention there was a 100% 100% enrollmentenrollment

After UNESCOUNESCO evaluations, children of EN learning circles obtained the highest level of highest level of improvementimprovement in both language and mathematics

(36.1% for language and 30.4% for mathematics.)

Adaptation of the New School approach to Displaced Populations

5th grade children of the learning circles are 17.3 points above the national averageabove the national average, with a score of 69.3 in math and 13.9 in language. (83.6% and 69.7% respectively.)

Children’s self esteemself esteem was improved by 18.5 %.

When the intervention began in May 2004, 76% had normal self esteem, 22% low and 2% very low.

By November, 94.5 % of the children had normal self esteem, 5.52 % low and none required therapeutic attention.


65.271.30

47.5

85.0 82,7 83.6

19.8

11.40

36.1

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

Rendimiento prueba enAbril %

Rendimiento prueba enNoviembre %

Avance EntreAplicaciones %

Posiciones Relativas en Lenguaje

Quinto GradoPromedio Nacional 69,7

Aulas demostrativas Aulas grupos control Circulos de aprendizaje


44.6

51.3

38.9

61.8

51,8

69.3

17.2

0.5

30.4

2.0

12.0

22.0

32.0

42.0

52.0

62.0

72.0

Rendimiento pruebaen Abril %

Rendimiento pruebaen Noviembre

%

Promedio avance entre aplicaciones %

Posiciones Relativas en Matematicas

Quinto GradoPromedio Nacional 52,0

Aulas demostrativas Aulas grupo control Circulos de aprendizaje


Key Factors Included in the New Approach (1)

• Democratic values, including student leadership• Community involvement• Individualized and small group instruction• Local content (and cultural sensibility)• Active learning and teacher as a facilitator• Learning centers and classroom libraries• Student guidelines• Student workbooks and teacher handbooks • Local control (and national commitment)

Key Factors Included in the New Approach (2)

• Cooperative learning

• Peer tutoring

• Self-instruction

• Flexible promotion

• Integrated versus additive approach

• Bottom-up Successful experiences maintained by teachers or grass-roots NGOs.

• The student as the center of attention!!!!

Multi-grade Teaching: The Latin American Experience South Asia Regional Conference on Education Quality New Delhi, India October 24-26, 2007 Eduardo Velez.

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