Learning Forward Saturday
To review education research and motivate teacher professional development.
Key Takeaways
Research-Backed CPD: The session drew on findings from a multi-partner study (Tata Trust, HP Foundation, etc.) to establish that continuous professional development (CPD) is a research-backed necessity, not merely a school mandate.
Classroom Gaps: The study identified key gaps: inactive print materials (73% of classrooms), rigid seating (73%), and limited use of home languages (9%), despite high teacher proficiency (73%).
Feedback & Differentiation: Teachers' current feedback is often superficial (e.g., "Good"), and differentiation is rare (30% of teachers). The research recommends targeted strategies like flexible grouping and scaffolded tasks.
Oral Language Focus: The study found that language teaching relies on rote copying. The group discussed shifting to open-ended questions that require inference and prediction to develop critical thinking.
Topics
Motivation for Professional Development
The session's goal was to shift the perception of Learning Forward Saturday from a mandatory event to a research-driven necessity for improving teaching.
The discussion focused on a study by partners including Tata Trust, HP Foundation, and Quality Education Support Trust to provide an evidence-based foundation for this work.
Classroom Environment & Interaction
Findings:
Print-rich materials are common but often at inaccessible heights.
Seating is rigid (73% in rows/columns), limiting interaction.
Student talk is minimal, with few opportunities for free conversation.
Home languages are rarely used (9% of teachers), hindering comprehension.
Recommendations:
Place print materials at eye-level and use them actively.
Adopt flexible seating to foster collaboration.
Strengthen teacher-child relationships to build student confidence.
Consistently use home languages to improve participation.
Discussion:
Brinda noted the NEP also recommends using mother tongue for clarity.
The group agreed immersive language exposure is more effective than translation.
Brinda shared a personal anecdote of a child learning four languages simultaneously through immersion.
Lesson Planning & Delivery
Findings:
Teachers rarely monitor work during tasks.
Feedback is superficial and lacks guidance for improvement.
Questioning is often whole-class, eliciting choral responses.
Differentiation is rare (used by only 30% of teachers).
Recommendations:
Use regular observation to identify errors and adjust instruction.
Provide specific, actionable feedback with clear steps for improvement.
Use varied checks for understanding (e.g., asking individuals to explain).
Implement targeted strategies like flexible grouping and scaffolded tasks.
Discussion:
Sunita shared a feedback system using "Good," "Very Good," and "Increase Effort" stamps.
Brinda stressed the need for clear instructions to prevent misunderstandings.
Manjula suggested seating struggling students at the front for more attention.
Brinda advised investigating the root cause of learning difficulties and challenging bright students to prevent boredom.
Neelashi suggested having students create puzzles to develop problem-solving skills and foster compassion.
Language Teaching Practices
Findings:
Oral language activities rarely use real-life experiences or open-ended questions.
Decoding instruction is unsystematic.
Independent reading lacks teacher guidance (only 18% of teachers provide it).
Writing tasks are mostly rote copying (blackboard/textbook).
Recommendations:
Connect oral language activities to familiar contexts.
Use open-ended questions to encourage prediction, inference, and deeper thinking.
Discussion:
The group defined open-ended questions as those with no single "right" answer, requiring students to explain their reasoning.
Minakshi gave an example: "Why do we need to study school?" vs. a closed question like "Is this right or wrong?"
Next Steps
Neelashi: Share the research document link with all teachers.
Neelashi: Schedule the next session to continue the discussion.
Minakshi: Share the "Kachua and Khargosh" (Tortoise and Hare) story video with the group.
