Applying knowledge of the local context to reform teacher training and curriculum to improve learning outcomes

• In Event: Teacher Education Reforms: How National Government Visions Get Translated into Practice: The Case of Early Grade Reading in Afghanistan and Social Emotional Learning in Nigeria

Proposal

Understanding local context is critical in determining the type of support teachers need to help students achieve learning outcomes. In northeastern Nigerian, providing access to non-formal accelerated learning programs ensures that children affected by conflict and crisis can continue their education. In USAID’s Education Crisis Response project, our approach to developing teacher training materials was informed by findings from the Community Education and Conflict Assessment (CECA) assessments, which identified how to enhance the national non-formal curriculum framework to better respond to local needs. We learned that integrating social emotional learning (SEL) into the NFE curriculum promoted greater resiliency and enabled children and youth to better cope with crisis. Working with government officials to Integrate SEL into the national curriculum framework meant that new training was needed to make sure community volunteers recruited as learning facilitators were prepared to teach this content.
The development of new training materials ensured that learning facilitators had knowledge of the content and the most effective modalities for teaching SEL. Given the positive response from local government and community members, the Ministry of Education requested ECR to expand training on SEL to formal schools. The formal school teachers were trained by Master Trainers from local colleges of education on strategies for engaging internally displaced children enrolled in their schools. By working with local governments to develop teacher training materials we have increased local capacity to support the inclusion of SEL into formal school curriculum. Formal school teachers also received training on wraparound services which increased their ability to identify at-risk children and make referrals available support services.
This panel will address the following:
• Analyze the drivers for teacher education reforms to accommodate the integration of social emotional learning instruction in conflict affected northeast Nigeria.
• Reflect on the process of collaborating with local government to reform the curriculum and adapt teacher training
• Summarize challenges and key lessons learned for the future

Author

• Ayo Oladini, Creative Associates International