Teachers take literacy training into their own hands: Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo

• In Event: Motivating and manifesting transformation through literacy: Evidence from Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mali

Abstract

From 2013-14, the USAID-funded PIEQ (Package for Improving Education Quality) initiative piloted an experimental teacher training program in the Democratic Republic of Congo using the Read Right Now approach that aimed to develop teachers’ classroom practices and to build their knowledge and understanding of effective pedagogy and strategies around reading and writing instruction. While donor-funded programs often script and “teacher-proof” their intervention because they want to reduce error in the hopes of obtaining better student results, PIEQ purposefully focused instead on helping teachers to establish structured routines using accessible literacy-building practices that were relevant to the new reading and writing curriculum and to the local context. The program also gave teachers opportunities to reflect on their practices and to build their knowledge through a community of practice and provided support through regular coaching visits. This package of interventions enabled teachers to change their classroom practices and, more importantly, developed their independent understanding of how and why to teach reading and writing in a student-centered manner. This paper presents findings from the project’s impact study of the evolution of teachers’ practices and of changes in their knowledge and perceptions of teaching reading and writing. Focus group data from teachers and school directors triangulate quantitative findings to illustrate how this knowledge and practice materialized for teachers. We argue that providing teachers with the opportunity for reflection on and exploration of their practices, accompanied by appropriate and sufficient materials and support, enhances sustainable outcomes in terms of quality reading and writing instruction.

Author

• Nathalie Louge, EDC