Examining teacher support systems in Uzbekistan: What support do teachers say they need and want?

• In Event: Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program: Supporting Sustainable Educational Reforms in The Republic of Uzbekistan

Proposal

The Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program conducted a Teacher Support System Study (TSSS) to examine the existing teacher support system in Uzbekistan and identify teacher support challenges and opportunities. The TSSS explored teachers’ self-directed and school-level professional development system, including instructional coaching, peer-to-peer support, and training. In addition, the TSSS examined the professional development activities of teacher support actors. Based on the findings on the teacher support system in Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Public education made practical adaptations and actionable information to support EFL teacher professional development. The TSSS findings yielded important implications for enhancing TPD systems. For example, the Program developed teachers’ guides and encouraged teachers to consistently use the guides to support efficient lesson planning. Teachers also were encouraged to use the lesson planning time available to creatively review the lesson plans in the teacher guides and adapt them to meet the needs of their individual learners. The recommendations led to the development of a curriculum digital platform that allows teachers to access subject, grade, and activity specific materials to support their lesson planning and delivery. TPD recommendations included building on teachers’ positive attitudes toward classroom observations and strengthen the process by providing observed teachers with practical, relevant, and actionable guidance as the key outcome of classroom observations. Also, the findings lead to a shift in TPD programs towards teacher experimentation of and reflection on instructional practice on performance evaluation. In addition, teachers identified the need for detailed guidelines and more support on summative and formative assessment. Also, the findings highlighted teacher preference for coaching by subject matter experts who can provide practical, actionable pedagogical support. Teachers further indicated a request to improve coaching through the inclusion of opportunities to review and reflect on their classroom observation experience; specifically on the pre- and post-observation steps to ensure that the classroom observation is focused on the techniques the teacher is most trying to master. The post-observation should also incorporate a joint discussion between the observer and the teacher that centers on those actions the teacher will continue to practice.

Authors

• Carmen Strigel, RTI International

• Gulnoza Egamberdieva, RTI International