Flexible Ability Grouping to Improve Instruction in Large Classes: A Case Study from Tanzania

• In Event: Education Policy and Improvement

Proposal

Introduction. Organizing instruction for effective learning in large classes is challenging. Research conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has found that in large classes, teachers experience difficulties managing behavior, using interactive strategies, individualizing instruction, organizing students in groups, and assessing learning (Marais, 2016; Adamu, Tsiga & Zuilkowski, 2020). In an effort to respond to this problem in Tanzania, researchers Amani Nicolas and Mark Lynd explored the potential of a flexible ability grouping (AG) strategy. In 2021, Nicolas and Lynd trained 18 teachers from six primary schools, provided follow-up support, then tracked fidelity of implementation (FOI) - that is, the extent to which they had adopted AG as designed. They found that 94% of teachers had initiated AG in their classrooms, though most struggled with a key step - the classification of learners following assessment. To address this challenge, Nicolas and Lynd embarked on a second round of experimentation with a new set of teachers. This presentation will share the results of that initiative.

Research design. For this study, researchers began by conducting a brief situation analysis in two rural Tanzanian primary schools – first by observing grade 2 teachers teaching reading and math, then by interviewing them about their knowledge of subject matter and comfort with different teaching practices, and finally by interviewing the Head Teacher of each school about teaching conditions more generally. Based on the results of this analysis, researchers are revising their previous training model, to be delivered to 12 teachers and their Head Teachers in two new primary schools. Researchers will then observe teachers using the new strategy to measure FOI to determine whether “the classification problem” has been overcome. Additionally, researchers will investigate whether teachers use grouping flexibly – that is, whether they change group composition over time based on continuous assessment results (and that therefore students don’t remain in the same ability groups for long periods of time – a practice sometimes called “tracking”). Importantly, researchers will track progress made by the lowest-performing learners and the extent to which AG may have helped teachers individuate instruction for these learners.

Description of the intervention. The AG strategy consists of three main steps: (1) Conduct a lesson where students are organized in heterogeneous groups in which the learn, then are assessed; (2) Analyze the assessment results and decide whether to organize the next lesson using heterogeneous groups or, if results diverge, to organize higher-performing students in groups where they continue practicing the new concept, and to organize lower-performing students in groups where they receive additional support from the teacher or “expert students”; and finally (3) Conduct the next lesson, organizing learners in heterogeneous or same-ability groups based on assessment results.

Theory of Change. This initiative is based on the assumption that if teachers' large class management needs are identified, then those teachers are trained on those specific needs and were provided with follow-up support to group students flexibly, they will implement the strategy with high degrees of fidelity, including continuous regrouping of learners, and that differentiation of instruction for struggling learners will increase.

Findings. Researchers will conduct this research and analyze the results in time to present at CIES 2024.

Contribution to the literature. This study responds to gaps identified by researchers who have noted the need for more literature on strategies for promoting effective teaching and learning in large class sizes (Kadelya 2015) as well as needs cited by Adamu et al (op. cit.) concerning how to make formative assessment strategies practical for large classes. Researchers also hope that this step of refining the AG procedure will lay the groundwork for a larger study where the effects of AG on learning outcomes can be measured.

Authors

• Amani Nicolas, Joshua Foundation

• Mark Mark Lynd Lynd, School-to-School International