real world language of instruction studies: impact on ... · grade 1 grade 2 11 no effect no effect...
TRANSCRIPT
RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
Real World Language of Instruction Studies:
Impact on Learning in Kenya
March 28, 2018Dr. Benjamin Piper
with Timothy Kinoti, Tabitha Kilonzo & Salome Ong’ele
Kenya Mother Tongue background
• 1976 mother tongue policy• Policy: pre-K to Grade 3• Heavy resistance to MT• Used very little• Can decrease enrollment• 2018 curriculum
emphasizes MT• Limited MT causal
research in Africa
2
Mother Tongue Impact Evaluation
• Typical MT evaluations in Sub-Saharan Africa– Small samples only compared to control– Manipulate the language environment
• Zones were randomly selected– Not changed when the coach or teacher was
mismatched• 171 schools involved in mother tongue pilot
– 2 languages in 2 counties• PRIMR Mother tongue comparisons
– Control– Non-MT alternative
3
Mother Tongue vs. Non-Mother Tongue Design
4
Intervention Components Subjects Supported
TreatmentGroup
Lesson Plans
Pupil Books
Training English Kiswahili Math Mother Tongue
PRIMR & Mother Tongue
X X X X X X X
PRIMR X X X X X X
PRIMR MT Research Design
• Similarities between PRIMR & PRIMR+MT– Learning materials in other subjects– 10 days of training in other subjects– Support for coaches with tablets– Assessed in mother tongue
• Differences– Mother tongue materials and training (2 days)– Encouragement to use mother tongue for other
subjects5
PRIMR Mother tongue Inputs
• Learning Materials– Pupil book– Teachers’ guide– Letter cards– Pocket chart– Big book– Supplemental readers
• Coaches– Classroom visits and support
• Teachers – Termly training .5 or 1 day– Observation by coaches – Reflection sessions
6
7
Did it work?
Study 1: Mother Tongue Effect on Kikamba
8
22.5
6.3
2.5
0.1 0.2
19.6
8.0
3.3
7.4
18.0
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
Letter Sound Fluency
Syllable Fluency Nonword fluency Oral reading fluency
Reading comprehension
PRIMR PRIMR + MT
Study 1: Mother Tongue Average Effect Size (SD)
9
0.350.32 0.33
0.10
0.37
0.560.52
0.48
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
Kikamba Lubukusu Kikamba Lubukusu
Class 1 Class 2
Effe
ct s
ize
(Coh
en's
d)
PRIMR PRIMR + MT
Study 2: Mathematics Language Usage in Kenya
10
80% 79% 82%
5% 0% 1%
15% 21%
17%
64%
79%
67%
15%
2% 12%
21% 19% 21%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90% Co
ntrol
PRIM
R
PRIM
R+MT
Control
PRIM
R
PRIM
R+MT
Control
PRIM
R
PRIM
R+MT
English Mothertongue Kiswahili
Percen
tageofC
lassroom
Tim
eLanguageUsed
Baseline Endline
Impact of MT on English, Kiswahili and Math
English (5 items)
Kiswahili(7 items)
Math(6 items)
Grade 1
Grade 2
11
No effect
No effect No effect
• Community resistance to mother tongue• Policy of mother tongue conflicts with teacher deployment • Lack of mathematics vocabulary in mother tongue
More Details? – CER (2016); IJED (2018)
12
Study 3: Fluency Gains of MT and non-MT Learners in Non-MT Tusome
13
16.6
20.2
8.8
21.824.4
11.8
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
EnglishFluencyGains EnglishFluency2Gains KiswahiliFluencyGains
Mothertongue Non-mothertongue
Study 3: Comprehension Gains of MT and non-MT Learners in Non-MT Tusome
14
18.721.3
13.3
21.524.0
19.4
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
EnglishComprehensionGains EnglishComprehension2Gains
KiswahiliComprehensionGains
Mothertongue Non-mothertongue
MT Study Implications
• Previous research undertaken in unrealistic settings• Language complexity and resistance is the reality• Mother tongue showed significant impact on MT• Decoding skills transfer to MT but not comprehension• No positive effect on other subjects• Do the logistical difficulties warrant MT?• Mother tongue learners made large gains• Is a Kenya or a Uganda style program better?
– Panel on Thursday 11:30 AM
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