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Alternative forms of early grade instructional coaching: Emerging evidence from field experiments in South Africa

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  • Kotze, Janeli
  • Fleisch, Brahm
  • Taylor, Stephen

Abstract

Structured pedagogic programmes are emerging as a promising approach to address low learning outcomes in developing countries. The delivery model of these programmes matters, and on-site instructional coaching has been shown to be a key component. In this article, we report on a series of government-led randomised experiments in South African primary schools, which evaluates the efficacy of different aspects of instructional coaching as part of structured learning programmes. In the first multi-year on-site coaching study, we found that the structured pedagogic programme combined with coaching was substantially more cost-effective than the structured pedagogic programme that used conventional centralised teacher training. The ability to scale up on-site coaching, however, is an open question. In the current experiment, a virtual coaching model that includes provision of a tablet with additional electronic resources was tested. The article reports on the midline evaluation results, which show that after one year of intervention, virtual coaching was no less effective than on-site coaching at improving both the instructional practice of teachers and the targeted literacy outcomes. This points to the potential for technological innovations to enable wider rollout of coaching programmes, even in contexts where teachers are not familiar with new technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Kotze, Janeli & Fleisch, Brahm & Taylor, Stephen, 2019. "Alternative forms of early grade instructional coaching: Emerging evidence from field experiments in South Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 203-213.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:66:y:2019:i:c:p:203-213
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2018.09.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fleisch, Brahm & Taylor, Stephen & Schöer, Volker & Mabogoane, Thabo, 2017. "Failing to catch up in reading in the middle years: The findings of the impact evaluation of the Reading Catch-Up Programme in South Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 36-47.
    2. Fleisch, Brahm & Schöer, Volker & Roberts, Gareth & Thornton, Amy, 2016. "System-wide improvement of early-grade mathematics: New evidence from the Gauteng Primary Language and Mathematics Strategy," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 157-174.
    3. Bruns,Barbara & Oliveira Costa,Leandro & Menezes Cunha,Nina, 2017. "Through the looking glass: can classroom observation and coaching improve teacher performance in Brazil ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8156, The World Bank.
    4. Piper, Benjamin & Simmons Zuilkowski, Stephanie & Dubeck, Margaret & Jepkemei, Evelyn & King, Simon J., 2018. "Identifying the essential ingredients to literacy and numeracy improvement: Teacher professional development and coaching, student textbooks, and structured teachers’ guides," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 324-336.
    5. Jacobus Cilliers & Brahm Fleisch & Cas Prinsloo & Stephen Taylor, 2020. "How to Improve Teaching Practice?: An Experimental Comparison of Centralized Training and In-Classroom Coaching," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 55(3), pages 926-962.
    6. Popova,Anna & Evans,David & Arancibia,Violeta, 2016. "Training teachers on the job : what works and how to measure it," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7834, The World Bank.
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    1. Cilliers, Jacobus & Fleisch, Brahm & Kotze, Janeli & Mohohlwane, Mpumi & Taylor, Stephen, 2022. "The Challenge of Sustaining Effective Teaching: Spillovers, Fade-out, and the Cost-effectiveness of Teacher Development Programs," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Cilliers, Jacobus & Fleisch, Brahm & Kotze, Janeli & Mohohlwane, Nompumelelo & Taylor, Stephen & Thulare, Tsegofatso, 2022. "Can virtual replace in-person coaching? Experimental evidence on teacher professional development and student learning," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. Juan F. Castro & Paul Glewwe & Ricardo Montero, 2019. "Work With What You’ve Got: Improving Teachers’ Pedagogical Skills at Scale in Rural Peru," Working Papers 158, Peruvian Economic Association.
    4. Kika,Jesal Chandrakant & Crouch,Luis A. & Dulvy,Elizabeth Ninan & Thulare,Tshegofatso Desdemona, 2022. "Early Grade Reading in South Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 172983, The World Bank.

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