Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL)- A MILESTONE

What is TaRL?

* The Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach targets the root of the learning crisis by transforming the structures that lead to it. The approach was developed and pioneered by the Indian non-governmental organization Pratham in the early 2000s in response to the failures of the education system.?

Why is TaRL needed?

The severe learning crisis affecting many countries across the world has not spared India. The country is faced with the twin crises of a large and growing out-of-school population and a sizeable portion of children who, despite going to school, do not acquire foundational

skills in the first few years of schooling.?

Sustainability;?

Support states to develop costed scalability- and sustainability plans that can be included in state budgets and plans.?

* Keep costs at a minimum and avoid financial incentives or costs that would be challenging for the government to absorb over time.?

* Integrate support processes and systems into existing

government systems.

Over ten years of data from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) point to three key facts:

1) First, at every grade level, basic learning levels are unacceptably low. The All India figures from ASER 2018 suggest that only about half of all children enrolled in Std V can read at least at Std II level. A similar proportion of children can do a two-digit subtraction problem (with borrowing) correctly. This suggests that at least half of all children in Std V in India need immediate support.?

2) Second, data from recent years shows small increases especially in lower grades, but much higher improvements are needed to bring children up to the level of grade level expectations.

3) Third, learning trajectories over time are flat. This suggests that if children do not acquire foundational skills in the primary school years, it is unlikely that they will pick them up later.?

It majorly focuses on three key points;

(i) Focus on Foundational Skills: The goal is to ensure all students have a strong grasp of basic reading and math skills before moving on to more complex topics.?

(ii) Individualized Instruction: Instead of teaching to a grade level, teachers assess students and group them based on their current abilities. This allows for targeted instruction that addresses each student's specific needs.?

(iii) Catch-Up and Acceleration: Students who are behind can receive focused support to catch up to their peers. Advanced students can be challenged with more complex material to keep them engaged.?

Benefits of TaRL:?

(a)Improved learning outcomes for all students?

(b)Increased engagement and motivation

(c)Reduced frustration and feelings of inadequacy

(d)A stronger foundation for future learning.

The percentage of all children in standard 3 who can read at standard 2 levels has climbed up slowly over the past few years, according to the government’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), a biennial nationwide survey of children’s ability to read simple text and do basic arithmetic.

This figure has increased from 21.6% in 2013 to 23.6% in 2014 to 25.1% in 2016, and finally to 27.2% in 2018. Since 2014, the survey has been carried out every alternate year.

The TaRL approach has been shown to have several positive impacts on students’ learning outcomes and education systems:?

Increased learning motivation: Research has demonstrated that TaRL can boost students’ learning motivation, particularly among those who are struggling to keep up with grade-level expectations?

Improved foundational skills: TaRL focuses on teaching foundational skills like reading and arithmetic at a level tailored to individual students’ abilities, rather than age or grade. This approach has been shown to help children acquire these skills quickly and effectively (e.g., “Teaching at the Right Level” by Pratham).

Reduced learning gaps: By addressing learning gaps and providing targeted support, TaRL helps to bridge the divide between students who are ahead and those who are behind, promoting more equitable learning outcomes (e.g., ASER 2018: % Children in primary school who can read at different levels).?