BCPT's English E.
Teach
is an effective intervention that brings quality English language to vernacular
schools from Std. I upwards, using the simple teacher-friendly technology of
audio-visual DVDs in the class environment. These DVDs are given absolutely
free of cost to schools and are custom-made to teach the prescribed Maharashtra
Government syllabus, page by page. It uses the existing school infrastructure
and existing teachers that the children are already familiar with.
These audio-visual English lessons make learning interesting and
enjoyable for children using short songs, interactive sequences and role-play, to
be facilitated by the teacher. English E.Teach helps children overcome their
fear of learning a foreign language and instills a confidence and proficiency
in English, that stays with them for life.
We undertook an in
house Impact Assessment with the main objective of looking at:
1) If there was in actuality an impact on building competency in use of the English
language in students of the vernacular schools using
English E teach
2)Where these students stand in comparison to students of vernacular
schools not using English E. teach, and English medium schools catering to the
same socio-economic strata as the children in said vernacular schools
3) Aspects and content of English E. Teach that need to be
highlighted when orienting teachers or offering them training. (This is being shared with those involved in these
processes and is not elaborated on in this write up)
HOW WAS THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED:
1) School Based Assessment (BMC and Private)
This was conducted in schools that use English E.teach DVDs, testing
students in classes I to III. Criteria for eligibility was that the school
should have been using English E. teach for one full academic year at least,
i.e. from academic year 2016-17.
Schools that had the program in use in Stds I-III were preferred.
The 5 facilitators (who
liaise with schools and teachers, introducing the programme to them, training
teachers in its use and offering hands on assistance as and when required) selected
5 schools each, that met our requirements.
The assessment was conducted in a total of 30 schools.
An interactive session was designed for Stds. I - III. The time
available to us for actually conducting the sessions in class was limited, hence
only a few competencies could be tested.
A pair of facilitators conducted the session in each class, with
one facilitator noting the observations on a data collection sheet while the
other interacted with the students.
Data gathered this way is
labeled ‘School Based’.
2)Community Based Assessment
of Individual Children
This type of assessment was Conducted in communities by the
facilitators to compare performance of
vernacular school students of classes I
to III attending schools where English E
teach is in use, with the performance of
1) students of vernacular school
that do not use EET and
2) students of English medium schools that cater to the children
of a similar socio-economic strata as the vernacular schools mentioned above.
This was done in communities serviced by NGOs connected with
BCPT. The NGOs helped with the logistics of identifying the children &
bringing them together at a venue where the assessment could be conducted.
The proposed sample size for the community based assessment was
60 students of Std. I - III each. (We fell short by 5 in the actual collection
of data.)
In the communities, we followed a one on one pattern, with one
facilitator testing one child at a time, using formats designed for the
purpose. The core questions remained the same as those in the school based
assessment.
Data gathered thus is
labeled ‘Community Based’.
WHAT ARE THE
FINDINGS?
