Think-Pair-Share in Tajikistan
The USAID Learn Together Activity (LTA) in Tajikistan is expanding on previous approaches developed for primary school literacy in the USAID Read with Me (RWM) project. The RWM project successfully piloted a methodology for enabling the learning environment across the country, while simultaneously developing a set of tools and metrics for observing teachers at work. The project identified a correspondence between student learning, as measured through an increase in words correct per minute, and teacher practice, based on use of effective teaching techniques.
Student assessment data and classroom observation data show that where teachers implemented the techniques they had studied, student outcomes were dramatically improved. The success of the RWM project meant the LTA team were eager to explore an even more ambitious approach to training and developing primary school teachers in the next round of activity. Reframing the approach to create classroom culture and improve lesson planning while using government produced textbooks and teachers guides, drove the teaching and learning process to deliver greater opportunities for social and emotional learning and increasing classroom discourse between students. The hope was that by establishing a culture of group discussion in primary classrooms students would get more opportunities to think about challenging material from the curriculum while leveraging one another as learning resources and community partners.
Methodology
The LTA team worked with colleagues from One World Network of Schools to deconstruct the group discussion moment of a lesson by asking what a teacher would have to do – and in what order – to successfully implement it. Through this work trainers and technicians identified a smaller component technique called “think-pair-share” as a key building block towards the goal of delivering powerful group discussion moments in Tajik classrooms. In a “think-pair-share” task students are asked a rich question and given a chance to think about their own answer individually, before pairing with a partner to discuss and then finally sharing with the whole group. Think-pair-share builds a culture of thoughtful discussion, turn-taking in speaking and listening and peer engagement for all students. These are some of the building blocks of a group discussion episode, and the think-pair-share technique made it easier for teachers - who are building towards such moments - to manage the change in their practice, making it a great acclimatisation and practice opportunity.
Of course, bringing about the change in adult behaviour that would make think-pair-share a regular feature of classrooms required a systematic and practical training approach. The team used the well-established blended learning CPD structure that remained in place after RWM, but added to it a ‘See It, Name it, Do It’ training approach. In this methodology, teachers were shown a model of TPS (see it), and then discussed and named the elements that made for impressive performance (name it). This done, they were given substantial time to script and practice their own TPS moment before going into classes to try this out (do it). Over time, the original videos of TPS have been replaced with videos of excellent practice from Tajik classrooms, many of which have developed the model in more precise and culturally authentic exemplars.
Impact
The impact of the work to date has been striking. As well as developing local Tajik models of TPS we are also seeing – and hearing – more student discussion and talk in classrooms. As well as supporting academic success, this must also have an impact on the social and emotional environment for students. Following in the footsteps of RWM, we anticipate running a similar triangulation between teacher practice and student outcomes.
Learnings
Our work on TPS has led to some generalisable learnings that we are keen to share. First, we would draw attention to the power of chunking complex teaching moments into their component parts so that they can be taught to teachers in a way they will find manageable. Just like our students, our teachers can suffer cognitive overload when confronted with a complex suite of moves to learn and assimilate. Training that does the work of creating bitesize chunks that build towards competence is likely to be more impactful, more quickly.
Second, a good model is key to having teachers understand the change training is asking them to make. The old saying that ‘seeing is believing’ is true here. Live or video models help teachers see what is possible and strive to replicate it. Backed up by a culture of habit-forming practice these models become incredibly powerful. The further step that the LTA team have taken in producing their own models of TPS to share across the country enhance this aim: now teachers in Tajikistan can see the technique being done in classrooms that look like their own. That’s a compelling case for trying to implement TPS and will drive further practice across the country.
Written by
Mark Gregory, One World Network of Schools
Faiziddin Niyozov, USAID Learn Together Activity