Scaling Differentiated Instruction in Developing Countries: The Role of Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development

Andreas de Barros

Differentiated instruction is a promising approach to tackle the low learning levels that plague many developing countries. However, little is known about how to promote this strategy at scale and maintain its effectiveness in government-run schools that serve students in high-poverty, low-resource settings. This cluster-randomized trial measures the impact of the "Teaching at the Right Level" program on foundational literacy and mathematics skills in Zambia's public primary schools. In the program, teachers group children based on their learning needs and pace and provide tailored remedial instruction during additional classes. The study also investigates the effectiveness of combining the program with a continuous professional development initiative for teachers, building on an earlier mixed-methods study co-developed within the same research-practice partnership. This study directly informs a national program run by the Zambian government and guides other policymakers and educators who have adopted the program in other developing countries. More broadly, the study offers causal evidence on the importance of teachers in sustaining the effectiveness of highly promising education interventions at scale.

About Andreas de Barros

Andreas de Barros is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Economics. Andy's research specializes in program evaluation and evidence-based education policy in low- and middle-income countries. Prior to joining UCI, he was a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he worked with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). He earned his Ph.D. in Education from Harvard University.