This study presents the findings from a controlled trial of the new Teacher
Guides for English as a subject (n=293) that form part of the new elementary
English Standards-Based Curriculum in Papua New Guinea. The aim was to
investigate whether training on the Teacher Guides had an impact on teachers’
ability to use and deliver the scripted lessons they contain.
The trial was conducted in two provinces. Assessment was by pre- and
post-trial questionnaires, reflective journals and focus groups. The multi-arm
trial ran over seven weeks with three training groups: group 1, with 1.5 days of
full training (n=96), group 2, with 0.5 day of introductory training (n=100), and
group 3, (n=97) with no training.
Training on the Teacher Guides had no significant effect on adherence to
or use of the teaching strategies in the scripted lessons. All groups, regardless of
the amount of training they received, reported being able to apply the strategies
from the Teacher Guides during lessons. From the pre- and post-trial
questionnaires, a significant positive effect in the use of key teaching strategies
from using the Teacher Guides was found over time