Improving Teacher Uptake of Foundational Pedagogical Practices through Low-Tech, Behaviourally Informed Interventions

India’s National Education Policy (NEP 2020) mandates that all children achieve foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by Grade 3. While structured pedagogy programmes—offering scripted lesson plans, workbooks, training, and mentorship—have been rolled out at scale, day-to-day adoption by teachers remains low, especially in rural government schools. Heavy administrative loads, large multi-grade classrooms, and entrenched beliefs about limits to learning further constrain uptake.

CSBC, along with Central Square Foundation, designed and tested two low-cost, WhatsApp-based strategies designed to make state-issued FLN resources and prescribed practices accessible and adoptable in two districts of UP - Sitapur and Hardoi.

Our Approach

We first identified barriers to adoption through qualitative discussions with teachers and government officials in three districts of Uttar Pradesh. These barriers turned out to be a mix of structural and behavioural factors. The figure below summarises the barriers, categorised thematically:

Thematic categorisation of Barriers

Based on insights from the diagnostic exercise and the barriers identified and prioritised, we designed and tested two low-cost, WhatsApp-based strategies aimed at making state-issued FLN resources Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely (EAST), to improve adoption. Both strategies were designed as light-touch supports, easily accessible on mobile phones, that fit into teachers’ busy routines without adding extra administrative work.

WhatsApp Chatbot - We aimed to draw attention to the Teacher Guide, the importance and benefits of preparation/planning through bite-sized, audio-enabled summaries of daily teaching lesson plans. Regular reminders using positive deviance and social proof: habit-building prompts, streak stickers, and monthly report cards to encourage regular usage. Here, the target behaviour was the use of TG for planning and teaching.

Micro-Practice Videos (MPVs) – Providing information on micropractices through active videos that leverage emotion to inspire action, address common classroom breakdowns and demonstrate desired practice in relatable settings on peer WhatsApp groups every two weeks. Regular reminders using positive deviance and social proof: peer polls, infographics, and recognition certificates to acknowledge effort and leverage social influence. Here, the target behaviours were: a.) Teachers take student responses respectively. b.) The teacher teaches all domains of Balanced Literacy. c.) Teachers follow all steps of the Gradual Release of Responsibility in the correct order to teach a new concept in Numeracy. d.) Teachers give students dedicated time for student practice, individually and in groups, with feedback.

Summary of Interventions

Snapshot of chatbot flow (Treatment arm 1)

Snippet from a Micro-practice Video (Treatment arm 2)

We tested the impact of interventions by conducting a six-month cluster randomised controlled trial with approximately 1,900 Grade 3 teachers in rural Uttar Pradesh (Sitapur and Hardoi districts). Outcomes measured included adoption of prescribed practices, knowledge of structured pedagogy content, and valuation of teaching aids. Secondary measures included motivation, beliefs about teaching, and self-efficacy. Data were collected through self-administered surveys completed by teachers at baseline and endline.

Teachers' participation in the baseline survey

Key Findings

No overall impact on primary outcomes for the full sample - adoption, knowledge, and valuation remained unchanged.

• Context mattered: In Sitapur, modest gains were observed in the valuation of teaching resources; in Hardoi, resistance from teacher unions likely reduced engagement and even drove negative effects.
• Teacher type mattered: Contractual, less-qualified Shiksha Mitras showed small increases in motivation and belief in new methods, while permanent, more-qualified Assistant Teachers reported slight gains in valuation of teaching resources and self-reported student outcomes.
• Engagement was concentrated with brief spikes: Engagement was limited, with only 15–20% of teachers interacting regularly with the interventions. Recognition and social-proof nudges triggered brief spikes in activity, but these boosts quickly faded.

Implications

Light-touch digital nudges alone are insufficient to shift teaching practice at scale. For sustainable change, they should be paired with:

• Trusted, in-person coaching
• Peer learning networks
• System-level support to address structural barriers

Partners

This project was implemented by CSBC and the Central Square Foundation, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.