Novel approach to improve teaching

A multi-national European study, looking at over 5,500 students, has found that a novel school intervention programme can not only improve the mathematics scores of primary school children from disadvantaged areas, but can also lessen the achievement gap caused by socio-economic status.

Known as the Dynamic Approach to School Improvement (DASI), the programme works by first assessing a school to identify the specific teaching areas that could be improved and then implementing targeted measures to improve them. This process involves all members of the school community, including teachers, pupils and parents.

At the beginning of the year, all the pupils in the 72 schools achieved a similar range of scores on the mathematics tests, and showed similar achievement gaps based on socio-economic status, gender and ethnicity. In contrast, at the end of the year, pupils in the schools that received DASI achieved better results on the mathematics test than those in the control group.