When Teachers Understand What They’re Doing, Students Learn: Evidence from EDC’s Reading Program in the DRC

EDC conducted a research study in the Democratic Republic of Congo to test the effects of teacher knowledge and practice on student learning. The study explored whether teachers’ exposure to a robust reading program changed their knowledge of sound instructional practices, and whether those changes were linked to their students’ performance in reading.

Key Findings

• At the end of the year, teachers in the experimental schools had better knowledge of sound literacy instruction than did teachers in the control groups.
• Data analysis showed that students in experimental schools significantly outperformed students in control schools.