Transforming Teacher Education Implementation Plan

The project's objective is to align pre-service education with current, evidence-based practices in primary schools and in-service education programs. This will ensure that all teachers enter the classroom prepared to help children learn how to read and provide safe learning environments. TTE has three specific aims under the overarching objective. First, the project will equip targeted colleges of education (COEs) and university faculty and lecturers with the skills and experience necessary to deliver effective instruction to teachers in training. This will be achieved through various education and training programs, including six-month residencies at Florida State University (FSU), graduate-level foundational courses on reading, study tours, and scholarships for master's programs in the College of Education at FSU. Second, TTE will standardize, align, and link practical, evidence-based, pre-service teacher training and content with the primary school literacy curriculum. This will involve revisions to the Language and Literacy and Practicum courses at the COEs and universities, training for lecturers on the new materials, provision of text resources to COEs and universities, and the development of Centers of Excellence in Pre-Service Teacher Education. Third, TTE will equip pre-service teachers in Colleges of Education and universities with the professional skills necessary to deliver quality literacy instruction in primary schools. This will be achieved by scaffolding closer relationships with demonstration schools, creating feedback loops that will better serve the demonstration schools, the COEs/universities, and the student teachers alike. The project will be implemented over a period of five years, from September 30, 2020, to September 29, 2025. The project's timeline for Year One is outlined in Appendix A. The project will be implemented in several phases, with the first phase focusing on project start-up activities, including the setup of the Lusaka office, hiring of local staff, and procurement of equipment. The baseline situation assessment of 12 colleges and universities will be completed in Year One. This assessment will identify existing strengths, resources, and challenges, faculty knowledge and practices, and pre-service teachers' needs. The consortium will also prepare the graduate-level foundational literacy course, reviewing the content and adapting it for the Zambian context. The project will also establish a technical working group (TWG) for stakeholders in early grade reading. The TWG will include representatives of the Ministry of General Education, USAID/Zambia, the USAID Let's Read Project, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders. The project will also launch an event in Lusaka, hosted by the University of Zambia (UNZA), to mark the beginning of the project. The project's budget for Year One is estimated at $X, which will be used to fund various activities, including the setup of the Lusaka office, hiring of local staff, procurement of equipment, and implementation of the project's activities. The project's budget will be managed in accordance with USAID's financial regulations and guidelines. The project's expected outcomes include improved knowledge and pedagogy regarding early grade reading instruction among lecturers and pre-service teacher education students, greater capacity among lecturers to conduct research relevant to early grade reading and pre-service teacher education, professional learning networks among lecturers, and increased knowledge of teacher professional ethics. It is expected that these outcomes will positively impact student learning outcomes as the newly trained teachers enter classrooms in the coming years.