Teaching at the Right Level

Differentiated learning (DL) is a well-researched, highly effective intervention that ensures students who have fallen behind receive instruction tailored to their individual needs, helping them catch up
We are encouraged by the success of the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) program in multiple developing countries and by funder interest in scaling it to new regions
To maximize impact, the program must be adapted to local contexts while maintaining core, evidence-based design principles. We believe an AIM-incubated charity would be well-placed to take on this challenge.
Thus, we recommend a charity that implements and scales differentiated learning in a new country, improving foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

What’s the problem?

Many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are experiencing a learning crisis.
Despite rising school attendance rates across the world, over half of 10-year-olds in LMICs still cannot read with comprehension.
Interventions are urgently needed to improve education quality so that all children acquire foundational literacy and numeracy skills, essential for leading a prosperous life in the modern world.

Why does it matter?

Research suggests that providing quality education is one of the best ways to lift people out of poverty and support countries’ economic growth.
While most governments have focused on increasing school enrollment and completion rates, improved learning outcomes have not kept pace, receiving less policy attention and investment.
This gap has created opportunities for charities to implement highly cost-effective interventions that enhance teacher practices, such as DL.

Neglectedness:

While DL is gaining traction among funders in the education sector, there is still a need for high-quality implementers to deliver the program and scale it cost-effectively.

What’s the proposed solution?

DL groups children by learning level rather than age, providing targeted instruction to improve foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
Originally developed by the education NGO Pratham in India under the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) model, this method ensures that students who have fallen behind receive tailored support to catch up.
TaRL is widely considered one of the most effective interventions for improving education quality in LMICs.

Why do we trust this solution?

TaRL was co-designed and co-implemented by leading development economists, including Abhijit Banerjee and Ester Duflo, with extensive evaluations by researchers affiliated with The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL).

How robust is the evidence?

This is one of the most rigorously studied education interventions in LMICs.
More than ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) across India and sub-Saharan Africa have evaluated DL interventions, generating a strong evidence base on their effectiveness and different implementation models.

What impact could this have?

A 2023 meta-analysis found that DL interventions yield average learning gains of 0.43 standard deviations (SDs)—equivalent to more than two years of schooling under typical LMIC conditions. Our research suggests this could translate into future earnings increases of 4–17%.

Estimated cost-effectiveness:

We estimate that a new DL charity in the Philippines could achieve a cost-effectiveness of USD 12–45 per year of doubled consumption. In lower-income countries, cost-effectiveness may be even higher.

The co-founders of this charity should be skilled in building relationships with stakeholders, including governments, school administrators, and NGOs implementing DL.
While experience in education systems would be beneficial, the key requirement is a commitment to adapting the program’s methodology to local contexts and fostering productive partnerships.
A strong aptitude or interest in designing teacher training programs would further enhance leadership potential.