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Reprint of: Teaching assistants, computers and classroom management

Author

Listed:
  • Johnson, Helen
  • McNally, Sandra
  • Rolfe, Heather
  • Ruiz-Valenzuela, Jenifer
  • Savage, Robert
  • Vousden, Janet
  • Wood, Clare

Abstract

Many students still leave school without a good grasp of basic literacy, despite the negative implications for future educational and labour market outcomes. We evaluate how resources may be used within classrooms to reinforce the teaching of literacy. Specifically, teaching assistants are trained to deliver a tightly structured package of materials to groups of young children aged 5–6. The training is randomly allocated between and within schools. Within schools, teaching assistants are randomly assigned to receive training in either computer-aided instruction or the paper equivalent. Both interventions have a short-term impact on children's reading scores, although the effect is bigger for the paper intervention and more enduring in the subsequent year. This paper shows how teaching assistants can be used to better effect within schools, and at a low cost.

Suggested Citation

  • Johnson, Helen & McNally, Sandra & Rolfe, Heather & Ruiz-Valenzuela, Jenifer & Savage, Robert & Vousden, Janet & Wood, Clare, 2019. "Reprint of: Teaching assistants, computers and classroom management," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 17-32.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:59:y:2019:i:c:p:17-32
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2019.07.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Berlinski, Samuel & Busso, Matias & Giannola, Michele, 2023. "Helping struggling students and benefiting all: Peer effects in primary education," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    3. Schochet Peter Z., 2022. "Estimating complier average causal effects for clustered RCTs when the treatment affects the service population," Journal of Causal Inference, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 300-334, January.

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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