Standard 3: Instruction and Learning Processes

Learners’ active engagement is important at every developmental and age level. Teaching should be interactive and participatory, ensuring that all learners are involved in the lesson. It makes use of developmentally appropriate teaching and learning methods. This may involve group work, project work, peer education, role-play, telling stories or describing events, games, videos or stories. These methods should be incorporated into teacher training, school textbooks and training programmes. Existing curricula may need to be adapted to accommodate active learning.

Young children learn through play. Their learning should be based on active play and interaction. Guided play may build skills and relationships with both peers and teachers. Parents and primary care-givers of very young children should be supported to understand and apply:

• the importance of being responsive and sensitive to the needs of the children;
• ways to care for younger children;
• play methods that actively engage children in the learning process and promote their development.

Teachers should be supported to talk with parents, community members, education authorities and other relevant stakeholders about the importance of formal and non-formal education activities in emergency settings. They may discuss issues of rights, diversity and inclusion and the importance of reaching out to children and young people who are not taking part in education activities. These discussions are important to ensure that people understand and support the inclusion of all children and the provision of appropriate resource materials and facilities. Groups such as parent- teacher associations, school management and community education committees may be mobilised to help identify barriers to learning and to develop plans to address them at the community level.

Education in emergencies through to recovery should o er teachers in a formal education setting an opportunity for positive change. Teaching methods may be changed to be adaptable and acceptable to the context and should address the rights, needs, age, disabilities and capacities of learners. However, more participatory or learner-friendly teaching methods should be introduced with care and sensitivity. Implementation of new methodologies, particularly during the initial stages of an emergency, may be stressful even for experienced teachers. This may also affect learners, parents and community members.

Changes should be introduced with the approval, coordination and support of education authorities. It may take time for the school and the community to understand and accept these changes. It is important to ensure that the concerns of parents and other community members are addressed. Teachers need to be familiar with new content and with changes expected in their awareness and behaviour.

For non-formal education interventions, learner-centred approaches may be introduced through the training and continued support of volunteers, animators, facilitators and care-givers. Methodologies should be appropriate to the curriculum, addressing core competencies of basic education including literacy, numeracy and life skills relevant to the emergency context.