Intensive practice pilot

Project Overview

Providing high-quality opportunities for trainee teachers to practise is one of the essential building blocks of great teacher training. Practice can help trainees refine their skill and deepen their understanding of the relationship between educational theory and its application in the classroom.

There is promising evidence that increasing the amount of high-quality practice that trainees undertake within initial teacher training can improve outcomes for teachers and their pupils.

This project aims to help initial teacher training providers design and deliver effective intensive training and practice, by documenting the planning and piloting process of four initial teacher training providers working in different contexts.

Research Aims

• Inform providers’ decision-making about the design and delivery of intensive practice during initial teacher training
• Identify barriers and solutions to support the successful delivery of intensive practice
• Inform future research about intensive practice, conducted both within the NIoT and by other organisations

Summary of Findings

The evaluation of the ITAP pilot found promising evidence that its four models were well-designed, feasible, and scalable if potential barriers are addressed. Trainees appreciated the enjoyable and relevant delivery, with some evidence of improved knowledge, understanding, and confidence linked to the program's singular focus on questioning and the integration of theory with practice, supported by timely feedback.

Challenges included a lack of prior evidence to guide design, overburdening schools and mentors, added trainee pressures, and the need to tailor content to teaching contexts. Addressing these through careful planning, communication, and appropriate resources from DfE is essential.

Barriers to scaling included high upfront design costs, maintaining quality, and tight budgets and timelines, though digital solutions and resource sharing may help. Concerns about the fast pace and unequal benefits for trainees could be mitigated by managing cognitive load and ensuring access to pastoral support. Design trade-offs, such as contrasting "business as usual" by removing trainees from placement schools, were effective but may be challenging to scale. Digital elements and DfE funding could support these efforts.

Key Takeaways

• Impact on Trainee Knowledge: ITAP effectively improved trainees' understanding of how questioning strategies can be used to engage learners and assess comprehension.
• Promising Model Design: The ITAP models, grounded in evidence and expert input, demonstrated strong potential for wider adoption, with a participatory design approach ensuring relevance to diverse contexts.
• Feasibility Across Providers: Despite some logistical challenges, the pilot showed that ITAP models are implementable across a variety of ITT settings, with appropriate planning and resources.
• Enhanced Confidence: Trainees reported increased confidence in applying questioning techniques, attributing this to opportunities for immediate feedback and iterative practice.

Project Team

• Dr. Lydia Marshall

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