Large Class Teaching in Resource-Constrained Contexts : Lessons from Reflective Research in Ugandan Primary Schools

Since May 2006, the authors have been engaged in a study of large classes (70+ learners) in Uganda. The study was undertaken in two phases. First was the baseline survey in 20 schools among 35 teachers. Second was the reflective action phase involving ten teachers in 5 schools in order to develop further the strategies they had identified as having greater potential to facilitate teaching and learning in their large classes. The findings of the study showed that teaching and learning were constrained by large classes. The paper argues, however, that the immediate solution may not be class size reduction. Such approaches as increasing the number of teachers to allow more than one teacher per class, providing schools with the necessary resources and enabling teachers to develop the confidence and skills to improve the learning environment in large classes should be explored as alternatives to class size reduction.