Kshamtalaya Foundation

Context

         The onset of the COVID 19 pandemic and the shift in learning to online mediums threw light on the massive divide between children who have access to the internet and those who do not. In Kotra and Gogunda, where Kshamtalaya has been working since 2016, children did not have access to the internet, smart devices or in some parts even electricity. With schools closed due to the pandemic, it was imperative for us to support the children in continuity with their learning. With this intention Kshamtalaya came up with an idea of an Integrated Audio Learning program, to reach children with the intention of building connections, a culture of community learning and developing resilience.

Socio-Economic Profile

                           Kshamtalaya Foundation was working with Children of 30 schools in Kotra and Gogunda Blocks. Since the intervention was in the hamlets where the children lived, their parents also became a part of the learning circles.

Strategies

• The content of the IAL Program is integrated with the State curriculum and mapped with NCERT Learning Outcomes. The program focused on working on children’s reading and writing skills, numeracy and literacy, along with supporting them with practices of Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning.
• To begin with, the content for the program was developed using stories, songs, riddles, trivia and wellbeing practices-all integrated with the state curriculum.
• The content was supported by worksheets which were focused on building on children’s understanding from each of the episodes from the audio series. The stories were also compiled into a printed form by creating comic books of the same.
• The learning circles averaged between 15-20 children per circle and each of these circles were facilitated in the presence of an iDiscover Fellow and a local volunteer or a student leader.
• The IAL content was facilitated through a bluetooth speaker, followed by activities and worksheets to scaffold children’s learning and understanding.

Numbers Impacted

• 2700+ children were connected with learning and supported in retaining and improving their foundational learning levels along with developing life skills.
• In a sample of 2151 children around 45.5% children jumped one reading level and in a sample of 863 children assessed using ASER, 36% showed improvement in at least one level.
• In a sample of 1288 who were given support in learning number sense almost 51% of children showed improvement in understanding numbers till 100.
• We also conducted life skills assessment with a sample of 205 children and found that 35.7% of these children showed improvement in their five skills- 1. Understanding and following Instructions 2. Overcoming difficulties and identifying solutions 3.Managing conflict 4. Taking initiative and 5. Ability to Interact