Working Paper: NBER ID: w30686
Authors: Simon M. Burgess; Shenila Rawal; Eric S. Taylor
Abstract: We study teachers’ choices about how to allocate class time across different instructional activities, for example, lecturing, open discussion, or individual practice. Our data come from secondary schools in England, specifically classes preceding GCSE exams. Students score higher in math when their teacher devotes more class time to individual practice and assessment. In contrast, students score higher in English if there is more discussion and work with classmates. Class time allocation predicts test scores separate from the quality of the teacher’s instruction during the activities. These results suggest opportunities to improve student achievement without changes in teachers’ skills.
Keywords: class time allocation; student achievement; instructional practices; teacher effectiveness
JEL Codes: I21; J24
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Teachers' choices about class time allocation (A22) | Student achievement (I24) |
| More time allocated to individual practice and assessment (C91) | Higher student scores in math (C12) |
| More time spent on discussions and peer interactions (C92) | Higher student scores in English (A21) |
| Student assigned to a top-quartile teacher (I24) | Higher scores than a similar student assigned to a bottom-quartile teacher (D29) |
| Effective class time allocation (C41) | Student achievement (I24) |