A short, practical guide from TESSA (Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, coordinated by The Open University) written specifically for teachers working with very large classes, few or no teaching materials, and pupils who lack resources at home. Instead of theory, it shares seven concrete ideas tested by teachers in exactly these conditions, showing how to turn what is around you — the local environment, everyday objects, radio, and the community itself — into teaching materials and learning opportunities. For an emerging educator with no formal training, it reframes scarcity as something workable and gives realistic first steps that cost nothing.
What the teacher gets
- Seven teacher-tested strategies for teaching well when classrooms are large and materials are scarce
- How to use the local environment for discussions, investigations and free classroom data
- Ways to involve parents and community members in lessons (e.g. inviting mothers to join reading classes)
- How to build your own teaching aids from everyday items like boxes and bottles
Access: free, no login (sign-up only adds optional progress tracking). Lightweight HTML page; free PDF and Word downloads for offline use. English; sister versions in French, Swahili and Arabic. CC BY-SA.
Related: 2.2 Context-Responsive Teaching · Content Framework Overview