In 71% of Tamil Nadu classrooms, teachers do not check children’s work: report
In 71% of the classrooms in Tamil Nadu, teachers do not check written work or provide feedback to help children improve their learning, according to
In 71% of the classrooms in Tamil Nadu, teachers do not check written work or provide feedback to help children improve their learning, according to Teaching Learning Practices Survey (TLPS) 2025. The study, aimed at strengthening teaching and learning practices in basic literacy and numeracy, was anchored by the Language and Learning Foundation, supported by Tata Trusts, and implemented in the State by the Madhi Foundation and Educational Initiatives. The survey was conducted between November 2024 and March 2025 in nine States — Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh — covering 21 districts and 1,050 classrooms.
In Tamil Nadu, the report looks at the teaching-learning practices of Classes I and II in 150 classrooms across Krishnagiri, Villupuram, and Ramanathapuram districts. It notes that the findings are based on the sampled classrooms and are not representative of the entire State. Unveiled recently, the report states that in 47% of the classrooms, teachers relied solely on choral response to check students’ understanding. It also noted that print-rich materials were displayed in 77% of the classrooms, above the TLPS 2025 national average of 48%.
Further, teachers’ planned use of teaching-learning materials in mathematics was 61%, while children’s was 77%. “Almost 70% of the classrooms either skipped comprehension checks or relied on choral responses rather than individual checks to assess students’ understanding. Children were off-task for 25% of the class time, and when on-task, spent most of the time on copying and choral repetition,” it said. The study recommended sustained focus beyond the early grades, though Tamil Nadu had made significant progress in prioritising basic literacy and numeracy through the Ennum Ezhuthum Mission.
“There is also a need to broaden the vision of foundational learning to include critical thinking, strong oral expression, and independent writing for language, as well as problem-solving and reasoning for mathematics. Further, teachers should receive regular mentoring on language and mathematics specific pedagogy,” the report added.
The BriefWire