Measuring What Matters: A Dual Lens on Teaching Quality and Student Engagement

The World Bank and LEGO Foundation compared the Teach Primary and PLAY (Engage) classroom observation tools, finding they measure complementary aspects of teaching—one focusing on instructional quality, the other on student engagement. The study supports using both tools to holistically assess and improve teaching practices, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

In a pioneering partnership, the World Bank and the LEGO Foundation, supported by RTI International and New York University’s Global TIES for Children, have undertaken a robust study to evaluate two prominent classroom observation tools: the World Bank’s Teach Primary and the LEGO Foundation’s PLAY tool, now rebranded as Engage. Spearheaded by researchers Diego Luna Bazaldua and Emma Carter, the study explores the intersection between these instruments, assessing how well they capture teaching practices that promote socio-emotional learning, student engagement, and cognitive development. By combining expert-led content analysis with classroom observation data from Ethiopia, Peru, and Sierra Leone, the research offers valuable insight into how these tools can inform evidence-based education reforms, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Measuring Engagement vs. Instructional Rigor

Both tools target classrooms with students aged 6 to 12 but differ in their emphasis. Teach Primary evaluates instructional quality and teacher behaviors across areas such as classroom culture, lesson facilitation, and socio-emotional skill development. In contrast, PLAY focuses on how teachers support student engagement through exploration, agency, emotional climate, and social connection. These constructs are rooted in learning through play, highlighting student-driven learning and intrinsic motivation.

To determine their overlap, the study adopted a two-phase Delphi method—a structured consensus process involving nine international experts in education measurement. These experts were tasked with mapping 25 items from the PLAY tool to the 30 behavioral indicators in Teach Primary, and then reversing the exercise. The results showed that just over a third of the items in PLAY matched closely with behaviors in Teach Primary, while another third had no clear equivalents. This suggests that while the tools share common ground, PLAY offers a unique lens by emphasizing aspects like student choice, personal expression, and emotional well-being—elements not strongly captured by Teach Primary.

Quantitative Evidence from the Field

The qualitative findings were reinforced by a concurrent validity analysis using real-world classroom data from Ethiopia, Peru, and Sierra Leone. The correlation between the total scores of Teach Primary and PLAY was modest at 0.15, supporting the view that they assess related but distinct constructs. Notably, the highest correlation (0.16) was found between PLAY’s total score and the socio-emotional skills dimension of Teach Primary, suggesting both tools are aligned in capturing how well teachers support students’ emotional development.

At the other end of the spectrum, the weakest correlation close to zero was between PLAY’s agency construct and Teach Primary’s classroom culture component. This divergence underscores how PLAY places more emphasis on student autonomy and participation, whereas Teach Primary focuses on teacher-led behaviors and classroom management strategies. These complementary perspectives highlight the importance of using both tools together for a more comprehensive understanding of teaching quality.

Testing the Strength of PLAY’s Structure

The study also tested the internal consistency and structural validity of the PLAY tool using statistical methods like exploratory factor analysis, inter-item correlations, and multidimensional scaling. The results were promising: the tool demonstrated good internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.79, indicating that it reliably measures engaging teaching practices. However, one item—COE6, which focuses on inclusivity for children with diverse backgrounds—showed a weak or even negative correlation with the rest of the tool. This suggests the item may not align well with the underlying constructs and could benefit from revision or removal.

Interestingly, although PLAY is structured around four theoretical constructs, the statistical analysis revealed a potential three-factor structure. Items related to exploration and emotional climate tended to cluster together, while those related to agency and personal/social connection formed another group. This finding suggests that the conceptual framework of the PLAY tool may need further refinement to better reflect how engagement-based teaching unfolds in practice.

Complementary Tools for Holistic Education Reform

Ultimately, the study concludes that Teach Primary and PLAY are both valid, well-constructed tools that serve different but complementary purposes. While Teach Primary excels at assessing foundational classroom practices, PLAY captures more nuanced elements of student engagement, emotional support, and participatory learning. Together, they offer a powerful combination for policymakers and educators looking to design and monitor education reforms that are both academically rigorous and emotionally responsive.

The researchers also offered practical lessons for future studies using the Delphi method. They emphasized the importance of allowing sufficient time for expert feedback, maintaining regular communication, and simplifying the review process. Clear incentives and reducing the burden of complex tasks were also found to improve expert engagement and data quality.

As education systems worldwide strive to recover from learning losses and reimagine learning environments, tools like Teach Primary and PLAY provide a foundation for meaningful change. By embedding engaging, play-based, and emotionally supportive teaching practices into national education strategies, governments can foster inclusive, equitable classrooms where all children can thrive. Through strategic investment and cross-sector collaboration, these tools can transform classrooms into spaces that nurture creativity, resilience, and lifelong learning—preparing today’s learners to meet the demands of tomorrow’s world.