Remedial teaching in Indian under-resourced communities: Professional development of para-teachers

•The PD program helped Para-teachers plan and enact learner-centered lessons.•Pupil scores of reflected substantial learning gain.•Collaboration and autonomy gained impetus in the NGO.•PD program effects were well-institutionalized.

This paper presents a summative evaluation of a professional development program for para-teachers within an Indian NGO. The program aimed to support para-teachers in well-structured learner-centered enactment by introducing planning and reflection of daily lessons. The study investigated lesson plans, enactment and pupil outcomes to assess the extent to which para-teachers could plan and enact well-structured learner centered lessons. The study suggests strong evidence that the program was successful in helping para-teachers achieve greater quality of lesson planning, enactment and pupil learning.