Study finds phone-call tutoring sustains math learning during school shutdowns
A multi-country trial found that weekly 20-minute phone calls from teachers, combined with text messages, significantly boosted children's math progress when schools were closed. Text messages alone, without calls, also produced measurable learning gains compared with children who received no outreach at all.
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With school closures increasingly common due to pandemics, natural disasters, and conflict, this research points to a low-cost, scalable way to keep vulnerable children learning without requiring internet access or devices. It suggests education systems in low-resource settings could maintain continuity of learning using basic mobile phone infrastructure alone.
- Combining phone calls and texts produced the largest math learning gains in the trial
- Text messages alone still improved learning outcomes versus no intervention
- The method offers a cheap, scalable option for emergency education continuity
Casio fx-991EX Scientific Calculator — If phone-call tutoring can boost kids' maths learning, a solid scientific calculator keeps the momentum going at the kitchen table. The Casio fx-991EX is a classroom staple that handles everything from fractions to statistics, making it a handy companion for remote maths sessions.
See Casio fx-991EX Scientific Calculator on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: nature.com — Smith, 2026-09-10
Published there as: “Daily briefing: Text-message tutoring keeps kids learning when schools close”
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