The first eight years of life shape everything that comes after — language, emotional control, learning habits, and future academic success. Yet in Bangladesh (BD), many young children face intense academic pressure far too early, weakening the very foundations they need to thrive.

In this episode, Evidence Based Teacher Development (EBTD) explores the science behind early childhood development and introduces the EBTD Early Years Framework for Bangladesh — a free, research-informed guide built for real Bangladeshi classrooms.

You’ll learn why:
• Strong Bangla language foundations lead to stronger English later
• Play-based learning builds deeper understanding than early drilling
• Emotional safety and self-regulation are essential for learning
• Simple, low-cost classroom strategies can transform outcomes
• Rushing academics often harms long-term achievement

Access the full Early Years Framework here:
https://www.ebtd.education/research-hub-free-teacher-resources/early-years-framework/

Designed for teachers, school leaders, NGOs and education stakeholders, this episode offers practical, evidence-based insights grounded in cognitive science, child development research and the realities of Bangladeshi schools.

Listen now to discover how we can reduce pressure, strengthen foundations, and improve learning outcomes for children across Bangladesh.

In this episode of the EBTD Research Bites, we examine how the Education Endowment Foundation’s updated guidance on Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning (MSRL) can be applied practically in Bangladesh (BD) classrooms.

This episode is based directly on the EEF’s official guidance report:

EEF Metacognition & Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/metacognition

We strongly encourage all teachers, leaders and teacher trainers to explore this report alongside the podcast.

Drawing on evidence from 355+ international studies, this session explores how metacognition can move from theory into everyday classroom practice in Bangladesh’s exam-driven context.

You will learn:

• What metacognition and self-regulated learning really mean for Bangladeshi classrooms
• The three types of metacognitive knowledge all students need
• The EEF’s seven-step teaching sequence explained simply
• Why modelling your thinking aloud has such a large impact on learning
• How to structure metacognitive classroom talk in large classes
• How to balance challenge and cognitive load in exam-focused lessons
• How exam wrappers help students become more independent learners
• What school leaders can do to embed MSRL across whole-school practice

In Bangladesh, teachers often work with:

• Very large class sizes
• Intense exam pressure
• Strong reliance on private tuition
• Limited teaching resources

This episode shows how metacognition can help build independent, strategic learners who rely less on coaching centres and more on their own thinking — without adding extra workload for teachers.

Guide to Better Assessment (Research Hub):
https://www.ebtd.education/research-hub-free-teacher-resources/guide-to-better-assessment/

Teacher Training Bangladesh:
https://www.ebtd.education/teacher-training-bangladesh/

Leadership Training Bangladesh:
https://www.ebtd.education/teacher-leadership-bangladesh/

EBTD Research Hub:
https://www.ebtd.education/research-hub-free-teacher-resources/

Is AI the future of learning — or the fastest way to stop learning altogether?

Across classrooms in Bangladesh and beyond, teachers are being told that generative AI will “transform education.” It promises to save time, personalise tutoring, and make every student more creative. But what if those promises come with a hidden cost?

In this episode of EBTD Research Bites, we take a hard look at the evidence behind the hype. Drawing on new studies from Harvard, Dinsmore & Frier, and Carl Hendrick, this deep dive separates science from speculation.

You’ll discover why some AI tutors can double learning gains, while others quietly undermine critical thinking. We explore the Model of Domain Learning — showing how expertise develops through struggle, feedback, and cognitive effort — and why removing that friction can destroy genuine understanding.

This is the real debate every teacher and policymaker should be having:
Is AI acting as a scaffold, supporting students as they build knowledge?
Or as a crutch, letting them skip the hard thinking that makes learning last?

From classrooms in Dhaka to rural schools across Bangladesh, this episode unpacks what “AI in education” really means for teachers, students, and the future of learning.

Because the question isn’t whether AI will change education — it already has.
The question is: Will it make us smarter, or just faster at forgetting?

🎧 Listen now to “Why AI Might Be the Best — and Worst — Thing to Happen to Education” — and explore all episodes of EBTD Research Bites at www.ebtd.education.