Identifying problems in early-grade reading is crucial for development in parts of the world where the stakes are high for kids that get behind the learning curve at a young age.
Nicaragua is one country that has identified early-reading as a major area for improvement and made widespread efforts to address it. The ministry of education there has incorporated EGRA into its national assessment system, and has begun training all first-grade teachers in its implementation, and is developing tools for assisting teachers in the provision of remedial programs for students that fall behind.
Despite gender equality in access to schooling in Nicaragua, boys have higher drop-out rates than girls. Because of economic reasons, especially in rural areas, the chances of a dropout returning to school are minimal. Photo Credit: USAID
Identifying problems in reading and promoting early grade reading is crucial for development in parts of the world where the stakes are high for kids that get behind the learning curve early. While reading is one of many skills that young students must master to thrive today, it is the foundation of all other learning activities in the classroom. It also is increasingly understood as a science, not something that kids simply learn “naturally,” particularly if their homes are devoid of reading opportunities. USAID has made this one of its central concerns through its new Global Education Strategy (2011 – 2015), and is building on prior work that has aimed to set the standards for learning as well as useful measures for assessing it.
The Early-Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) is one such empirical measure developed by USAID and partners. EGRA uses a simple written and oral test to identify specific reading challenges, from identifying letters to reading and listening comprehension, and allows teachers to gauge what further reading work is necessary before the end of the school year. It’s one example of a tool that has been promoted in countries where USAID works, and in some cases taken on by host countries as their primary methodology for assessing young learners’ reading levels in order to provide the individualized attention they require.
Nicaragua is one country that has identified early-reading as a major area for improvement and made widespread efforts to address it. The ministry of education there has incorporated EGRA into its national assessment system, and has begun training all first-grade teachers in its implementation, and is developing tools for assisting teachers in the provision of remedial programs for students that fall behind. At the same time, private sector associations have kicked off the Todos a Leer, or “Everyone, let’s read” campaign, which awards prizes to first-graders and their teachers that meet or exceed reading benchmarks.
As USAID and its partners across the world work towards the 2015 goal of improving reading for 100 million young learners, tools like EGRA are and local ownership like that seen in Nicaragua are crucial elements for success.
