Improving Reading Instruction and Students’ Reading Skills in the Early Grades: Evidence From a Randomized Evaluation in Haiti

Guzman, Juan Carlos; Schuenke-Lucien, Kate; D'Agostino, Anthony J.; Berends, Mark; Elliot, Andrew J.

doi:10.1002/rrq.297

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…As such, one may not be able to predict the effects of providing read‐aloud lessons in the absence of an intervention such as RANA. Another limitation of this study is that, to assess students’ reading skills, we used the EGRA, which has been criticized for focusing more on fluency than the other foundational reading skills (Guzmán, Schuenke‐Lucien, D’Agostino, Berends, & Elliot, 2021; Klauda & Guthrie, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Story Read‐Aloud Lessons on Literacy Development in the Early Grades: Experimental Evidence From Nigeria

Moussa¹,

Koester²

2021

Reading Research Quarterly

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Research has indicated that reading aloud to young students can enhance their foundational reading skills and their reading motivation, but such research has been lacking in African contexts. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of story read-aloud lessons in improving students' foundational reading skills in Nigeria. The experiment took place in a cluster randomized trial of 199 schools in Northern Nigeria. In treatment schools, second-grade teachers conducted weekly read-aloud lessons as an addition to the core learning curriculum. In control schools, second-grade teachers implemented only the core curriculum, without weekly read-aloud lessons. We found that story read-alouds led to positive effects on listening comprehension, letter sound recognition, nonword decoding, and reading fluency, with effect sizes between 0.17 and 0.33 standard deviations. These outcomes suggest that enhanced student motivation from read-alouds may enhance text-based skills. To identify the effects of increased teacher experience on read-aloud effectiveness, we employed a two-period difference-in-differences approach. We found that increased teacher experience explained between 26% and 51% of the overall read-aloud effect, depending on the literacy subskill. We also found that the read-aloud effects coupled with increased teacher experience had an equalizing effect on the reading outcomes of students from divergent home literacy environments.I n recent decades, the international development community has increased its focus on learning outcomes generally and on literacy outcomes specifically (Bartlett, Dowd, & Jonason, 2015).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Story Read‐Aloud Lessons on Literacy Development in the Early Grades: Experimental Evidence From Nigeria

Moussa¹,

Koester²

2021

Reading Research Quarterly

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“…Many RCTs are conducted with minimal attrition (e.g., Guzmán et al, 2021), including the portion of the present RCT conducted in Districts C and D. Therefore, external validity need not always be sacrificed in favour of internal validity. However, in Districts A and B, it seems clear that an experiment which can only be conducted in 27% of the sites originally selected (or 7% if we count only sites that truly met the requirements of randomisation in year 2) lacks external validity.…”

Section: Implications For Researchersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The gold standard for whom? Schools' experiences participating in a randomised controlled trial

Troyer

2022

Journal Research in Reading

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Background: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have long been considered the gold standard in education research. Federal funds are allocated to evaluations that meet What Works Clearinghouse standards; RCT designs are required in order to meet these standards without reservations. Schools seek out interventions that are research based, in other words, interventions that have demonstrated effects in RCTs, creating a cycle that incentivises RCT research. However, RCTs pose tremendous obstacles for school-based participants.Methods: This paper presents a descriptive case study of an RCT of an adolescent reading intervention implemented in four districts over three years, drawing on interviews and document analysis to illustrate the challenges that participation in an RCT poses for schools. Results: In two participating districts, the random assignment requirement caused major difficulties with recruitment and retention. Of the 15 schools that began implementation in fall of year 1, 11 left the study by fall of year 2. Of those 11, eight explicitly stated that the random assignment requirement was the reason they withdrew. Stakeholders expressed that they felt it was unethical to withhold the intervention from some students. Conclusions: This rate of attrition casts doubt on the external validity of the programme evaluation, as these schools are likely to systematically differ from schools that met the requirements of random assignment. Suggestions are offered for alternative methods that may be used to evaluate promising interventions, in ways that are better aligned with real-world educational contexts.

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“…In this regard, reading skills have significant contributions in pupils' learning in schools. Guzmán et al (2021) propose that reading skills among early grade pupils are crucial for their future success and persistence in schools and beyond. Moreover, reading skills in early grades enable pupils to develop their critical thinking abilities, concentration, increase their vocabularies and become independent readers (Dessemontet et al, 2022;Mwoma, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impediments in Teaching Kiswahili Phonemic Awareness and Alphabet Knowledge in Grade One in Tanzania

Kambona

2024

jipe

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Research has consistently pointed out the important role played by phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge in development of reading skills among pupils. Phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge are good predictors in reading competencies in early grades and higher levels of primary education. This study aims at exploring the constraints facing teaching of Kiswahili phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge in grade one. The study was qualitative in nature in which phenomenology design was employed. The purposive sampling technique was used to recruit ten grade one teachers and ten head teachers from ten public primary schools in Chemba district. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The collected data from teachers and head teachers were thematically analyzed. The research findings indicated that there were variations of the views among teachers and head teachers on the impediments in teaching phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge in grade one. The prominent mentioned challenges were truancy, mother tongue effect, parents’ limited knowledge. It was recommended that teachers should collaboratively work with parents; revisiting of language policies to incorporate mother tongue in early grades is crucial; and attendance to PPE should be taken into account by the educational stakeholders.

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Improving Reading Instruction and Students’ Reading Skills in the Early Grades: Evidence From a Randomized Evaluation in Haiti

Cited by 8 publications

References 64 publications

Effects of Story Read‐Aloud Lessons on Literacy Development in the Early Grades: Experimental Evidence From Nigeria

Effects of Story Read‐Aloud Lessons on Literacy Development in the Early Grades: Experimental Evidence From Nigeria

The gold standard for whom? Schools' experiences participating in a randomised controlled trial

Impediments in Teaching Kiswahili Phonemic Awareness and Alphabet Knowledge in Grade One in Tanzania

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