Nepal Early Grade Reading Materials Assessment
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NEPAL EARLY GRADE READING MATERIALS ASSESSMENT A Report Submitted to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Nepal Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal Submitted by Research Management Cell (RMC) Kathmandu Shiksha Campus (KSC) Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal May 9, 2014 1 Study Team Core Team SN Name of the Consultant Position/Area of Expertise 1 Prof. Dr Prem Narayan Aryal Team Leader and Early Childhood Development Expert 2 Prof. Dr Yogendra Prasad Yadava Team Member and Linguist 3 Prof. Dr Ram Krishna Maharjan Team Member and Educationist 4 Prof. Dr Hemang Raj Adhikari Team Member and Nepali Language Subject Expert 5 Dr Sushan Acharya Team Member and Gender, Child and Social Inclusion Expert 6 Mr Karnakhar Khatiwada Team Member and Linguist 7 Mr Bhagwan Aryal Team Member and Educationist 8 Mr Shatrughan Prasad Gupta Project Manager and Educationist Advisory Input - Prof. Dr Basu Dev Kafle Subject Experts (Evaluators) SN Name of the Nepali Language Name of the Mother Tongue Language Subject Experts Subject Experts 1 Prof. Dr Hemang Raj Nepali Mr Surya Prasad Yadav Maithili Adhikari 2 Prof. Dr Madhav Bhattarai Nepali Mr Jeevan Kumar Maharjan Nepal Bhasa 3 Prof. Dr Kedar Sharma Nepali Mr Padam Rai Bantawa 4 Prof. Maheshwor Neupane Nepali Mr Purna Bahadur Gharti Magar Athara Magarat 5 Prof. Dr Sanat Kumar Wasti Nepali Mr Jai Prakash Lal Srivastav Awadhi 2 6 Dr Madhav Prasad Poudel Nepali Mr Khenpo Gyurme Tsultrim Mugali 7 Mr Diwakar Dhungel Nepali Ms Bagdevi Rai Chamling 8 Mr Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai Nepali Mr Krishna Raj Sarbahari Tharu 9 Mr Hari Prasad Niraula Nepali Mr Rajesh Prasad Sah Bajjika 10 Ms Rajni Dhimal Nepali Dr Lal-Shyãkarelu Rapacha Sunuwar 11 Prof. Lakshmi Parajuli Nepali Ms Hiramoti Rana Magar Magar Dhoot 12 Prof. Dr Badri Bishal Nepali Ms Anita Gurung Gurung Bhattarai 13 Mr Dhruva Bhattarai Nepali Mr Som Bahadur Dhimal Dhimal 14 Mr Dilli Ram Rimal Nepali Mr Pamar P. Rajbanshi Rajbanshi 15 Mr Chudamani Pandey Nepali Ms Sabitri Chaudhari Tharu Madhyachhetra 16 Mr Shiva Prasad Timalsena Nepali Mr Indra Kumar Tamang Tamang Devnagari 17 Ms Bishnu Rimal Nepali Mr Buddha Yonjan Lama Tamang Sambhota 18 Mr Dinesh Ghimire Nepali Mr Ramjee Kongren Yakkha 19 Mr Buddha Raj Khaniya Nepali Mr Amar Tumyahang Limbu 20 Mr Siddhi Bahadur Nepali Mr Gopal Ashk Bhojpuri Maharjan (MT-Nepal Bhasa) 21 Mr Shiva Kumar Yadav Nepali (MT- Maithili) Data Entry and SPSS - Mr Anup Adhikari 3 Executive Summary The Context Early Grade Reading Assessment assesses basic reading skills or literacy skills related to phonemic awareness, letter knowledge, word reading, non-word reading, oral reading fluency, and reading comprehension of the students. In this study, early grade materials were assessed through different dimensions and sub-dimensions – content appropriateness: cultural appropriateness, social inclusion, gender balance, child rights and human rights and curricular linkage; level appropriateness: language, contents, reading level of children; and physical aspects of the materials. As Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) has been preparing and distributing early grade reading materials, the community schools have been using these books whereas the institutional schools use either their own books or the chosen books from different private publishers which develop the textbooks for early grades (1-3) in a large scale. CDC provides approval for the materials published by the private publishers to be used in the schools, especially in institutional schools. Besides, CDC has been producing textbooks in different mother tongues to ensure reading ability of early grade readers. As the apex body of curriculum development, CDC has further developed supplementary readers in order to enhance the reading ability of early grade learners. By now, CDC has developed and distributed mother tongue textbooks in 22 different languages. In Nepal, many agencies and I/NGOs also develop early grade reading materials. These publishing agencies have also developed different instructional materials (pictures cards, flash cards, supplementary materials). The purpose of this study was to assess early grade (grade one through three) textbooks, supplementary readers and other teaching-learning materials in Nepal to help inform the Government of Nepal, education development partners and USAID Nepal in order to design and implement National Early Grade Reading Program. Objectives of the Study The general objective of this study was to review early grade reading materials developed and used in Nepal by various agencies and organizations. However, the specific objectives of the assessment were as follows: 4 a) To identify the appropriateness of the contents of reading materials in early grades in terms of culture, inclusion, gender balance, human rights and child rights, and curricular linkage. b) To find out the level of appropriateness of these materials in terms of language, content and reading levels of the students. c) To assess the physical aspects of the reading materials in terms of production quality and cost. Dimensions (Scope) of the Study The dimensions of the study as stated in the ToR were as following: a) Review of early grade reading materials in close consultation with the CDC. It included review of the following materials: All grade 1-3 Nepali subject textbooks developed by the CDC. All supplementary reading materials for grades 1-3 developed by the CDC. All available mother tongue subject books for grades 1-3 developed by the CDC. A total of 75 percent available supplementary readers appropriate for grades 1-3 published by the private publishers with approval from the CDC. A total of 75 percent available supplementary readers appropriate for grades 1-3 published by the donors and I/NGOs. All available teaching learning materials such as flash cards, picture cards etc. by the CDC, private publishers, donors and I/NGOs. b) Review of the materials in terms of the following dimensions: Content Appropriateness Level Appropriateness Physical Aspects of the Materials c) Preparation of evaluation frameworks in close collaboration with the CDC, and in consultations with GoN, donors, civil society and private sector. Methods and Procedures of the Study As the purpose of the study was to review and analyze the early grade reading materials developed and used for grades one through three, the task was done in cooperation and collaboration with the CDC including the development of the review framework. 5 It was a descriptive study with interpretive approach adopting mixed methods research design. The study was of quantitative type from the perspective of the 'type of information sought'; and it applied qualitative techniques to dig out information through the review and analysis of Nepali and Mother tongue subject books, supplementary readers and teaching learning materials. It was a 103 days’ intensive task collecting data from primary sources: language experts being the key respondents of the study. Three different types of study tools were applied to collect information for the study purpose: a) Nepali and Mother Tongue Subject Books Review Framework b) Supplementary Readers Review Framework c) Teaching-Learning Materials and Library Reading Materials Review Framework Series of consultation meetings, visits, presentations and discussions were made with the CDC, USAID, MoE, Room to Read, RBF, Save the Children and WE. In addition, the SSRP DPs, NCED, DoE, TU and private organizations were consulted during the framework preparation, drawing insights into the EGRM assessment and proceedings of the study. The conceptual themes based on the scope of work acted as the key drivers for the development of the analysis framework. The SPSS package of 20th version was used for the entry and analysis of data. Summary of the Findings Based on the discussion and analysis of responses of the experts, observation of the study team and input provided by USAID and CDC, the following findings have been derived: Cultural appropriateness a. Textbooks of Mugali, Tharu Madhyachhetra, Limbu, Sunuwar and Nepal Bhasa included cultural contents thoroughly in a logical order. It was found that books on Athara Magarat, Awadhi, Bajjika, Chamling, Dhimal, Tamang devnagari and Bhojpuri were found comparatively better with respect to cultural appropriateness. b. Mostly the mother tongue textbooks were found to have little addressed the cultural diversity and local context. As in Simrik publisher’s books, some contents were found discriminating specific ethnic group. c. Regarding cultural appropriateness in supplementary readers, Chamling, Bhojpuri, Doteli, Limbu and Nepal Bhasa were found to have this issue thoroughly included and logically sequenced in most of the cases. However, supplementary readers of 6 Maithili, Thakali and Urdu languages were found poor, except in one or two indicators. d. Assessment of materials published by Room to Read, World Education/Rato Bangala Foundation and Save the Children revealed that they were culturally appropriate. Social inclusion a. In terms of social inclusion, most of the textbooks had made an attempt to ensure representation of more than one social diversity of Nepal with equal representation of female and male figures as well. b. Most mother tongue based textbooks had localized the contents. However, most textbooks writers and publishers seemed to have paid little no attention to the diverse levels of language competence that students bring to the Classrooms. c. No pattern was observed in the supplementary readers in terms of