EdData II Task Order 15: Data for Education Programming in Asia and the Middle East (DEP/AME) Topical Analysis of Early Grade Reading Instruction EdData II Technical and Managerial Assistance, Task Order 15 EdData II Contract Number EHC-E-00-04-00004 Task Order Number AID-OAA-BC-11-00001 April 23, 2014 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by RTI International. Task Order 15: Data for Education Programming in Asia and the Middle East (DEP/AME) Topical Analysis of Early Grade Reading Instruction Prepared for Christine Capacci-Carneal, Senior Education Advisor, Middle East Bureau Mitch Kirby, Senior Education Advisor, Asia Bureau Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative Data for Education Programming/Asia and Middle East USAID / Washington 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20523 Prepared by Helen Boyle, Samah Al Ajjawi, and Yuanyuan Xiang Learning Systems Institute, Florida State University for RTI International 3040 Cornwallis Road Post Office Box 12194 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 RTI International is one of the world’s leading research institutes, dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. Our staff of more than 3,700 provides research and technical services to governments and businesses in more than 75 countries in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, international development, economic and social policy, energy and the environment, and laboratory and chemistry services. For more information, visit www.rti.org. RTI International is a registered trademark and a trade name of Research Triangle Institute. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. EdData II Task Order 15 (DEP-AME) Table of Contents List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ iii Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ iv Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. vi I. Introduction ...........................................................................................................................1 A. Research Questions ........................................................................................................4 B. Methods .........................................................................................................................5 II. How Well Are Pupils Learning to Read in the Early Grades? Results from International Reading Assessments ..................................................................................................................6 A. Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) .............................................6 B. Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) .....................................................................8 C. Literacy Boost Yemen Baseline Report ........................................................................ 16 III. Scholarly Literature ............................................................................................................. 19 A. Diglossia and Vocalization: Two Distinguishing Features of the Language and How They Impact Reading Acquisition ............................................................................................. 20 B. Skills and Knowledge Necessary to Read in Arabic...................................................... 32 IV. International Development Research on School Environment, Instruction, and Parental Involvement ............................................................................................................................ 40 A. Reading as a Subject in the Curriculum ........................................................................ 41 B. International Development Research on Reading Instruction in the Arab World ........... 45 C. Other Assessments ....................................................................................................... 48 D. Books and Resources ................................................................................................... 54 E. Other Significant Factors .............................................................................................. 55 Interviewee Questions ............................................................................................................... 59 Egypt ........................................................................................................................................ 59 Iraq ........................................................................................................................................... 59 Jordan ....................................................................................................................................... 59 Morocco .................................................................................................................................... 59 Yemen ...................................................................................................................................... 59 V. Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................................................... 60 A. Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 60 B. Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 62 Work Cited ............................................................................................................................ 64 Annexes .................................................................................................................................... 70 Annex A: Bibliography ............................................................................................................. 71 Annex B: Scope of Work for In-Country Researchers ............................................................... 80 Topical Analysis of Early Grade Reading Instruction in Arabic Page i EdData II Task Order 15 (DEP-AME) Annex C: Interview Protocol and Directions ............................................................................. 82 Annex D: Researchers and Interviewees (by role) ..................................................................... 92 Annex E: Interview Summary and Analysis .............................................................................. 97 Interviewee Questions ............................................................................................................... 99 Topical Analysis of Early Grade Reading Instruction in Arabic Page ii EdData II Task Order 15 (DEP-AME) List of Tables Table ES1. Composite EGRA scores, by country and grade ...................................................... ix Table 1: Countries listing Arabic as their official language ..........................................................1 Table 2: Main research questions ................................................................................................4 Table 3: Technical research questions .........................................................................................4 Table 4: Composite scores across countries and grades ............................................................. 11 Table 5: Grade 2 EGRA scores by country ................................................................................ 13 Table 6: Grade 3 EGRA scores by country ................................................................................ 14 Table 7: Words per minute scores by country ............................................................................ 15 Table 8: Correspondence of comprehension and ORF rates across countries, third grade students ................................................................................................................................................. 16 Table 9: Arabic consonants and long vowels ............................................................................. 26 Table 10: The letter sīn .............................................................................................................. 27 Table 11: Arabic homographs ................................................................................................... 28 Table 12: Instructional content, Morocco .................................................................................. 49 Table 13: Instructional content, Jordan ...................................................................................... 50 Table 14: Instructional content, Iraq .......................................................................................... 51 Table 15: Key Research Questions by Country .......................................................................... 59 Table 16: Key Research Questions by Country .......................................................................... 99 Topical Analysis of Early Grade Reading Instruction in Arabic Page iii EdData II Task Order 15 (DEP-AME) Abbreviations CEO Chief Executive Officer CLP Community Livelihoods Project clspm correct letter sounds per