Revisiting the Schooling Inputs Debate: Evidence From Two Early-Grade Literacy Interventions in Laos

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session Eight
  In Roundtable Session: Community and School Collaborations Addressing Literacy and English/Language Arts (Table 1)

Abstract

Despite the significant attention to schooling input and achieving access to education, a huge literacy deficit exists in many developing countries, especially among ethnic minorities and economically deprived communities. We provide evidence from two schooling interventions in Laos, one focused on school feeding and the other on literacy activities, including teacher training, provision of reading materials, and community engagement in children’s education. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we show that the combined intervention of school feeding, and literacy activities caused significant improvements on foundational literacy skills of Grade 2 students, especially for non-Lao speakers. We provide suggestive evidence that improvements in school and at home literacy environments play a key role in students’ higher literacy outcomes in the combined intervention.
 

Authors

• Elnaz Safarha, University of Maryland
  Presenting Author

• Uttara Balakrishnan, American Institutes for Research
  Presenting Author