Development and Qualitative Evaluation of the Child Literacy Development Model in Laos

• In Event: Applied research results from collaboration between research institutions and project implementers: child literacy development pilots in Laos and Guatemala

Proposal

AIR will present the CLD model, a new approach to improving teacher’s capacity to teach early literacy skills. Funded and implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and developed and evaluated by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), the CRS-AIR Child Literacy Development (CLD) package was piloted in Guatemala and Laos. This presentation will focus on results from a qualitative evaluation of the program in Laos.
The CLD pilot in Laos was tested in 34 schools in Xebangfai and Xaibouathong districts in Khammouane Province from 2017–18. The program included straightforward, comprehensive, literacy teaching package for grades 1 and 2 teachers including classroom-based assessments and remedial teaching tools targeted at key early literacy. Three main features distinguish this model: 1) it was designed to enhance “reading readiness” and early reading sub-skills; 2) the selection of the sub-skills for assessing and teaching were language-specific and not drawn from an alphabetic-language based model; 3) CLD is specifically intended for second (or later) language learners.
The objective of the CLD program was to increase teachers’ capacity to teach early literacy. AIR hypothesized CLD would improve student literacy outcomes in primary grades. To test whether the program achieved those objectives, AIR answered three research questions: 1) understanding how teachers perceived the toolkits; 2) examining if teachers implemented the toolkits with fidelity; 3) investigating the perceived effectiveness of the toolkits on student reading results. The study employed a qualitative methodology, triangulated by quantitative survey data. Qualitative data included 56 interviews, 12 focus group, and 23 observations at baseline and midline. We drew data from teacher surveys at baseline and endline, coaches’ monitoring data, and student reading scores from the formative assessment toolkits.
Several findings emerged; first, CLD trainings were widely attended and respondents found trainings useful in learning new methodologies to teach reading, and implementing toolkits with ease and fidelity. Coaching support was considered very helpful, but was more needed in rural areas with certain aspects of the toolkits (implementation of the remedial activities). Second, there were high levels of overall implementation fidelity. Communication with government officials was a key factor determining that success. The challenges in implementation revolved around shifting teaching practices to accommodate the new program. In addition, implementation fidelity was stronger for the assessment portions than the remedial teaching portions, due to time constraints and difficulty integrating the remedial teaching activities with formal curriculum. Finally, nearly all respondents perceived some positive effect on teachers’ motivation and their ability to teach reading, as well as students’ reading outcomes, motivation to learn, and greater engagement in the classroom.

Authors

• Kaitlin Carson, AIR

• Jamie McPike, American Institutes for Research