results of an approach to improve early grade reading in hausa in bauchi and sokoto states

242 Pages·2016·2.95 MB·Indonesian

by  Karon Harden

NIGERIA READING AND ACCESS RESEARCH ACTIVITY
(RARA)
RESULTS OF AN APPROACH TO IMPROVE EARLY
GRADE READING IN HAUSA IN BAUCHI AND
SOKOTO STATES

Nigeria Reading and Access
Research Activity (RARA):
Results of an Approach to Improve Early
Grade Reading in Hausa in Bauchi and
Sokoto States
Prepared for
Tim Curtin
Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria
Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive
Central District Area, Abuja
Nigeria
Prepared by
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
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The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of
the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Nigeria Reading and Access Research Activity (RARA) extends its
gratitude to all those who contributed to the design and implementation of
the reading research in Bauchi and Sokoto states. The ongoing involvement
and high level of commitment from a large and diverse team led to the
successful implementation of the research and the dissemination of its
results—and has ultimately contributed to work currently underway to
expand efforts to improve the teaching and learning of reading in the early
grades in Northern Nigeria.
The approach was designed and implemented by RTI International, in
collaboration with Nigerian education authorities, in particular the State
Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) of Bauchi and Sokoto, as well
as Colleges of Education (COEs) in these states. It was funded by the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
RARA appreciates USAID/Nigeria’s and USAID/Washington’s commitment
to conducting rigorous research to inform reading improvement and extends
its gratitude to the Nigerian Ministry of Education and the SUBEBs in
Bauchi and Sokoto states, which steadfastly demonstrated their support for
all aspects of the research. Many individuals from the Shehu Shagari COE
in Sokoto and the COE in Azare, Bauchi, provided technical support and
guidance throughout the process through their participation in the RARA
Reading Advisory Committee and the Reading Technical Working Group.
This includes Ahmad Alhaji Umar (SUBEB Sokoto), Dahiru Yalwa
Mohammed (College of Education, Azare, Bauchi), Hadiza Salihu Koko
(Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto), Lauwali Ibrahim (SUBEB
Sokoto), Safiya Bala (SUBEB Bauchi), and Yahaya A. Umar (SUBEB
Bauchi).
RARA wishes to recognize the contribution of the team of reading
specialists, writers, editors, and all those behind the scenes who worked
tirelessly to develop the RARA reading materials. This includes Dr.
Margaret “Peggy” Dubeck and Dr. Phyllis Hildebrant for their guidance and
contributions to the development of the RARA approach and materials; Dr.
Malami Buba and Salisu Abdullahi Tsiga for their Hausa language
expertise; and the Reading Technical Working Group of both Bauchi and
Sokoto.
The RARA research was led by R. Drake Warrick, Chief of Party, and
Swadchet Sankey, Senior Reading Program Manager. The research would
Nigeria RARA Reading Approach Evaluation Report | iii
not have been successful without the efforts of Reading Program and
Assessment Coordinators Bilyaminu Inuwa in Bauchi and Muhammadu
Bello Yusuf in Sokoto, who were supported by Program Support Officers
Raphael Aiyedipe (Bauchi) and Zahra'u Abubakar Maishanu (Sokoto).
Alison Pflepsen, Karon Harden, Yasmin Sitabkhan, and Scott Kipp
contributed technical expertise throughout the implementation process.
Reading research data analysis was conducted by Simon King and
Sarrynna Sou. (Photos in this report appear courtesy of RTI International.)
RARA thanks the 16 RARA Local Government Education Authorities in
which this research was conducted in Bauchi and Sokoto for their support,
and for the active role the School Support Officers played in supporting
teachers during this research. Finally, RARA extends our deep appreciation
to the head teachers and teachers who implemented the RARA approach. It
is their commitment to improving early grade reading outcomes that truly
made it a success.

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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................ iii
List of Figures ............................................................................................................. viii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................ xi
Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. xiii
Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... 1
Results: Instructional Practices ............................................................................. 3
Results: pupils’ reading skills ................................................................................. 4
Results: instructional leadership ............................................................................ 6
OTHER FINDINGS ................................................................................................ 6
Recommendations ................................................................................................. 7
I. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 10
1.1 Overview of the Nigeria Reading and Access Research Activity (RARA) ..... 10
1.2 The RARA-Tested Approach for Improving Reading Instruction................... 11
1.3 Research Design ........................................................................................... 14
1.4 Research Instruments .................................................................................... 17
1.5 Data Collection .............................................................................................. 20
2. Characteristics of Treatment and Control Groups ............................................... 21
2.1 School Characteristics ................................................................................... 21
2.2 Pupil Characteristics ...................................................................................... 23
2.3 Teacher and Head Teacher Characteristics .................................................. 24
2.4 School Support/Coach Characteristics .......................................................... 26
3. Teacher Instructional Practices ........................................................................... 28
3.1 RARA-Developed Approach to Literacy Instruction ...................................... 28
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3.2 Lesson Implementation: Data from the Baseline and Endline Untimed
Classroom Observations ............................................................................... 30
3.3 Teacher Instructional Practices: Observations from RARA SSO/Coach
Monitoring Visits ............................................................................................ 36
3.4 Time on Task for Literacy Instruction: Data from the Baseline and Endline
Timed Classroom Observation ...................................................................... 44
3.5 RARA Impact on Pupil and Teacher Attendance .......................................... 50
3.6 Resource Availability and Print-Rich Environment ........................................ 54
4. Early Grade Reading Assessment Results ......................................................... 59
4.1 Impact of RARA Approach in Decreasing Scores ......................................... 59
4.2 Impact of RARA Approach in Improving Distribution of Scores .................... 63
4.3 Foundational Skills – Letter and Sound Identification and Non-Word
Decoding ....................................................................................................... 66
4.4 Higher Order Skills – Oral Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension . 71
4.5 Impact of RARA Aproach on Oral Language Skills – Listening
Comprehension ............................................................................................. 75
4.6 Impact of RARA Approach ON Writing Skills – Letter and Word Dictation ... 77
5. EGRA Results by Sub-Group .............................................................................. 83
5.1 EGRA Results by State ................................................................................. 83
5.2 EGRA Results by Gender .............................................................................. 85
5.3 EGRA Results by Home Language ............................................................... 88
6. Coaching Practices .............................................................................................. 91
7. Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Beliefs about Reading Instruction .................. 96
7.1 Educators’ Reading Skills .............................................................................. 96
7.2 Educators’ Knowledge about Reading Pedagogy ......................................... 98
7.3 Educators’ Attitudes and Beliefs About Early Grade Reading and Literacy
Acquisition ................................................................................................... 100
8. Key Research Takeaways and Considerations for Continued Efforts to Improve
Reading .............................................................................................................. 104
8.1 Key Research TakeAways .......................................................................... 104
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8.2 Considerations for continued efforts to improve Hausa reading outcomes . 105
References ............................................................................................................... 109
Annex 1. RARA Reading Research Sample Selection and Weighting .................... 111
Annex 2. EGRA Hausa Assessor Protocol and Pupil Questionnaire – endline ....... 113
Annex 3. EGRA Hausa Pupil Stimuli – Endline ....................................................... 129
Annex 4. Head Teacher Questionnaire – Endline .................................................... 134
Annex 5. Teacher Questionnaire – Endline ............................................................. 145
Annex 6. School Supervisor (SSO) Questionnaire - Endline ................................... 159
Annex 7. Reading Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (KSA) Assessment ................. 170
Annex 8. Timed Classroom Observation ................................................................. 178
Annex 9. Non-Timed Classroom Observation ......................................................... 182
Annex 10. School Inventory of Pupil Attendance, Dropout, and Teacher
Absenteeism ...................................................................................................... 189
Annex 11. Hausa Lesson Coach Observation and Feedback Tool ......................... 192
Annex 12. RARA Coach Monitoring Tool ................................................................. 200
Annex 13. EGRA Results—Bauchi .......................................................................... 207
Annex 14. EGRA Results—Sokoto .......................................................................... 216

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Percentage of Teachers Implementing Each of 12 Key Instructional
Practices, by Group and Time ............................................................................... 4
Figure 2. RARA Impact in Decreasing Zero Scores, by Skill ....................................... 5
Figure 3. Change in Distribution of Letter Sound Scores............................................. 6
Figure 4. Percentage of Schools with Infrastructure at Endline, by State and Group 21
Figure 5. Percentage of Boys and Girls Enrolled in Sample Schools at Endline, by
State and Group .................................................................................................. 23
Figure 6. Percentage of Teachers Implementing Each of 12 Key Instructional
Practices, by Group and Time ............................................................................. 33
Figure 7. Reading Approach Impact on Percentage of Teachers Implementing 12
Key Instructional Practices .................................................................................. 34
Figure 8. Change in Treatment (RARA) Teachers’ Instructional Practices related to
Phonemic Awareness and the Alphabetic Principle ............................................ 38
Figure 9. Change in RARA Teachers’ Instructional Practices Related to Decoding
Syllables and Words and Reading Sentences .................................................... 39
Figure 10. Change in RARA Teachers’ Instructional Practices Related to Passage
Reading and Fluency ........................................................................................... 40
Figure 11. Change in RARA Teachers’ Instructional Practices Related to
Comprehension and Vocabulary ......................................................................... 41
Figure 12. Change in RARA Teachers’ Instructional Practices Related to Handwriting
Instruction ............................................................................................................ 42
Figure 13. Change in RARA Teachers’ Instructional Practices Related to Engaging
Children ................................................................................................................ 42
Figure 14. Excerpt from Timed Classroom Observation Instrument .......................... 45
Figure 15. Average Lesson Duration, by State, Group, and Time ............................. 46
Figure 16. Use of P2 Hausa Instructional Time, Both States—Baseline ................... 47
Figure 17. Use of P2 Hausa Instructional Time, Control Schools—Endline .............. 48
Figure 18. Use of P2 Hausa Instructional Time, Treatment Schools—Endline ......... 48
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