USAID's Reading Enhancement for Advancing Development (READ) Activity, implemented by Save the Children in Bangladesh, is working to raise reading skill in the early grades of school. Literacy affects all aspects of a child’s education. By ensuring a strong foundation at the beginning of school, the expectation is that fewer children will repeat grades or drop out in the primary cycle, and a highe
r proportion will complete school with solid primary school skills – such as literacy - which are indispensable life skills in today’s world. Duration: September 2013 - March 2018
Result Areas:
1) Strengthened community support for out-of-school reading
2) Improved evidence-based, interactive early grade literacy instruction
3) Increased use of early grade reading assessment
4) Expanded provision and use of appropriate reading materials for beginning readers
Implementing Partners:
CODEC, FIVDB, JCF, RDRS, VERC, and ZKS
READ's Reach:
Ultimately, READ will directly reach an estimated 1,300,000 grade I-III children with reading interventions. A similar number of children will be reached indirectly, such as grade IV and V students in target schools who benefit from skilled Bangla teachers trained by READ as well as students from non-READ schools who will benefit from READ’s resources. Teacher Education and Professional Development:
Focusing on in-service training of Bangla subject teachers in the area of reading instruction and assessment; teachers will be able to monitor reading progress and provide focused support for struggling readers. Home and Community Support:
Setting up community reading camps and supporting libraries to serve beginning readers; working with School Management Committees and parents to support and sustain reading activities. Opportunities to Practice Reading:
Ensuring that diverse, age-appropriate, leveled reading materials are available in schools, communities and at home; providing out-of-school opportunities for reading; and dedicating class time in school for reading. Diversified Pedagogy:
Designing diverse strategies to scaffold reading skill, taking into account diverse populations of children such as multilingual learners; ensuring easy access to strategies that address the challenges that some children face in learning to read. Achievements up to March 2017:
- 1 Million children reached up to March 2017
- 5,112 schools reached with READ inputs
- 11,000 administrators and teachers trained
- 678,000 storybooks and teaching-learning materials distributed
- 169 digital storybooks produced
- 155 titles of Supplementary Reading Materials (SRM) approved by NCTB
- 120,000 children have access to 1,356 Community Reading Camps
