2010年-世界发展银行全球_Timor-Leste___An_Analysis_of_Early_Grade_Reading_Acquisition_27页_897kb

Summary of Early Grade Reading Acquisition in Timor-Leste

Core Content

This document presents an analysis of early grade reading acquisition in Timor-Leste, conducted as part of the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) initiative, supported by the World Bank and the Education Fast Track Initiative (FTI). The study aimed to evaluate how well children are learning to read in the early grades of primary education and to identify key areas for improvement in the education system.

Main Findings

• Assessment Scope: The study assessed reading skills in grades 1, 2, and 3 in 40 randomly selected primary schools across the country, involving 944 students. Reading was evaluated in Portuguese and Tetum, the two official languages of Timor-Leste.

• Reading Ability: The results were alarming:

  • Over 70% of students in grade 1 could not read a single word from a simple text.
  • 40% of students in grade 2 had no reading ability.
  • The percentage of students with zero reading ability dropped to about 20% by grade 3.

• Language and Literacy Challenges:

  • Only 17% of students reported that their parents spoke Portuguese.
  • 66% of students said the language spoken by the teacher was different from the language spoken at home.
  • 57% of students did not read books at home.
  • 8 out of 10 students reported that they did not speak Portuguese at home.

• Socioeconomic Context:

  • 90% of students attended school only in the morning.
  • 26% of students had attended preschool.
  • 96% of students reported that their school had a feeding program.
  • Approximately 30% of parents could not read or write, as per the 2007 Living Standards Measurement Survey.

• Positive Indicators:

  • 80% of students liked to read books.
  • More than 80% practiced reading in the classroom.
  • 84% of students sang songs involving the alphabet, animals, and other topics.

Key Components of the EGRA Assessment

The EGRA assessment evaluated five essential components of reading acquisition:

1. Orientation to print: Understanding where text begins, ends, and how it is read.
2. Letter name knowledge: Recognition of letters and their sounds.
3. Phonemic awareness: Ability to identify and manipulate phonemes.
4. Familiar word recognition: Reading of common, everyday words.
5. Reading and comprehension: Understanding and interpreting written text.

Additionally, the assessment included dictation and listening comprehension components to evaluate oral reading and understanding skills.

Recommendations for Improvement

• Immediate Action Required: Due to the high birth rate and early grade repetition, grades 1 to 3 are the focus of improvement efforts.
• Investment Areas:
  • Reading-focused teacher training
  • Development and distribution of books and instructional materials
  • Creation of libraries
  • Improvement and expansion of preschools
  • Establishment of measurable reading standards
• Current Efforts: The Ministry of Education has already begun mobilizing teacher training and materials distribution for the 2010 school year, with support from donors. However, more action is needed to enhance teacher quality and school resources.

Methodology and Contextual Adaptation

• Adaptation: The EGRA instrument was adapted to the local educational context and language diversity in Timor-Leste. It was not suitable for international comparison.
• Implementation:
  • Random selection of schools and students.
  • Interviewers were trained in June 2009 and selected based on local ties and language fluency.
  • Socioeconomic survey was conducted to understand the background of students, including family literacy, language use, and home practices.

Conclusion

The study highlights the serious challenges in reading acquisition for children in Timor-Leste, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms in teaching methods, curriculum development, and resource allocation. While some schools and teachers are showing positive results, the overall findings indicate a critical need for intervention to ensure that children develop the fundamental reading skills necessary for academic success and lifelong learning.