Read Liberia is a five-year early-grades literacy project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). RTI International is lead implementer of the project in partnership with the Liberian Ministry of Education. This article highlights how informed, comprehensive program design can support implementation of evidence-based practices to improve instruction in challenging contexts.
Many of our daily decisions are informed by the information we gather from established instruments. If we hear that the barometer is showing a drop in the air pressure, we can plan for changes in the weather. When we read that GDP (gross domestic product) has been on a steady rise, it gives us financial confidence. And when we see a normal blood pressure reading, that is one indicator that our health is on the right track. These three instruments help to predict what might happen next in domains that affect us all--the economy, the weather, and health.
My children are in public school in France. Last week at WISE @ Paris I learned that "French students spend 2/3 of their time taking notes. 70% of students have not worked in a group until they are 15 years old." (Yann Algan, Sciences Po). This confirmed my own impressions, and added to my parental angst about how to prepare my children for an uncertain future. However, it wasn't all bad news.
The Teach classroom observation tool – launched by the World Bank last week is a great initiative. Let’s collaborate to test and improve it.
