Early Grade Math Assessment (EGMA)

Jordan EGRA 2021 stimulus sheet.

Jordan EGMA 2021 assessor protocol.

Jordan EGRA 2021 stimulus sheet.

Classroom Observation Tool for Grade 1 to Grade 3 Mathematics.

To evaluate the impact of the Program’s reading and mathematics components on student learning, this report will compare results from the endline assessment against the values from the baseline assessment. The baseline Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Assessments (EGRA and EGMA, respectively) were conducted in November and December 2021. The endline was administered in May 2023.

This report summarizes the findings of additional analyses conducted to delve deeper and develop more insight into the piloting of the Self-Administered Early Grade Reading Assessment (SA-EGRA) and the Self-Administered Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (SA-EGMA). These tools were developed and tested by RTI International with the support and direction of Imagine Worldwide. Children complete these assessments independently on tablet-based software while in a classroom with their peers. An adult supervises the process.

This report summarizes the findings of an effort to develop and validate tablet-based, self-administered assessments of Chichewa-language foundational literacy and numeracy in the early grades in Malawi. RTI International developed the two assessments, known respectively as the Self-Administered Early Grade Reading Assessment (SA-EGRA) and the Self-Administered Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (SA-EGMA), with the support and at the direction of Imagine Worldwide. The assessments are deemed “self-administered,” because children complete the assessments independently in response to instructions and stimuli embedded in the tablet-based software. However, adults typically supervise the organization and conduct of the assessment as well as the collection of individual data from the tablets for analysis.

Uzbekistan has embarked on a new phase of English language instruction that will enable students to acquire the skills and competencies necessary for success in the 21st century. At the onset of the Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program (UEEP) in 2019, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE) expressed its vision for Uzbekistan of becoming an English-speaking nation by 2030. English as an adopted international language can help open doors and opportunities for international cooperation, trade, and cultural exchanges with other nations.

In May 2023, the MoE’s Examination and Test Managing Directorate (ETMD), with technical support from Jordan's RAMP initiative, funded by USAID and UKAID, conducted a final national survey over 8 years (2015-2023) to measure RAMP’s impact and the impacts of remedial programs addressing students’ learning loss during epidemic-related school closures. The study included 2,181 schools and approximately 244,389 G2 and G3 students, encompassing both Syrian and refugee camp schools. Using previous surveys as benchmarks, the study revealed substantial improvements in reading and mathematics skills for G2 and G3 students in 2023 compared to 2019 and 2021. Notably, G2 students in MoE traditional schools showed remarkable progress, with reading proficiency increasing from 10.7% in 2021 to 42.4%, while G3 students improved from 39.4% to 60.3%. Similar improvements were seen in Syrian refugee schools, with G2 students' reading proficiency rising from 7.2% in 2021 to 36.3% in Syrian day schools and from 4.1% to 15.8% in refugee camp schools. G3 students in Syrian day schools improved from 43.9% to 51.6%, and those in refugee camp schools increased from 15.9% to 29.6%. Notably, there was a decrease in students receiving zero scores in oral reading fluency (ORF) in MoE traditional schools, with G2 students dropping from 21.3% in 2021 to 4.2% in 2023. Similar improvements were observed in Syrian schools, as G2 students in Syrian day schools decreased from 26.1% to 7.7%, and those in refugee camp schools decreased from 69.4% to 22.2%. Regarding mathematics, improvements were noted in 2023: G2 from 6.1% to 13.7%, and G3 from 18.4% to 29.3%. However, there was no progress compared to 2019, with G2 at 13.7% (down from 18.7%) and G3 stable at 29.3% (up from 29.2%). The report emphasized recommendations, including supporting low-performing schools, implementing specialized programs to engage parents in supporting their children's learning, particularly in mathematics. It highlighted the need for teacher training in mathematics, increasing weekly mathematics lessons, and assigning specialized mathematics teachers for early grades. Further suggestions encompassed continuous capacity-building for teachers and supervisors, a focus on effective assessment methodologies, and fostering professional accountability. The report underscored the importance of practical, in-person teacher training and the necessity for ongoing monitoring and evaluation to drive improvements in early-grade education.

While there has been substantial investment in early-grade reading in low- and middle-income country contexts (LMICs) in the last 15 years, and a concomitant increase in evidence around what works to improve reading outcomes, there has been much more limited investment in early-grades mathematics. As a result, the body of evidence on what works to improve mathematics teaching and learning in LMICs is more limited. This study has identified six government- and program-led interventions in LMICs that have evidence of impact on students’ numeracy outcomes and are working at scale, to understand how and why they are effective and consolidate that evidence for the international education community. In order to examine the target programs, the study team has developed a suite of instruments designed to examine the programs and to identify common elements that these successful numeracy may have in common. The goal in designing these instruments was to be able to examine a range of potential factors, based on the evidence that we have on mathematics teaching and learning from research in high-income country contexts, as well as the limited research evidence we have from LMICs. This suite of instruments includes: (1) a quantitative classroom observation instrument, based on multiple frameworks for high-quality math instruction, including work by The Danielson Group (2019), The University of Michigan’s High Leverage Teaching practices, and a cross-institutional working group of math education experts working in LMICs (co-author, 2019); (2) a student cognitive interview instrument intended to provide insight into students’ development of higher order, conceptual understanding of basic mathematics concepts; (3) a qualitative classroom observation instrument and accompanying lesson-based teacher interview; (4) a survey of teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, based on work by Deborah Ball (2011). Focusing primarily on the quantitative classroom observation and student cognitive interview instruments, this paper will present the theoretical foundations of the instrument and the processes for developing, piloting, and adapting the instruments for different country and program contexts. Preliminary findings and lessons learned from utilizing the tools for data collection across country contexts will also be shared. Given the need to expand the body of evidence around what works to improve math teaching and learning, these instruments represent potentially valuable resources for research in this area – and the authors look forward to discussing the potential for use and further development/adaptation.