Literacy Boost Sri Lanka: Baseline Report 2013

This report examines the results of a learner background survey and reading assessment conducted from January to February in 2013 as part of the USAID All Children Reading Grand Challenge. It also includes a section on slow learner learning challenges.

The sample for this baseline assessment encompasses 640 grade 2 learners, divided between 15 schools set to receive the Literacy Boost intervention and 15 comparison schools. Students’ reading skills were assessed via a one-on-one reading assessment measuring discrete reading sub-skills, such as fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. Further data was collected on a sub-sample of students identified as slow learners via a teacher interview. In general, in terms of reading skills, it was found that Literacy Boost and comparison students scored statistically equivalent.