Teacher's guide on early grade reading instruction

Reading is a fundamental ability for all other learning activities. Students can learn only when they comprehend, and this requires appropriate reading skills in the first place. Appropriate reading skills support the learning of increasing amounts of instructional content. This is why children who fail to learn to read during their early years of schooling will encounter more difficulties in later grades and a higher risk of drop out. Quality early grade reading instruction is critical in preventing these challenges and risks as well as in protecting children’s rights to education and ensuring better chances of success in their life.

Teachers are at the center of reading instruction and they need to be trained with pedagogical knowledge and management skills in order to provide students relevant and quality instruction. It has however been noted that teachers in many countries, especially low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, lack the proper training and support on ways of teaching early grade reading to their students. Therefore, a comprehensive and practical guide on early grade reading is highly needed to bridge this gap.

This guide aims to empower teachers in Africa by equipping them with the knowledge and skills of early grade reading, including the simple identification of the main pillars of reading, lesson planning and classroom management, taking into account the context in Africa. Subsequently, these teachers will help their students build basic reading skills in their early years of schooling.