Early Grade Reading

Why focus on early grades?

Learning to read can lift children out of poverty. Children learn to read in steps, picking up one skill after another until they master it. They’ll start with sounding out letters and end with reading books. Learning—and mastering—the reading steps in early grades means children have the skill to master other subjects in later grades.

The Early Grade Reading Barometer

The Early Grade Reading Barometer makes it easy to explore how well students around the world are reading. Sponsored by the USAID Asia Bureau, the Barometer serves as a one-stop-shop for early grade reading data.

The Barometer includes mostly Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) data. EGRA is one of many tests to determine children’s reading skill. To understand how to interpret the EGRA data available in the Barometer, visit our Resources page.

Resources

What Is an EGRA?

An Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) measures children’s pre-reading and reading skills. It is typically used with children in Kindergarten through Grade 8. EGRAs test children’s skill at different subtasks they need to learn, such as letter names and letter sounds, to be able to read fluently.

Learn More

Resources

Understanding
EGRA Data

EGRA subtasks measure a child’s progress through the stages of reading skill development. There are three key data elements to understand when looking at EGRA data: average scores, score distribution, and zero scores, which is when a child cannot answer a single question correctly.

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Assessing Reading Fluency

Fluency is the ability to read text quickly, accurately, and with expression. To determine reading fluency, students are presented a grade-appropriate passage and asked to read it out loud as quickly and carefully as they can. An assessor counts the words the student says correctly.

Students were provided 180 seconds (2 minutes) to read the following passage.

Filipino
English

Filipino

Kaarawan ni Nanay Ana ngayon. Nagluto siya ng pansit at pritong manok. Tinawag niya ang kaniyang mga anak para ihanda ang mesa. Walang sumasagot, hindi niya mahanap ang kaniyang mga anak! Lumabas siya ng bahay at nakita niyang naglalaro pala ang mga ito. Nakita din niya ang kaniyang asawa. May dala-dalang regalo at pasalubong. Kababalik lang nito galling sa Maynila. Niyakap niya ang kanyang asawa at mga anak. Pumasok sila sa bahay at kumain bilang buong pamilya Ito na ang pinakamasayang kaarawan ni Nanay Ana.

English

Today is Mother Ana’s birthday. She cooked noodles and fried chicken. Then she called her children to set the table. No one was heeding and she could not find her children! She rushed out and saw that they were playing. She then sees her husband. He was carrying gifts. He just arrived from Manila. She hugged her husband and children. Then they had a family meal inside their home. This is the happiest birthday of Mother Ana.

Non-Readers

10%

of students could not read a single word in the passage and were stopped after the first line.

Beginning Readers

23%

of students read 1-20 words per minute and answered 46% of the questions correctly.

Progressing Readers

36%

of students read 20-50 words per minute and answered 82% of the questions correctly.

Proficient
Readers

31%

of students read more than 50 words per minute and answered 91% of the questions correctly.

Learn How EGRA Measures Reading Proficiency

Source: Philippines ABC+: Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines, Baseline Report (June 2020).

News & Stories

An Uzbek student showcasing a school book.

Uzbekistan Stories

December 22, 2022

Now Available: First-ever national reading results from an Early Grade Reading Assessment in Uzbekistan

The Government of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Public Education conducted a national Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and math assessment in 2021 with support from USAID.

View All News & Stories