Standpoints Why EGRA—a Clone of DIBELS—Will Fail to Improve Literacy in Africa

James V. Hoffman The University of Texas at Austin

Abstract

This essay raises concerns over the future direction for educational aid designed to promote literacy in developing countries. The essay focuses on the EGRA (Early Grade Reading Assessment)initiative in Africa. At one level, this essay challenges the claims for empirical and research-based support for the EGRA. At a broader level, this essay raises questions regarding the viability ofexporting educational aid efforts to developing countries that are modeled after large-scale, highly prescriptive and mostly ineffective programs from the U.S. context. The essay argues fora reframing of educational aid that promotes research and development efforts that embrace a broadened view of what counts as literacy, a valuing of local contexts and a commitment to beguided by local expertise and problem solving capacities.

Journal
Research in the Teaching of English
Published
2012-05-01
DOI
10.58680/rte201219761
Open Access
Closed
Topics

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