THE EARLY GRADE READING ASSESSMENT: Applications and Interventions to Improve Basic Literacy

Amber K. Gove · Anna Wetterberg

Sep 2011 · RTI Press

About this ebook

The Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) measures students' progress towards reading. EGRA gauges early literacy skills through a 15-minute individual oral assessment of five fundamental reading skills. RTI worked with education experts to develop the EGRA in 2006, and it has been piloted and implemented in more than 40 countries. This volume aims to take stock of the substantial amount of information and experience generated through the use of EGRA, and to share this knowledge with practitioners, policymakers, and international donors. Chapters cover not only particular applications of the instrument but also put EGRA in the context of broader issues and developments in literacy and education.

About the author

Amber Gove is the team leader for Teaching and Learning with RTI’s International Education Group. Much of her recent work has centered on the development of the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), which has been used in more than 50 languages and countries to inform policy and improve teaching and learning. She has worked closely with government counterparts in Latin America, Africa, and South Asia in project design and evaluation, research and data analysis, and policy dialogue. Her research and policy interests include measurement and improvement of student learning, education finance, conditional cash transfer programs, and factors affecting achievement, enrollment, and attendance. Dr. Gove received her PhD in international comparative education and her MA in economics from Stanford University and will complete a Certificate in Literacy Instruction from George Washington University in 2011. 

Anna Wetterberg, a postdoctoral researcher in RTI’s International Development Group, has more than 10 years’ experience working on research and operations in international development. In Indonesia, she managed a research and training program at the Ministry of Agriculture, led research on local-level institutions for the World Bank, and contributed to the monitoring and evaluation framework for the country’s largest poverty alleviation and participatory planning program. Dr. Wetterberg’s current research interests include state-society relations, corporate social responsibility, and international labor standards. Dr. Wetterberg received her PhD in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and her MA in international development policy and BA in economics from Stanford University