Reading Learning Material

Why is Reading Important?

Reading is a fundamental component of learning. Students who do not learn to read at grade level by the end of grade 1 tend to fall behind in all other areas of cognitive development. The gap between the academic achievement of students who do not learn to read by grade 1 and those who do grows exponentially each year, often resulting in low reading achievers to drop out of school in later years. Therefore, not only is reading important for students, but it is also a key indicator in economic growth.

Reading made FUN!

Age appropriate and contextually relevant reading learning materials are particularly important to ensure children develop and enhance their reading skills. Yet most classrooms in public schools are not equipped with educational materials that promote reading. Language textbooks alone do not teach reading skills, and there are little to no supplemental reading materials available to complement a structured reading program. The USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project (PRP) in collaboration with provincial and regional governments is providing a complete package of Reading Learning Material (RLM) in Urdu, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Brahui, Pashto (Balochistan) and Sindhi (Balochistan) to help improve reading skills of early grade students in Pakistan.

The PRP reading learning material has been developed with a detailed teaching reading framework (scope and sequence), the frequency of letters/syllables and words, based on the linguistic features of each target language. The RLM package provides for the systematic practice of explicit reading component skills, supports vocabulary development of the students, improves listening and reading comprehension skills, and provides for personal application of skills. The material incorporates latest research findings, and demonstrates academic learning, contextual relevance, gender equality, social and emotional well-being and resilience. It gives students opportunities to practice independent decoding of text and to connect what is read with real-life experiences as well as to learn their practical role as contributing citizens for the betterment of the country.

Reading Learning Material

The Reading Learning Material available on this website has been developed with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Pakistan Reading Project (PRP), in collaboration with the provincial/regional governments. Complete teaching and learning packages, including daily reading lesson plans, student workbooks, big books, levelled readers, flash cards and syllable charts, are available.

Big Books

These are (11x16 inches) books with compelling text and images that teachers use to engage a large group of students during “read aloud sessions”. Reading aloud is a research-based strategy that helps new readers and multi-lingual learners make a word to print connection, build vocabulary, develop listening comprehension skills, better understand story structure, and learn to make meaning of the word. Big Books contain illustrations and repeated/predictable passages of text that facilitate comprehension, interaction, and fosters developing decoding skills. Each Big Book contains instructional plan in reading skills aligned with the theme of the book. There are twenty four (24) Big Books for Grade 1 and twelve (12) for Grade 2.

Syllable Charts

Syllable charts show the pattern of long and short vowels. When teachers use these in matching and world-building games, students become more familiar with multiple vowel orthographic presentations of consonants and vowels.

Flash Cards

The flash cards (letters, syllables, keywords, alphabet set) are aligned with the workbook. These allow for practice of letters and sight words which helps students to build automaticity in identifying letters and common words so that they can recognize these words in print without having to attend to decoding strategies.

Daily Reading Lesson Plans

The most significant part of the RLM is highly structured daily reading lesson plan (DRLP) that gives guidance to teachers on how to teach lessons focused on the key components of reading including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development fluency, and comprehension. A teacher who efficiently follows the lesson plan actually deals with all pieces of the RLM including big books, flash cards, vowel charts, levelled readers and workbook. The DRLP helps teachers implement research-based reading and assessment strategies in the classroom.

Workbook

The workbook gives students the opportunity to apply skills that are being learned in the reading lesson. They practice letter sound activities, syllable and word formation activities. The workbook also contains decodable texts and stories to allow for practice of decoding skills and promotion of fluency. Student reading assessments are also part of the workbooks so that the teacher can track and adjust instruction based on an understanding of the students’ reading progress.

Levelled Readers

Leveled readers are sets of story books developed by levels of difficulty, from simpler text for an emergent reader to more complex text for an advanced reader. Each story contains key words and skills that match skills targeted in the lesson plans. The levelled readers allow for the development of reading fluency as well as skill practice within context. They provide opportunity to teacher and students for independent and guided practice of reading texts.

Virtual Mentoring Videos (VMVs)

The VMVs were specifically developed in line with the teacher training curriculum once it is approved, which includes best practices and strategies introduced by the PRP project to address literacy goals and the pedagogy of teaching reading. The VMV modules have addressed issues such as how to engage students, creative ways to stimulate interest in reading and how to catalyze young children's interest in reading. The VMVs are ideal to use at TIGs meeting to provide a practical experience of the classroom to teachers to view and then to reflect the same in TIG meeting, by discussing the techniques, exchange ideas, and troubleshoot the problems.

Audio Lessons.

The project has also developed audio sounds for the Urdu and Sindhi alphabet, this has allowed uniformed way of teaching Urdu and Sindhi letter sounds. In Urdu, the project has developed 58 letter sounds and in the Sindhi language, the project worked closely with Sindhi Language Authority (Sindhila) and developed the 56 letter sounds in close coordination with (Sindhila).