Authors (in alphabetical order by last name): Horacio Alvarez-Marinelli, Izzy Boggild-Jones,Michael Crawford, Margaret “Peggy” Dubeck, Dhir Jhingran, Christopher Lack, NompumeleloMohohlwane, Maria Eugenia Oviedo, Benjamin Piper, Jaime Saavedra and Hanada Taha:
One of the primary causes of this literacy crisis is the failure to use instructional methods proven by research. Many education systems continue to use outdated approaches that research has shown to be ineffective or lack clear guidance on how to teach reading effectively. Other factors that contribute to poor reading outcomes include insufficient books, inadequate teacher training and ongoing professional development, high absenteeism, limited class time, instruction in unfamiliar languages, and teaching that doesn’t match children’s learning levels—all compounded by a broader failure to adopt science-based reading practices.
Fortunately, scientific research now provides clear guidance on how children learn to read and how to teach them effectively. Reading is one of the most extensively studied areas of human learning, with over a century of research. While early research focused primarily on English-speaking, high-income countries, the research base has expanded significantly. This report synthesizes the growing
research from LMICs, reviewing more than 120 studies on effective reading instruction conducted across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and covering more than 173 different languages. This expanded evidence confirms that certain fundamental principles of effective reading instruction are universal, though specific aspects of instruction can be adapted to different languages and cultural contexts.
This research shows that reading with comprehension is a complex process that relies on multiple, interconnected skills. These skills can be grouped into two broad domains: decoding and language comprehension. Decoding is the ability to recognize written symbols (e.g., letters) and convert them into the sounds they represent to recognize words. Language comprehension involves understanding what those words, sentences, and texts actually mean. Both decoding and language comprehension skills are essential and work together when children read: without decoding skills, children cannot recognize words; without language comprehension, they cannot grasp their meaning (Gough & Tunmer, 1986). Effective reading instruction must develop both skill areas simultaneously. These foundations start in the early years, at home or in formal early childhood education, and become the focus of the primary grades.
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