Approach to teaching reading in primary grades

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 academic achievement of students who do not learn to read by grade 1 and those who did grows exponentially each year, often resulting in low early grade reading achievers to drop out of school. Therefore, not only is reading important for students, it is also a key indicator in economic growth. If students fall behind on academic outcomes and do not achieve their full academic potential, they are often less able to contribute positively to the economy.  Therefore, reading is a foundation for a country’s development.

Pakistan has a rich history of poetry and literature in Urdu and other languages, which represent the rich culture of reading that once existed in the country. However, today many students are struggling to learn to read and the reading culture has been greatly diminished.

Reading abilities by province
Province	% children who can read sentences or more (ASER 2011)
	Class 3	Class 5
AJK	61-70%	41-50%
Balochistan	33-40%	33-40%
ICT	51-60%	51-60%
KP	41-50%	33-40%
Punjab	51-60%	41-50%
FATA	41-50%	33-40%
Sindh	33%	33%
GB	61-70%	61-70%

Students in Pakistan are currently struggling with reading. According to the ASER, 63% of grade 3 and 54% of grade 5 public school students cannot read an Urdu or Sindhi sentence at grade level.  There are several issues that contribute to the low reading outcomes in Pakistan. First, is the issue of language. While Pakistan has six major linguistic groups and 58 minor groups, the national language and the language of instruction in most government schools of Pakistan is Urdu (Sindhi used in Sindh and English used in Islamabad Capital Territory). Yet, Urdu is spoken at home by only 7% of Pakistanis.  Urdu print and sounds may be familiar to children entering school, but it is not the language they have learned to speak. In government schools, children are also expected to learn English at the same time that they are learning Urdu. English is often less familiar to students.

Therefore, in Pakistan most students are learning to read for the first time in two second languages. This requires specific reading instruction that addresses the challenges of learning to read at the same time a student is learning a language. However, instruction in Pakistan does not always include the methodologies that are required for students to read with fluency and comprehension in second languages. 

The realities of government school classrooms in rural and urban Pakistan also require special consideration when teaching reading. Reading instruction is integrated into Urdu and English language courses which are each offered 35 minutes per day leaving little time for on-task activities. Class size is also an important consideration in the teaching of reading. In Pakistan, the average class is 40.45 students, with urban schools, especially girls’ schools, having more students . In rural areas, class size is often as little as 10 to 15 students. Additionally, classrooms are multi-grade classrooms with 2 to 6 grades all being taught by one teacher. Absenteeism of both students and teachers is often quite high, resulting in fragmented learning. Finally, the learning of reading is done best in text rich classrooms where students engage with words and texts through visual works hanging on the walls and instructional materials that are age appropriate to engage students in learning. However, in Pakistan, most schools lack these types of materials, and teachers must rely only on the textbook.  In addition to the physical limitations to reading instruction, many practicing teachers, graduates from Teacher Training Institutions, and teacher educators lack the skills to teach reading in Urdu, Sindhi, or English, and many lack skills to speak or read in English themselves. Primary school teachers, especially in rural areas, have little opportunity for professional development or engagement with other teachers, limiting opportunities for instructional innovation or improvement.

Although these challenges exist in Pakistan, the government, teachers, and parents have shown strong commitment to ensuring quality education for all children. Through the cooperation between the Pakistan Reading Project and the Departments of Education, literacy in Pakistan will begin to rise and children and families will reestablish the culture of reading.