The East Asia and the Pacific Early Grade Reading Assessments Conference
The East Asia and the Pacific Early Grade Reading Assessments Conference was held April 12-14, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. Funded by the World Bank, it aimed to serve as a South-South knowledge-sharing event for policymakers, education managers, educators, and experts to share experiences on how to improve student learning outcomes and reading levels in the early grades of primary education. The event was focused on country experiences with these assessments and how results have informed policy improvements on teacher development, supported the production of linguistic and culturally relevant instructional materials, and galvanized community support and parental involvement towards improved reading outcomes. The workshop participants shared experiences, identified main challenges for East Asia countries trying to improve quality with a cycle of assessment and instructional modifications, and discussed policy and strategy recommendations with government officials and development partners. Background documents and Presentations from the conference are attached.