Distance Reading Program

AASHA DRP

One-on-one program conducted over the phone where teacher and student interact regularly. Impactful learning at a personalized pace.

Problem	● Children in disadvantaged communities do not have access to quality English education or any online substitute for an education during the pandemic.
Activities	● Students enrolled in the program are assessed for their English proficiency and assigned a suitable level. ● Teachers trained in our initiative are connected to their students ● Our one-on-one reading program is conducted over the phone
Output	● The students advance through 5 levels, over a period of 1 year ● The children gain certification of their learning in English
Outcomes	● The students’ English skills – verbal, written, reading, and cognitive – improve ● Student gains confidence and gets comfortable with the language. ● Student become sustained readers
Impact	● The students’ English learning is reinforced due to quality curriculum and teaching ● The students’ English knowledge improves their overall academic performance ● The students’ competence in English leads to greater job readiness and, eventually, better quality of life

Pedagogy, Objectives and Curriculum

Pedagogy

Balanced literacy framework consisting of five components of word study, read aloud, guided reading, shared reading and independent reading.

Program Objectives

● To make the student read and understand the text.
● To instill a love for reading in the student.
● To make students regular and sustained readers.
● To make the student gain confidence in the language.
● To improve student’s academic performance.

Curriculum

DRP has 5 levels and students transition from one level to the next after completing all sessions and curriculum of the previous level and passing the relevant assessment.

Progression of students’ learning in our reading program:

Reading Levels	Academic Skills	Practical Outputs
Level 0	Learn to recognise, read and repeat the 42 sounds Blend the sounds to form words, recognise patterns	Ability to recognise letters found in their everyday environment Ability to read small, phonetic words on signboards, advertisements, newspapers, etc.
Level 1	String words together to form sentences and understand small sentences. Vocabulary- 250 words	Ability to read simple sentences in advertisements, picture books, newspapers, etc.
Level 2	Read and understand small paragraphs. Vocabulary- 400 words	Ability to read newspaper headlines, simple forms/ notices etc. Frame sentences orally.
Level 3	Read and understand longer paragraphs. Vocabulary- 650 words	Ability to read simple newspaper and magazine articles, small text book lessons, etc. Write sentences.
Level 4	Read and understand stories Vocabulary- 800 words	Ability to read and understand the textbook and extend the reading to include non-curricular texts. Write paragraphs.
Level 5	Read and understand stories and concepts. Apply the concepts Vocabulary- 1200 words	Ability to read, understand and analyze the textbook and extend the reading to include non-curricular texts. Write essays.

Our accelerated theory of change

Problem	Children in disadvantaged communities do not have access to quality English education or any online substitute for an education during the pandemic
Activities	Students enrolled in the program are assessed for their English proficiency and assigned a suitable level Teachers trained in our initiative are connected to their students Our one-on-one reading program is conducted over the phone
Outputs	The students advance through 5 levels, over a period of 1 year The children gain certification of their learning in English
Outcomes	The students’ English skills – verbal, written, reading, and cognitive – improve The student’s interest is retained due to one-to-one teaching at a personalized pace Students gain confidence and get comfortable with the language Students become sustained readers
Impact	The students’ English learning is reinforced due to quality curriculum and teaching The students’ English knowledge improves their overall academic performance The students’ competence in English leads to greater job readiness and, eventually, better quality of life