PROJECTS
The Total Reading Approach for Children Plus (TRAC+) project builds on the success of the innovative Total Reading Approach for Children (TRAC) project (2012- 2014). Through TRAC+, World Education expands the TRAC system to reach 138 schools in five provinces, as well as developing national reading standards for grade 3. As in the TRAC pilot program, TRAC+ consists of three key interventions designed to improve early-grade reading in Cambodia:
- National Reading Standards: World Education collaborated with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) to create a reading benchmark system for the new national reading curriculum. These benchmarks have been fully endorsed by the MoEYS as National Reading Standards. The National Reading Standards include specific tasks and skills that students should master at designated intervals. The National Reading Standards include regular interval assessments for Grades 1-3, which allow teachers to identify struggling students and provide timely, targeted support. Each interval assessment includes statements of reading abilities, associated reading skills, content summaries, and indicative tasks that illustrate the stated competencies.
- Literacy Coaches: TRAC selected and trained school-based literacy coaches, the first time such a position has been created in Cambodian schools. These coaches help teachers administer the benchmark assessments and the Rapid Response System interventions. They also act as the liaison between schools and parents.
- Rapid Response System: Literacy coaches implement the project’s Rapid Response System (RRS) after identifying struggling students through the benchmark assessments. The RRS includes parental engagement, peer tutoring, a reading toolkit, and an mLearning application. The toolkit and mLearning application are aligned with the national curriculum and TRAC reading benchmark system. The mLearning application is the first Khmer language education app for primary grades. In addition to supporting Cambodian schools, the TRAC+
In addition to supporting Cambodian schools, the TRAC+ project also builds the educational capacity of its funding partner, World Vision, whose staff receive training on the TRAC system from the World Education implementation team.