Chapter 8: Evaluating the Impact of the “Learning for Living” Project on the Development of the Literacy Skills of Learners in Low-Income Communities in South Africa: Lessons Learned

The authors report on a 5-year project designed to improve the quality of literacy instruction and literacy learning in primary schools serving low-income communities in South Africa. The authors situate this project in the broader context of educational reforms in post-apartheid South Africa. The evaluation data suggest high levels of implementation and a positive impact for the intervention in the classrooms of participating schools and teachers. Improvement in student outcomes was evident across grade levels and across a wide range of literacy measures (e.g., decoding, reading comprehension, and writing). The authors reflect on the qualities of the intervention that contributed to its implementation and impact. They argue for the importance of these qualities in designing future efforts to reform teaching in developing countries.