Validation of pupil test for Teaching Reading for Meaning

English and School Education South Africa and Ethiopia are planning a randomized control trial (RCT) for the 2027 school academic year. In order for the RCT to be successfully implemented and show the efficacy of the teacher training initiative, we need to measure or assess learning outcomes. We have developed a bespoke test for this purpose, as there are no appropriate tests available for testing reading comprehension and the other language skills underpinning reading comprehension.

Before using the test, we need the test to be validated to ensure that the test items are appropriate, valid and reliable. We therefore need a supplier that can provide the following:

a) Test item strength through Item response data measure

b) Socio-cognitive framework adherence measure

c) Construct validity measure

The validation will be conducted in both South Africa and Ethiopia. Our stakeholder relationships with the ministries of education are quite strong and agreement for each of the schools will be sought with very little risk of being rejected.

The process will be for each country to conduct the tests and then send the test data to the supplier for statistical analysis to measure the items required for test validation.