## **INTRODUCTION**

Skilled reading is dependent on the development of fast and accurate reading of small units: letters (or ideographs), syllables, and words.' The modest levels of performance in many adult<sup>literacy</sup> classes worldwide raise the possibility that learners may not reach the necessary proficiency<sup>in the</sup> low-level skills required to read these small units automatically. Another reason for low perfornance, aside from inaccurate reading, may be that learners have limited phonological awareness,<sup>that is,</sup> awareness of how words are structured. Instruction that moved from phonological awareness<sup>training</sup> to rapid processing of syllables, words, and sentences, and then to activities designed to foster<sup>reading</sup> comprehension would be particularly beneficial to adults. These techniques could be integrated<sup>into</sup> existing instructional methods. (See Abadzi 2003a, 2003b for a review of the Bank's experiences<sup>in</sup> literacy and the cognitive-neuropsychological research related to adult literacy.) An opportunity to understand better the reading processes of neoliterates arose when the Swiss Development Cooperation agreed to finance, through its World Bank Trust Fund, evaluative research of Swiss-supported programs **in** Burkina Faso. This country, which has a literacy rate of only about 20 percent,<sup>2</sup> was chosen because it has established a tradition of literacy activities,<sup>often</sup> onented toward income-generating groups. Literacy is taught by the governmental National<sup>Literacy</sup> Institute (INA) as well as by many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Notable among them is the Organization Suisse d' Entraide Ouvnere (OSEO), which pledged its help in carrying out the research. Because of weather patterns and agricultural work, literacy classes in rural areas are<sup>carried</sup> out only from January to June of every year.

The research took place from May 2000 to August 2001. The research involved: (a) baseline measurements and comparisons with U.S. norms, (b) designing interventions and assessment procedures, (c) implementing interventions, and (d) evaluating the outcomes. A follow-up phase, assessment of forgetting and relapse into illiteracy was to be carried out in the spring of 2002, but time permitted only informal observations.

## **RESEARCH DESIGN**

A research team was assembled, consisting of Dr. James M. Royer, educational psychologist at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst, and Burkinabe researcher Dr. Jules Kinda, professor of linguistics at University of Ouagadougou, along with three Burkinabe assistants<sup>3</sup> . The Burkinab6 research team was given background trainig on the literacy issues to be investigated and was trained in the use and administration of materials as well as on practical test development and data analysis.

# Research Participants

The participants in the research were learners and graduates of literacy classes in Manegdbzanga, a rural area located about 45 kilometers outside Ouagadougou. Area residents have become known for their dedication to group formation and adult literacy activities<sup>4</sup> where groups learned to read **in** the 1980s and 1990s in order to increase their agricultural and trading productivity. Representatives of the donor community frequently visit the villagers' association of Nomgana.<sup>In</sup> this area of limited formal education, literacy classes are well attended. In addition to adult literacy I Royer 1997.

2. UNESCO Statistical Yearbook 1999-2000.

3. Prof Pierre Magloubi and graduate students Laura Tahita and Sarata Dialo.

4. Easton 1998.