The Complementarity of Early-Grade and Remedial Interventions for Foundational Learning

This study examines the effectiveness and complementarity of early-grade and remedial interventions for foundational literacy and numeracy in Assam, India. In collaboration with Pratham, we propose a three-year randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of the Hamara Gaon program, which provides structured support to primary school students through pedagogic in-school activities (grades 1–2), mother groups (grades 1–2), and an adapted Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach for grade 3. Our research focuses on whether the effects of early-grade interventions persist over time as students progress through school. We explore three questions: (1) Can early-grade interventions prevent learning gaps before they emerge? (2) Does structured parental engagement through mother groups enhance early learning? (3) Do early and remedial interventions reinforce each other, or do they serve as substitutes? The early-grade intervention also strongly emphasizes children’s socio-emotional development. The study includes 420 schools, randomly assigned to treatment and control groups, with the TaRL intervention introduced randomly after the second year. We will conduct three rounds of data collection to measure students’ literacy, numeracy, socio-emotional and holistic skills, and parental engagement. By assessing the long-term impact of early interventions and the role of parental involvement, this research provides insights into effective and scalable approaches for strengthening foundational learning at early grades. Our collaboration with Pratham ensures that findings will directly inform large-scale education programs and contribute to evidence-based policymaking. Results will be shared with policymakers, educators, and researchers to support the design and implementation of effective learning strategies at scale.