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    Home / Data Portal / DBE / ZAF-DBE-EGRSSD-1-2015-2021-V1
DBE

Early Grade Reading Study I 2015-2021 Secure Data
Waves 1-5 Merged

South Africa, 2015 - 2021
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Reference ID
zaf-dbe-egrssd-1-2015-2021-v1
Producer(s)
Stephen Taylor, Brahm Fleisch
Collections
Department of Basic Education Secure Remote Access Data Enclave
Metadata
DDI/XML JSON
Created on
Feb 25, 2025
Last modified
Feb 26, 2025
Page views
13066
  • Study Description
  • Data Description
  • Downloads
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  • Identification
  • Version
  • Scope
  • Producers and sponsors
  • survey_instrument
  • Data Collection
  • Data Access
  • Contacts
  • Metadata production
  • Identification

    Survey ID number

    zaf-dbe-egrssd-1-2015-2021-v1

    Title

    Early Grade Reading Study I 2015-2021 Secure Data

    Subtitle

    Waves 1-5 Merged

    Abbreviation or Acronym

    EGRSSD I 2015-2021

    Country
    Name
    South Africa
    Study type

    Education Data

    Abstract

    From 2015 the Department of Basic Education in collaboration with the University of Witwatersrand and other researchers conducted ongoing research on the acquisition of reading in the early grades in South Africa. There have been two Early Grade Reading Studies. This is the dataset from the first study (EGRS I) with additional variables shared as restricted access data in a secure remote access data encalve.
    Information on the restricted access data from the second study (EGRS II), can be found at https://www.datafirst.uct.ac.za/dataportal/index.php/catalog/1021

    Details of the EGRS I restricted-access data are as follows:
    Language Focus: Setswana
    Evaluation Focus: A comparison of the impact on literacy outcomes and cost-effectiveness of three intervention models (Centralised teacher training, teacher coaching and a parent intervention) to improve reading outcomes in learners’ home language (Setswana)
    Region: North West Province (Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality; Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality)
    Number of Schools: 230 (80 control + 50 in each of the three treatment arms)
    Data Collection Years: 2015 Waves 1 and 2 (Grade 1 learners); 2016 Wave 3 (Grade 2); 2018 Wave 4 (Grade 4); 2021 Wave 5 (Grade 7)
    Restricted-access variables only available in the secure enclave: EMIS number of the schools in the study
    NOTE: Only the user guide is provided with the restricted-access data. Researchers will need to download the documents from the public access datasets and request these to be added to their account in the secure Remote Access Data Enclave.

    Kind of Data

    Qualitative and quantitative data

    Unit of Analysis

    Individuals

    Version

    Version Description

    Version 1: Edited, anonymised data available through DataFirst's secure Remote Access Data Enclave

    Version Date

    2024

    Version Notes

    This is version 1 of the restricted-access data from the merged 2015-2021 data for EGRS I.

    Scope

    Notes

    Learner assessments collected data on the following: English word recognition and oral reading fluency; English oral and written reading comprehension; English productive vocabulary and oral comprehension; letter recognition; home language oral reading fluency and comprehension. The study also collected data from parents, teachers and principals, using a separate questionnaire for each.
    The parent questionnaire collected data on parents' highest level of education, home-language, English spoken and read at home, and learners' television viewing, as well as ownership of household goods, and in-country travel. Parents were also asked about learner's school absenteeism.
    The teacher questionnaire collected data on teachers' age and sex, qualifications and experience, and reading habits. Teachers were also asked about their class sizes, multi-grade classes, learner absenteeism, and school days missed. Data was also collected on preferred teaching areas, the challenges teachers face in teaching English as a second language, support and development they receive from the school, and their use of technology for teaching. The teacher survey included a short English language test. The enumerator collecting data from teachers also recorded information on classroom facilities and materials.
    The school principle questionnaire elicted data on principals' age, and the school's EMIS number, the number of Grade one learners and Grade 1-3 teachers, parents' employment status and attendance at school meetings, and school infrastructure. Data was also elicited on the foundation phase and challenges faced in teaching English as a second language. During the principal's interview enumerators also recorded information on teacher attendance and the condition of the school grounds and buildings.

    Producers and sponsors

    Primary investigators
    Name Affiliation
    Stephen Taylor Department of Basic Education
    Brahm Fleisch University of the Witwatersrand
    Funding Agency/Sponsor
    Name Abbreviation Role
    US Agency for International Development USAID Funding agency

    survey_instrument

    Questionnaires

    Data was collected with learner assessment forms as well as questionnaires for parents, teachers, HODs, and school principals.

    Data Collection

    Dates of Data Collection
    Start End Cycle
    2015-01 2015-03 Wave 1
    2015-10 2015-11 Wave 2
    2016-10 2016-11 Wave 3
    2018-08 2018-09 Wave 4
    2021-09 2021-11 Wave 5
    Mode of data collection
    • Face-to-face
    Data Collectors
    Name Abbreviation
    Human Sciences Research Council (w1-3) HSRC
    Khulisa Management Services
    Supervision

    Ethics approval for the study was granted by the University of the Witwatersrand Human Research Ethics Committee.

    Data Collection Notes

    Data collection for the first three waves of EGRS I (2015, 2016) was undertaken by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Data for the fourth and fifth waves of EGRS I (2018, 2021)) was collected by Khulisa Management Services (Khulisa).

    Data Access

    Access authority
    Name Affiliation URL Email
    DataFirst University of Cape Town support.data1st.org support@data1st.org
    Access conditions

    Restricted-access data, available through DataFirst's secure Remote Access Data Enclave

    Citation requirements

    Department of Basic Education and the University of the Witwatersrand. Early Grade Reading Study I 2015-2021 Secure Data, Waves 1-5 Merged [dataset]. Version 1. Pretoria: DBE and Wits [producers], 2024. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2025.

    Contacts

    Contacts
    Name Affiliation Email URL
    DataFirst Support University of Cape Town support@data1st.org www.support.data1st.org

    Metadata production

    Producers
    Name Affiliation Role
    DataFirst University of Cape Town Metadata producer
    Date of Metadata Production

    2025-02-26

    Metadata version

    DDI Document version

    Version 3

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