Matias Busso on remedial reading in small group tutorials: short and medium run effects of three experiments in Colombia

WIDER Seminar Series

WIDER Seminar Series - Matias Busso on remedial reading in small group tutorials: Short and medium run effects of three experiments in Colombia


On 11 July, Matias Busso Lead Economist at Inter-American Development Bank will be presenting the effects of small group remedial reading programs. 

Abstract - Remedial reading in small group tutorials: Short and medium run effects of three experiments in Colombia 

We estimate the impact of a small group remedial program designed to improve reading fluency among three different cohorts of third grade students in Colombia. Struggling readers in randomly selected elementary schools were allocated to remediation classes during school time. Outside school instructors following a structured curriculum implemented the program. More than 2000 children and 90 schools participated in the experiment. We find that immediately after the experiment finished reading fluency improved among treated children by no less than 20 percent of a standard deviation. We followed these children into the next academic year where some of these gains persist.