Department of Education

Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) Teacher Questionnaire

The National Department of Education (NDOE) in PNG is conducting a study to better

understand how children learn to read. We would like to ask teachers some questions about
how they teach reading.

• Your name will not be recorded on this form, or mentioned anywhere in the survey data.
The information obtained in this questionnaire will be used by the Department of Education
to help identify areas where additional support may be needed.

• The name of your school, the grade level and class you teach will be recorded, but only so
that we can correctly link school, class and student data in order to analyse relationships
between children’s learning and the characteristics of the schools in which they learn. Your
school’s name will not be used in any report or presentation.

• If you agree to help with this study, please read the consent statement below, mark ‘X’ in
the “Yes” box and answer the questions in this questionnaire as completely and accurately
as you can. It should not take you more than 15 minutes. Please give the completed form to
the EGRA supervisor before the team leaves the school.

• If, after reading this information, you prefer not to participate, please return the blank
questionnaire to the study team. You do not have to complete the questionnaire if you
do not want to.

CONSENT STATEMENT: I understand and agree to participate in this reading study by

filling out this questionnaire as completely and accurately as possible. YES

SECTION 1: GENERAL INFORMATION

Please answer all questions honestly. Write each response in the space on the right across
from each item. Where response options are given, clearly circle the number on the far right
that corresponds most closely to your response. For example:
3

1 Name of District
2 Name of School
3 Elementary 1 …………………………….…1
What grade are you teaching this Elementary 2………………………………..2
year?
[Circle ALL that apply] Grade 3……………………………………...3
Grade 4……………………………………...4

4 What is the name of your class?

(e.g. 2 Red, 3A, 4B, etc)

1
5 Number of boys………..
What is your class enrolment?
[Indicate numbers by gender] Number of girls……….
Total number of students…………..
6
How old are you?
Years____________
7 Male…………………………………………..1
What is your gender?
Female……………………………………….2
8 None …………………………………………1
Certificate in Elementary Teaching……….2
What is your highest level of Certificate in Primary Teaching...…………3
qualification? Diploma in Primary Education...................4
Diploma in Primary Education/Inservice…5
Bachelor of Education (primary) …………6
Bachelor of Education (secondary)………7
Masters in Education ………………..….....8
Other (specify) ..…………………………….9
9 How many years have you been
teaching? Years_______________
10 How many days were you absent None……………………………………........1
from school in the last term? 1-5 days……………………………………...2
6-10 days…………………………………….3
Over 11 days………………………………..4
11 Does your school have a library that No…………………………………………….0
students can use? Yes…………………………………………...1
12 If yes to Question 11, approximately
how many book titles are in the
library? Number of books________________
13 If yes to Question 11, do you No…………………………………………….0
supervise your students when they Yes…………………………………………...1
use the library? Don’t know/No response…………………99
14 Do you have a reading corner (or No…………………………………………….0
classroom library) in your Yes…………………………………………...1
classroom?
15 Every day……………………………………1
If yes to Question 14, how often do Two or three times a week………………...2
your students use the reading Once a week………………………………..3
corner? Less than once a week…………………….4

16 Do you meet with the parents of No…………………………………………….0

your students to discuss their Yes…………………………………………...1
academic progress?
17 About once per term or less……………….1
If yes to Question 16, how often do
About twice per term……………………….2
you meet with the parents/guardians
About three times per term………………...3
of your students?
About once a month………………………..4
18 What kind of reading books for Shell books………………………………….1
students do you have at your Commercial/published readers……………2
school? PNG School Journals………………………3
[Circle ALL that apply]
Pacific series readers………………………4
Melanesian series readers………………...5

2
 Minenda readers……………………………6
Big Books …………………………………...7
Others (specify) …………………………….8

How often do you use the following books in reading lessons?

Book type Never Occasion About Most but Every

ally half the not lesson
time every
lesson
19 Shell books 1 2 3 4 5
20 Commercial/published 1 2 3 4 5
readers
21 PNG School Journals 1 2 3 4 5
22 Pacific Series Readers 1 2 3 4 5
23 Melanesian Series 1 2 3 4 5
Readers
24 Minenda Readers 1 2 3 4 5
25 Big Books 1 2 3 4 5
26 Others (please specify): 1 2 3 4 5
_____________________

SECTION 2: TEACHING AND LEARNING

Listed below are different activities you might do with your students in a reading lesson.
Think about the last five (5) school days and indicate how often each of the following
reading activities took place by circling the number that corresponds most closely.

Activity Never On 1 or 2 On 3 or 4 Daily

days a days a
week week
27 Listening comprehension 1 2 3 4
(children listen to a story
and answer questions))
28 Talk-Read-Ask-Read-Do 1 2 3 4
29 Children orally retell a 1 2 3 4
story that they have read
30 Children learn new letter 1 2 3 4
sounds
31 Children sound out 1 2 3 4
unfamiliar words using
knowledge of letter sounds
32 Children learn meanings of 1 2 3 4
new words/vocabulary
33 Whole class reading 1 2 3 4

34 Guided reading (teacher 1 2 3 4

listens to children read in
small groups)

3
35 Listening to a child read 1 2 3 4
aloud to you one-to-one
36 Students reading on their 1 2 3 4
own silently

37 Reading comprehension 1 2 3 4
activities (orally or in
writing)
38 Home reading (children 1 2 3 4
take books home to read
with their parents)
39 Other activities (please 1 2 3 4
describe):

SECTION 3: READING IN THE CURRICULUM

Listed below are five important early reading skills which students must learn. For each
reading skill, circle the number of the grade when you think students should master the skill.

Reading skill Grade Grade Grade Grade 3 Grade Not

EP E1 E2 4 important
40 Recognise and say 1 2 3 4 5 6
letter names
41 Understand stories 1 2 3 4 5 6
heard in the classroom
42 Sound out words using 1 2 3 4 5 6
phonics
43 Read aloud to teacher 1 2 3 4 5 6
and other students
44 Understand simple 1 2 3 4 5 6
texts read in class

SECTION 4: IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND TEACHER SUPPORT MATERIALS

Finally, we would like your views on teacher support for reading.

45 Do you have a Teacher’s Guide for No…………………………………………….0

Language? Yes…………………………………………...1
46 If yes to Question 45, how useful do Not very useful……………………………...1
you find the Teacher’s Guide for Quite useful…………………………………2
teaching reading? Very useful………………………………….3
47 If yes to Question 45, how can the
Teacher’s Guide be improved?

48 Have you received any training on No…………………………………………….0

how to teach reading in the last Yes…………………………………………...1
three years?

4
49 If yes to Question 48, indicate how
many hours of reading training you
have received in total Total hours__________
(approximately).
50 If yes to Question 48, what was the
most useful aspect of this training?

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this questionnaire!