Lasting effects of promoting literacy – do when and how to learn matter?. Issue 4 (4th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hirata, Guilherme; Rocha e Oliveira, P.
• Is Part Of: Education economics. Volume 27:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 339
• Page End: 357
• Publication Date: 2019-07-04
• Subjects: Literacy at age 6 -- Phonics method -- Prova Brasil -- quality of education; I20 -- I25 -- C21; Education -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; 338.4737
• DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2019.1597020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-5292

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper analyzes the lasting impacts of a project aimed at teaching children how to read and write at age 6. Using a Difference-in-Differences methodology, the results show that it is not enough to get children literate at age 6 to secure lasting effects; the instruction process is also an important factor: Only pupils exposed to the Phonics method were able to perform better than controls in a Language exam four years later. The results are robust for a large set of time-varying control variables, including the socioeconomic status of the children, the main variable associated with school performance.