“It was nearly impossible for her to read anything, even a single word.” That’s how the father of a third-grade student described her struggle with reading before her school joined the Let’s Read Fluently! (LRF!) program. Like many students across Jordan, she found reading in Modern Standard Arabic a daunting task. This difficulty began to affect her confidence and her performance in other subjects.

This changed when she was part of the LRF! intervention. With consistent small-group support at school and regular practice at home, things began to shift. “This year, I’ve seen some improvement,” her father shared. “She can now read words and sentences more easily. She even reads texts on TV.”

Her excitement was palpable. “She’s happy with the progress she’s made,” her father added. “She’s excited about the special room at school where they teach them to read as if they’re in first grade.”

This story represents encouraging outcomes captured in the new Let’s Read Fluently! pilot evaluation report, which explores the potential of this evidence-based program to transform Arabic literacy instruction in Jordan.

About the Program

Developed in partnership between the Queen Rania Foundation (QRF), the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), and the BHP Foundation, Let’s Read Fluently! is grounded in cognitive science and was adapted for the Jordanian context. It focuses on the neurological processes behind reading—such as letter and syllable recognition and word decoding—using a structured phonics-based approach pioneered by Dr. Helen Abadzi.

Delivered in two formats, the program aimed to reach both all learners and struggling readers:

• The Whole Class (W/C) model targets all Grade 1 students through regular classroom instruction.
  
   
• The Catch-Up (C/U) model supports struggling readers in Grades 1, 2 and 3 through targeted small-group sessions in resource rooms.
  
   

What Did the Evaluation Find?

Whole Class (W/C) Model – Ready for an Efficacy Trial

The W/C model demonstrated strong evidence of promise, with students in intervention schools significantly outperforming their peers in reading comprehension, decoding, and oral reading fluency. For example, oral reading fluency increased from a shared baseline average of 2.27 words per minute to 8.25 words in the intervention group, compared to just 4.41 in the control group.

Teachers, parents, and coaches all reported improved student confidence, enthusiasm, and engagement. The “I do, We do, You do” instructional approach and the structured practice book played central roles in building student independence and fluency.

Importantly, the pilot confirmed that the W/C model is ready for a full-scale efficacy trial (Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT)). While promising, further scaling will depend on continued adaptations and evidence from the upcoming RCT. Key considerations for that trial include extended session durations, differentiated learning materials, more frequent coaching, and integration with the national curriculum.

Catch-Up (C/U) Model – Progress, But More Refinement Needed

The initial pilot of the C/U model showed limited impact. However, after significant adaptations—including improved teacher training, smaller group sizes, revised materials, and a more refined student selection process—the second pilot showed modest gains in oral reading fluency, particularly in word decoding and syllable recognition.

Despite these improvements, challenges remain. The screening process for identifying struggling readers was found to be costly and overly complex. The model requires further tweaking, and piloting before it can be considered ready for an efficacy trial.

Looking Ahead

The evidence suggests that Let’s Read Fluently! holds real promise for strengthening Arabic literacy instruction in Jordan’s early primary grades. With its W/C model now ready for an efficacy trial, QRF and its partners at the Jordanian Ministry of Education are planning for the next steps to expand the evidence base—and ultimately support more children in learning to read fluently, confidently, and with joy.