Can Small-Group Sound Games Strengthen Early Literacy in Luganda? Findings from a Pilot Cluster-Randomized Feasibility Study in Primary Two

Fieldwork Instructions and Data Collection Protocol

Assessor guidance for graduate fellows/fieldworkers:
1. Assessors must remain unaware of the classroom's treatment allocation (Intervention vs. Comparison). Do not ask teachers or learners which group they are in.
2. Conduct all child assessments individually in a quiet space within the school to ensure auditory clarity for the phonological tasks.
3. All assessments and assent procedures must be administered in Luganda, aligning with the local-language literacy period.
4. All assessment sheets must be kept in sealed envelopes and handed over to the project coordinator at the end of each fieldwork day to ensure confidentiality.

Caregiver informed consent form
Introduction:
Dear Parent/Caregiver,
We are conducting an early grade reading research project. The study explores whether small-group sound games help Primary Two learners build early reading skills in Luganda, specifically using the Nsobola okusoma n'okuwandiika curriculum.

Procedures:
If you agree, your child will participate in their standard Luganda literacy lessons. Depending on the school's random assignment, they may also play supplemental small-group sound games using bottle tops and word cards for 20 minutes, three times a week, for eight weeks. We will assess your child's ability to blend and segment Luganda words before and after this period.

Confidentiality and rights:
Participation is entirely voluntary. Your child's name will not appear in any academic reports. You may withdraw consent at any time without penalty to your child's education.

Consent options:
[ ] I consent for my child to participate in this study.
[ ] I do not consent for my child to participate in this study.
Child's name: ____________________    Caregiver signature: ____________________    Date: ____________________

Child assent script
Enumerator instructions: Read the following to the child in Luganda.
"Hello! My name is [____________]. We are learning about the best ways to teach reading. I have some fun word games to play with you today. We will listen to sounds and build words. You do not have to play if you do not want to, and we can stop anytime you say so. Would you like to play these games with me?"
Assent given: [ ] Yes    [ ] No

Learner assessment instrument: Luganda phonological skills
General instructions: Ensure the child understands the task. Use the practice items to model the I do, We do, You do sequence before scoring. Treat digraphs such as ny as single sounds in both teaching and scoring.

Subtask A: Blending (12 items)
Instruction: "I am going to say some sounds slowly. Listen carefully and tell me what word they make. For example, if I say /s/.../a/.../b/.../a/, the word is 'saba'."
Score 1 for correct whole word; score 0 for incorrect/no response.
Practice: /m/.../a/.../a/.../m/.../a/ (maama), not scored.
1. /b/.../a/.../a/.../b/.../a/ (baaba)
2. /l/.../i/.../m/.../a/ (lima)
3. /k/.../u/.../b/.../a/ (kuba)
4. /m/.../u/.../t/.../i/ (muti)
5. /s/.../o/.../o/.../k/.../a/ (sooka)
6. /ny/.../a/.../b/.../o/ (nyabo)
7. /m/.../a/.../zzi/ (mazzi)
8. /b/.../a/.../tt/.../u/ (battu)
9. /k/.../o/.../l/.../a/ (kola)
10. /s/.../e/.../k/.../a/ (seka)
11. /ny/.../a/.../a/.../ny/.../a/ (nyaanya)
12. /l/.../o/.../o/.../t/.../a/ (loota)
Total blending score: ___ / 12

Subtask B: Segmentation (12 items)
Instruction: "Now we will do a clap-and-cut game. I will say a word, and I want you to break it into its parts. For example, if I say 'saba', you say /sa/.../ba/."
Score 1 for correctly segmenting all parts; score 0 for incorrect/no response.
1. baaba
2. lima
3. kuba
4. muti
5. sooka
6. nyabo
7. mazzi
8. battu
9. kola
10. seka
11. nyaanya
12. loota
Total segmentation score: ___ / 12

Observation and fidelity checklist
Observer name: __________    Date: __________    School ID: __________    Teacher ID: __________
Instructions: Rate the occurrence of the following elements during the 20-minute small-group session. Target group size: 6 to 8 learners.
1. Teacher modelled target skill clearly (I do): Observed [ ] Not observed [ ] N/A [ ]
2. Used familiar Luganda words from P2 thematic units: Observed [ ] Not observed [ ] N/A [ ]
3. Followed gradual release (I do, We do, You do): Observed [ ] Not observed [ ] N/A [ ]
4. Gave individual turns rather than only chorus answers: Observed [ ] Not observed [ ] N/A [ ]
5. Corrected errors explicitly and briefly: Observed [ ] Not observed [ ] N/A [ ]
6. Kept session within planned time, about 20 minutes: Observed [ ] Not observed [ ] N/A [ ]
Child engagement rating: 1 = very low to 5 = very high: ____
Observer notes: Record timetable disruptions, noise issues, or improvisation with local materials.

Teacher semi-structured interview guide (endline)
Target: intervention teachers; comparison teachers received a brief standard-practice interview.
1. How did you feel about using the small-group sound games alongside the standard I Can Read and Write/Nsobola okusoma n'okuwandiika teacher guide and pupil book? Did it feel like a disruption or an intensification of your routine?
2. What elements of the package, such as build-and-break or relay games, were easiest to implement?
3. How did the learners respond to the small-group format? Did you notice any changes in children who previously had weak starting scores?
4. How did timetable pressure impact your ability to run three sessions per week? Did you ever find yourself reverting to chorus/chalk-and-talk answers?
