Project Milestones

January - September 2001 UK Preparation Identify UK-based research assistants (one working on literacy, one on numeracy, each having knowledge of assessment of basics in UK education) to conduct desk review of extant international literacy and numeracy materials relevant to the proposal.

Agreement on Participating Country Commitments Principal Researchers arrange schedule of visits to identify or confirm participation of key collaborating personnel, identify local support staff and agree local budgets, medium term schedules and longer term objectives. Establish database of all contact details.

Participating Countries' Desk Phase One maths person and one literacy person in each of three participating countries over a period of three months compiling local assessment materials and copying translations of outputs to UK.

First African Workshop - 3rd-7th December 2001 Following presentations and discussion of theissues, the workshop agreed common or 'universal' (sub-Saharan) elements within the defined literacy and numeracy lines of progression

January - July 2002 Participating Countries' Development of Assessment Instruments Development and informal small-scale trials will take place within the three participating countries and in the UK.

March - April 2002 Participating Countries' Progress Checks Local personnel will organise Teachers' Workshops in the form of professional development days based on assessment. The draft materials for classroom-based assessment will be introduced to teachers who will discuss and critique them before trying them in their own classrooms.

July - August 2002 Second Workshop: African Review and Dissemination Planning Meeting Review all products in English versions and agree final form, including classroom-based criterion-referenced sequences of progression and benchmarks with Teachers' Guides and pencil and paper survey-type test comprising generic examples plus instances in local languages and context.

August - October 2002 Production of digital CRC, CD-ROM and hard-copy products for dissemination to illustrate defined literacy and numeracy lines of progression. These will be drafted into booklet and poster form in preparation for dissemination to teachers and communities.