Guatemala: Planting the seeds of reading
Story highlights
- Over 50% of Guatemalan students in grades 3 and 6 struggle with reading—now a new Ministry of Education strategy is sparking change in classrooms.
- At Escuela República de Francia, students like Emiliano and Rodrigo are gaining confidence, fluency and critical thinking skills through a dynamic reading approach.
- Teachers are now embracing the strategy as an essential tool to help students thrive academically and beyond.
This story was written in collaboration with UNICEF Guatemala.
In 2022, more than half of Guatemalan students in grades 3 and 6 did not meet reading benchmarks—a crisis affecting every subject.
But in a bright 4th grade classroom at Escuela República de Francia in Guatemala City, change is underway.
Here, an innovative reading strategy guides students to interact with stories before, during and after reading—with the process starting even before they open a book.
Teacher Edwin Estuardo Contreras López invites the children to explore the book’s cover, guess its content and ask questions. This “before reading” step sparks their curiosity and sets the stage for learning.
As they read, Edwin pauses halfway to encourage the students to imagine how the story might end, suggest new characters, and predict what will happen next. This “during reading” step transforms reading into an interactive adventure that requires creativity and critical thinking.
Finally, students reflect on their favorite moments and respond to questions that build prompt reflection and strengthen analysis and communication—the “after reading” step.
How this strategy transforms reading and beyond
This dynamic approach is part of something much bigger.
Escuela República de Francia is the first school in the country to implement the Ministry of Education’s Estrategia de Nivelación de Aprendizajes, an evidence-based literacy intervention for grades 2–6.
The goal: help students reach a minimum reading fluency of 50 words per minute, the benchmark for comprehension.
In Edwin's classroom, nearly 98% of students have already surpassed the target.
Now their focus is on deepening comprehension through the “before, during, after” reading steps.
The strategy begins with a diagnostic assessment that places each student into one of five reading development levels.
Students in phases 1 (emergent) and 2 (initial) receive structured lessons focused on phonological and phonemic awareness, including letter recognition and the relationship between letters and sounds.
Students in phase 3 (decoding) are introduced to systematic phonics instruction. Those in phases 4 (automaticity) and 5 (fluency) move on to comprehension-focused activities.
All levels include a writing component, ensuring a balanced literacy approach.
Delivered daily for 40 minutes over 16 weeks, the program includes structured activities and assessments at the start and end of each cycle, enabling teachers to monitor growth closely and tailor instruction.
Teachers receive comprehensive weekly lesson plans along with carefully curated materials, printed with GPE's support, to effectively support students at every stage.
“Having the materials in hand, rather than just viewing them online, helps overcome the fear or reluctance some teachers may feel. This access builds confidence in applying the strategy effectively in the classroom.”
This strategy is one of the main program’s components and is funded in part by the US$10 million GPE Multiplier grant, which has mobilized US$47.19 million toward the country’s education priorities and demonstrates GPE’s financial leveraging capacity.
Co-financers include several local foundations and associations: Carlos F. Novella Foundation, Sergio Paiz Andrade Foundation, IsraAID Guatemala, IsraAID Guatemala NGO Association, O.B.A.D.I, as well as international NGOs (World Vision and Save the Children) and UNICEF.
This reflects the breadth and diversity of GPE’s partnerships, bringing together local, national, and international actors.
Embracing the strategy
The strategy was initially met with hesitation.
“Our first reaction was worry,” recalls school headmaster José Pascual.
“If this is about students catching up, does that mean something is wrong? Did the pandemic set us back more than we thought? We thought, well, if something’s broken, maybe
this can help.”
But concern soon turned into motivation.
Edwin, who also trains teachers on weekends, saw this resistance among colleagues, but has persisted: “I tell them: don’t reject something you haven’t tried. If we know our students are struggling with reading and comprehension, and the ministry gives us a tool to help—why not try it?”
Ultimately, the success of the strategy depends on the dedication of teachers and school leaders. Teachers are not just delivering lessons—they’re adapting them, sharing feedback and building a culture of literacy.
Leadership, in turn, ensures the right conditions for success by supporting their teams and securing resources.
Early signs of change
“The most satisfying part is seeing a child raise their hand and share their opinion,” says Edwin. “Maybe they hadn’t done that before, and now they do. Every opinion is valid, and they have learned to be respectful of each other.”
Just two months in, the impact is visible. Students are not only improving their reading fluency but also developing stronger comprehension and more self-confidence.
Emiliano, a curious, expressive grade 4 student who loves adventure series like Ninja Kid and El diario de Greg, says reading lets him “learn new things from new experiences”.
The reading strategy has sparked something in him, and his mother has noticed the change: “He used to just read. Now he writes, imagines, illustrates. His mind is expanding.”
Rodrigo, a thoughtful, observant 10-year-old, has also made strides. Reading used to feel difficult, he says, and he often skipped punctuation.
Now, he reads smoothly and participates in the “before, during and after” reading strategy, which he says helps him put his reading skills into practice.
Where reading sparks ideas and voices
In Edwin’s classroom, children are not just learning to read: they are learning to think, speak, and participate in ways that empower them beyond the page.
For Edwin, the goal goes beyond fluency.
“We are not just forming readers—we are planting the seeds for future writers. Out of a class of 37, maybe one or two will become writers. Who knows, maybe one day, children in Guatemala will read their stories.”
Looking ahead—and scaling the strategy nationwide
To ensure sustainability beyond donor support, the Ministry of Education is currently reformulating the primary curriculum, set for implementation in 2027.
This curriculum will integrate the reading strategy into core instruction and embed its principles in future textbooks.
Special focus is being placed on the most vulnerable communities—those with the greatest learning gaps in reading comprehension.
“Timely acquisition of functional literacy allows students to develop cognitive, communication and socioemotional skills essential for employability in an increasingly demanding labor market,” explains Rosangela Maria Merida, Advisor to the Office of the Deputy Technical Vice Minister, Ministry of Education. “By reducing learning gaps from an early age, the risk of school dropout decreases—positively impacting economic mobility and breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty.”
As the strategy scales, the goal is clear: ensure that every child in Guatemala not only learns to read, but finds their voice and gains the confidence to use it.
With continued investment and strong collaboration, this effort has the potential to become a cornerstone of educational transformation—helping children across the country turn the page toward a brighter future.
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