Dr. Cristine Smith spent two weeks in Nepal in June 2016, working with World Education staff there on a UNICEF-funded early grade reading project.  The goal of the project is to prepare and support Nepali teachers in grades 1, 2 and 3 to use a range of materials, games and stories to help children learn to read fluently by the end of grade 3.  

World Education, for whom Dr. Smith worked for 18 years before coming to the University of Massachusetts' International Education program as a faculty member, is implementing the Read/Learn/Know project in four underserved districts in far western Nepal. Her work as an early grade reading technical expert on the project will continue over the next two years.  She will work closely with another UMass College of Education faculty member, Darrell Earnest, who is advising the World Education staff on development of an early grade math curriculum.  

While in Nepal, Cris met with another graduate of the International Education program, CIE member Ed Graybill (Ed.D. 1995), who works with RTI directing the USAID-funded National Early Grade Reading program.