Assessment of Early Literacy Curriculum Implementation in Botswana's Pre-Primary Schools and Its Effect on Language Development

Paper Title: An Assessment of Early Literacy Curriculum Implementation in Botswana’s Pre-Primary Schools and Its Effect on Language DevelopmentAuthor: Kagiso Pearl KgosiemangAffiliation: University of Botswana, GaboroneORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6966-5355 Brief Description:This study provides an in-depth examination of the implementation fidelity of Botswana’s national early literacy curriculum in pre-primary schools and its direct influence on foundational language development among children. Drawing on a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the research evaluates the language outcomes of 320 children across 16 schools using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), complemented by thematic analysis of interviews with 25 teachers and 10 policymakers. The findings reveal substantial variability in curriculum fidelity—75% in urban schools versus 55% in rural ones—attributable to disparities in teacher training, resource availability, class sizes, and linguistic diversity. Higher curriculum adherence significantly correlated with gains in vocabulary and reading comprehension. Qualitative insights further uncover structural challenges and the need for multilingual instructional strategies. The study proposes the Situated Fidelity Framework to guide culturally responsive curriculum implementation in multilingual, resource-constrained contexts, offering practical and theoretical contributions for Botswana and similar Global South settings.