Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>This article reports a pilot cluster-randomized feasibility study of a short Small-Group Sound Games supplement for Primary Two Luganda literacy lessons in central Uganda. Eight classrooms in eight schools were randomized after baseline assessment to either the supplement or standard P2 Luganda teaching. The supplement was not a replacement curriculum. It used familiar words from the “I Can Read and Write / Nsobola Okusoma n'Okuwandiika” pupil book and teacher guide, followed the “I do, We do, You do” routine, and gave children repeated turns to blend and segment Luganda sounds in small groups of six to eight learners. Across the eight schools, 181 children were eligible, 168 had caregiver consent and child assent, 162 completed baseline assessment, and 152 completed post-test assessment. The 8-week package planned 24 sessions per intervention classroom, each about 20 minutes. All pre-specified feasibility criteria were met: school recruitment was 80.0%, child consent/assent was 92.8%, retention from baseline to post-test was 93.8%, dose delivered or shortened-but-counted was 89.6%, mean observed fidelity was 85.2%, teacher acceptability was 4.5/5, and observed child engagement was 4.3/5. Children in intervention classrooms showed larger short-term gains on the two proximal Luganda outcomes. Mean blending scores rose from 4.31 to 8.49 out of 12 in the intervention arm and from 4.06 to 6.32 in the comparison arm. Mean segmentation scores rose from 3.84 to 7.71 and from 3.70 to 5.41, respectively. Exploratory baseline-adjusted estimates favored the intervention by 2.0 points for blending and 2.1 points for segmentation. The findings support feasibility and provide a promising learning signal, but they do not establish definitive effectiveness. The study had only eight clusters, proximal outcomes, possible partial unmasking during a few assessments, and no long-term decoding, spelling, or comprehension follow-up. A larger, time-equivalent, cluster-randomized trial is warranted.</p>