Introduction
Distinguished scholars and participants at the conference, it is indeed an honour to be invited to deliver the 40th Anniversary lecture of the Reading Association of Nigeria. 40 years of existence as an association is no mean achievement. It goes to show the commitment of the members of the Association to the tenets and principles upon which RAN is founded. It is heartwarming to note that this Association has held 18
Biennial conferences. Your pursuit to provide Nigerians with the opportunity to acquire appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills through reading remains commendable. In all climes, Associations like RAN give impetus to nation building as they attempt to shape agenda for public discourse to awaken the consciousness of leaders towards meeting the critical needs of the people. Where such bodies do not exist or exist in limbo, it is the citizens that suffer the consequences. I, therefore, commend you all for staying true to the principles of nation building through your numerous activities and initiatives focused on improved reading culture and skills.
Closely examined, the theme of this conference “Critical literacy for sustainable living” sparks off a lot of thoughts. First, it reminds us of the critical role of reading in the effort to improve the living standards of people. Second, it positions reading and literacy development as core elements of rapid development and as sure means for the attainment of national developmental goals. The big question around this theme then is how well is Nigeria positioned for sustainable living given her literacy rate in the global rating? This question is not to weaken our morale but to spur us into some deeply thinking towards setting an agenda of where we want to be in the global ranking of literacy rate, perhaps for the next decades. We cannot afford to miss out joining the global trend towards achieving a leap in the improvement of the reading
skills and abilities of learners. It is not just about improving learners reading ability and comprehension but more about mobilizing learners as social actors with knowledge and skills to disrupt the commonplace; conduct research, analysis and interrogation of multiple viewpoints on an issue; as well as identify issues focused on socio-political realities in the context of their lives.

The hallmark to achieving the above is through the redesign of the instructional package and process of teaching reading. This again underscores the importance of the theme of the conference. Critical literacy which literally refers to approaches to literacy instruction that place emphasis on helping people develop a sense of their own power to make a difference for the accomplishment of goals they deem important and
resist the coercive effect of illiteracy. Fundamental to a critical literacy approach is the understanding that a reader does not read texts in isolation, but develops an understanding of the cultural, ideological and socio-linguistic contexts in which they are created and read. The above clearly shows the link between critical literacy and sustainable living.

To achieve critical literacy among the learners, there must be deliberate programmes and actions that clearly focus on building a strong reading foundation at the basic education level. This informed the development of the National Reading Framework (NRF) by my organisation, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). The NRF was recently approved by the National Council on
Education for implementation in Nigeria. Let me delve a little into the NRF.

The National Reading Framework
The overall reading practice contents and strategies must always be structured and standardized based on a well-designed and articulated framework. It should be emphasized that the most important document that sets criteria and standards for reading instruction, learning, skills, and performance is the National Reading Framework (NRF) of a country. National Reading Framework (NRF) defines common goals and
measures against which to assess reading instruction, learning reading, and reading outcomes. The framework targets the reading conditions, conducts and behaviours of learners while reading a text that is literary, factual, or informational in nature. The text to be read by learners should be written in the identified and approved source or origination language, English or Nigerian languages. The decision and context for learners to read in English or Nigerian language, account for the position which maintains that, how well learners learn to read is determined by the language they learn to read (Alidou et al 2006, Thomas and Collins 2002, and Marsh et al 2002). The NRF provides detailed description of the types of text pupils or learners are expected to read and understand at the end of each grade level. Therefore, it provides the grade specific benchmarks for reading in English, and sampled 9 network Nigerian languages namely Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, Efik, Fulfulde, Izon, Kanuri and Tiv (NERDC, 2021). Indeed, the NRF
established uniform national minimum standards on reading that align with the ones set under the UNESCO Global Proficiency Framework (GPF) for reading. The reading indicators established by
the GPF are set to report progress on global Sustainable Development Goal 4.1 (SDGs).
The National Evaluation Framework (NEF-R) for reading, as stated earlier in this presentation, is an essential component of the NRF. It outlines critical reading skills and standards that learners must perform or demonstrate at the end of each grade from Primary
1 to Primary 4 and to Primary 6 or higher grade as
the situation might warrant.

The NEF-R as an evaluation framework provides standard criteria for grade-level texts that clearly regulate or determine their level of difficulty. Therefore, it is pertinent to give an insight into the performance standards and the end of grade -level text criteria to enable their correlation as determinants and guidelines for the development of textbooks for early grade instruction in Nigeria.

Reading Performance Standards
The reading performance standards are set and established by reading experts, researchers, teachers, educators, curriculum experts, and policy makers at different technical sessions. The standards are evidence-based and benefited among other sources, from data obtained in the course of reading activities conducted through the initiatives. The performance framework assigned descriptors for the different levels and set minimal expectation of learners at the different grades from primary 1-3 and 4-6. A very important aspect of the performance framework is the identification of the reading skills that should be retained and upon which the performance or proficiency of learners are based. These skills apply across reading in English and the sampled Nigerian Languages namely Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, Efik, Fulfulde,
Izon, Kanuri and Tiv. The skills retained are oral listening comprehension, phonological
awareness, concept of print and paratextual features, alphabetic principles, fluency, reading comprehension, and attitudes towards learning and motivation to learn. The performance framework assigned key performance indicators under each skill and their appropriate descriptors and statements considered relevant and necessary under each grade level (P1-3, 4-6).
It is pertinent at this juncture to give a brief listing of these skills, their performance indicators and descriptors that are expected to be demonstrated by learners at the relevant levels. Even though the provisions of key performance indicators and descriptors apply to all levels and languages, there are exceptions whereby certain selected few descriptors may only be relevant to English or Nigerian languages.
The descriptors may yet apply differently based on the peculiarity of the languages. The identified skills and their key performance indicators and descriptors are listed below for primary 1-3

A: Oral Listening Comprehension A.1 Indicator: Locate and understand ideas in grade-level stories read aloud or told orally. This contains two descriptors to locate information directly or explicitly stated and interpret information based on clues.

A.2 Indicator: Understand the meaning of words in grade-level stories read aloud or told (commencing only at P1 with regards to Nigerian languages). It contains descriptors to identify familiar and unfamiliar words.

B: Phonological Awareness.
B.1 Indicator: Identify and manipulate sounds in spoken form. This consists of two descriptors to identify initial sounds or end sounds spoken in two or three syllabic words as well as same sounds spoken at the beginning, middle, and end of two or three syllabic words.

C: Concept of Print and Paratextual Features
C.1 Indicator: Identify basic features of print. The
descriptors are to identify basic features of a book: front cover, back cover, title page, and illustration and orientation of pictures and images, as well as opening and flipping of pages, reading orientation (line and line by line) etc.

D: Alphabetic concept letter names and letter
D.1 Indicator: Identify and locate letters, upper and lower case and decode and blend sounds
D.2 Indicator: Read globally words as an added impetus to decoding
D.3 Indicator: Read letter-sound using decoding and blending skills to read familiar and unfamiliar short sentences. This contains descriptors to decode, blend and read accurately 3-4 syllabic words at different designated speed.

E: Fluency
E.1 Indicator: Read aloud a pace and accuracy that meets minimal standards set for P1 to P3 or other grades.

F: Reading Comprehension
F.1 Indicator: Understand the meaning of words in grade-level texts. This consists of descriptors to identify the meaning of simple familiar words, unfamiliar words, expressions, level equivalence words
F.2 Indicator: General simple words, and sort words or words using semantic categories. Identify and generate words using semantic categories or sense relation (based on colour, clothing, season, etc.) as well as grade level equivalence.
F.3 Indicator: Locate and retrieve explicit information at the sentence or text levels, e.g. name of characters, and places.
F.4 Indicator: Interpret information at sentence or text level based on clues in the text.
F.5 Indicator: Establish main and secondary ideas (depending on the grade-level text, reading activity, and level equivalence question).

G. Attitude towards Reading and Motivation
G.1 Indicator: Engage in class and school reading activities in group reading, class reading, read aloud, reading practice, and reading competition.

The performance standards explained above provide publishers, writers and material developers with clear indicators of the targeted skills that will enable them to meet the expected reading content and instruction as well as the needs of learners.

End of Grade Level text Criteria
Reading of grade level text has been made imperative in the NEF-R to enable learners’ performance be in accordance with the requisite reading/learning skills. Therefore, it is important to specify what constitutes the end of grade level texts. The end grade-level texts are set to establish the level of difficulty to be used for the purpose of reading instruction especially performance of the learners pertaining to standardized reading skills.
The end grade-level texts criteria facilitate learners to attain the minimal performance outcome. The text criteria also provide learners with a comparable level of text difficulty that is gradually regulated. Textbooks for reading instruction need to satisfy the standard indicators of grade-level texts. The end of grade-level text criteria often are established by several factors that are psycho-social, learner dependent, textual and informational (depending on the ideas expressed in the text). The utilization and analysis
of the five factors and their related features of text difficulty level resulted in the end grade-level text
criteria contained in the NEF-R. Generally, the criteria set consist of expected level of difficulty based on surface features of the text in terms of vocabulary used, number of words repeated, length of text, length of word or number of syllables and structure of word or sentence used.
The criteria also account for the graduation of the difficulty level of the types of ideas that are expected to be expressed or contained in an end grade-level text from Primary 1-3 and 4-6. Learner interest, familiarity and maturation constitute significant expectations and determinants of grade-level texts. A brief
explanation is provided below on the end grade level text criteria for Primary 1-4 English and sampled Nigerian languages contained in the NEF-R.
The different criteria set under the evaluation framework consist of surface features, and deeper features each circumscribed by several criterion specifications based on textual quality, size, structure, information, themes, ideas, learner interest, and language for instance.

A. Surface Feature Criteria
A. 1 Length. Length is a grade-level text criterion or descriptor that stipulates textual requirements
across the level and based on languages in terms of number of words, sentences, and paragraphs.

A.2 Concept of Print
This criterion specifies the font size and spacing to be used, for text.

A.3 Word and Vocabulary
Word and vocabulary is a criterion that specifies words as either simple, difficult, familiar or unfamiliar, unique words, sort words, categories, or dialectal.

A.4 Nature of Sentence
The sentence criterion specifies end grade-level texts based on types and length of sentence either simple, shore; declarative, repeated sentence frame, compound etc.

A.5 Nature of Punctuation
The punctuation criterion specifies the use of selected punctuation marks to be used in grade level
texts from P1-4.

B. Deeper Features
B.1: Number of characters
B.2 Number of ideas under which a main idea/central idea or supporting ideas are specified
B.3 Structure of text criteria which specifies clear beginning, middle (problem) and end (solution).

B.4 Theme: A criterion that specifies the familiar themes and every day events from pupils lives.

B.5 Interest in and commitment to reading. The criterion imposes the selection and reading of happy and enjoyable narratives that are grade level appropriate.

Therefore, the foregoing description of end grade-level text criteria for Primary 1-4 constitutes substantive determinants and guidelines for the development of textbooks for reading instruction in Nigeria. These criteria set in the evaluation framework serve significant information for publishers, writers, and institutional materials developers to utilize appropriately.

Reinforcing the Performance Standards and Grade-Level Texts
Aside the performance standards and end grade-level text criteria, there are other book quality assurance standards and set benchmark. These are established quality assurance standards set by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). Key assessment indicators and descriptors andrating scales bpertaining to books and other instructional materials or resources. Specifically, it is apt to also describe these indicators and descriptors that are appropriate at specifying the quality of materials
for reading instruction at the early grades. The standards set for the assessment and quality assurance of textbooks include the following selected indicators and descriptors. Any textbook to be quality assured and assessed shall specify how:
a. Content difficulty level is appropriate and suitable for the intended age of learners and grade level.
b. The text promotes the way that instructional materials are sourced from the immediate environment.
c. Concept and contents are illustrated with clear experiences of learners.
d. Teaching and learning activities, strategies, and assessment allow learner participation.
e. Cover page contains book title, and other pages with their related features.
f. A book contains certain limits regarding size, page number, weight and dimension, and type of binding required for the different grade levels.
g. A book consists of appropriate font size and their use consistently across the different grade levels.
h. Language and style are used accurately and appropriately based on correct spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, and sentence structure and usage as well as logical arrangement of ideas.
i. Appropriate paper gramma, visuals, images and colours are used in the textbook.
j. Culture, ethical and positive norms, and values are maintained in the text.

Therefore, the above selected set standards and requirements captured in the benchmark provide further relevant guidelines and determinants for developing instructional materials for reading at early grade levels.

Recommendations
 To achieve critical literacy, there is the need to start developing various reading materials including digital materials to meet the provisions of the NRF.
 Teaching of reading for critical literacy must be inseparable from the teaching of cultural ways of seeing, describing and explaining.
 It is therefore recommended that reading materials are developed and assessed in line with our cultural heritage and as provided in the NRF. It is also important that the elements of the NRF are fully introduced in the programme of teacher
training institutions. This will enable the would-be teachers get prepared to utilize effective pedagogies for teaching reading for critical literacy.
 RAN, Authors, publishers, reading experts, language and literary experts, key agencies, printers, and other critical stakeholders in the book development chain need to synergies and collaborate to
entrench the NRF in the subsector to achieve positive national developmental outcomes and attain the SDGs.
 RAN shall initiate action to collaborate with NERDC and development partners on a project to promote and nurture budding authors to develop creative imaginative or factual writings in the different languages.

References
Herbert, E. H. & Pearson, P. D. (2010). An examination of different text level difficulty indices with early reading texts. Reading Research Report No. 10-01. Santa Cruz: Text Project Inc. University of California.
Murphy, S. (2013). Assessing text difficulty for students. What works? Research Practice Monograph No. 44. Ontario Ministry of Education.
OECD. (2002). Reading for change: Performance and engagements across countries. Results from PISA 2000. New York: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
UNESCO (2020). Global Proficiency Framework for Reading. UNESCO Institute of Statistics.
NERDC (2022). National Reading Framework (NRF). NERDC Press, Lagos Nigeria.