Dissertation (MA Education)The study aimed examined rural-urban divide in literacy acquisition in early grades. Specifically, to examine the differences in literacy acquisitions between pupils from urban and rural backgrounds in Dodoma region; to assessed how home learning environments influenced children’s literacy acquisitions in Dodoma; and to explored the hindrances for teaching and learning in grade one and two in both urban and rural primary schools in Dodoma. Mixed-method research approach under the concurrent design was employed in the study. Two districts - Chamwino and Dodoma urban were selected for this study. Four public primary schools – two from each district, were randomly selected. From the selected primary schools, a total of 200 pupils (50 from each school) were randomly selected. The study intended to involved a sum of 120 parents (30 from each school), Eight early grades teachers, and four heads of primary schools from the schools involved in the study were recruited. The study used semi-structured interviews, questionnaire, and documentary analyses to collect required data. Organization and treating of the quantitative data by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 and put in descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, and interpreted accordingly. The qualitative data were edited, transcribed, and coded before being subjected into content analyses .Findings indicated that though urban children outperformed their rural counterpart, pupils from both Dodoma urban and Chamwino districts were unable to effectively read and complete a session . In both contexts, girls outperformed boys in literacy skills. Home learning environment was found to be poor and unsupportive enough among pupils in Dodoma and Chamwino districts. Moreover, lack of teaching and learning facilities, unmanageable large classes, and curriculum issues found to be the main hindrances for children to acquire literacy skills. The study recommends for possible deliberate measures by responsible education stakeholders towards improvement of literacy acquisition in Tanzania primary schools.