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Enabling Education ISSUE 12 – AUGUST 2008

Special Edition: Language

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Contents EENET news

What’s in this newsletter? We would like to hear from: EENET news 2 This year’s newsletter contains a • the 335 people who have visited A focus on policy: Afghanistan 3 special section on the issue of EENET’s website more than 200 Inclusive vocational education, language and inclusion (pages 9- times in the last two years. That is Morogoro, Tanzania 4-5 24). Often, we are so used to dedication! Are you one of these Inclusive higher education in accepting ‘the way things are done’, frequent users? We’d love to Rwanda: the story continues 6 or so focused on trying to promote interview some of you for the next The views of blind and deaf inclusion for specific groups of newsletter, to find out how you university students, Namibia 7 children (e.g., disabled children or use the information you get from girls), that we don’t notice some of EENET’s website. How inclusive are national the most common problems in education policies and plans? 8 education; obstacles that potentially The most visited webpage is still: exclude huge numbers of children. • ‘Early marriage and education’ – Special edition: language 9 For instance, globally, millions of an article in Enabling Education Language as an inclusive children are being taught using issue 7. education issue 10-11 languages they can barely understand. Many of the articles in EENET volunteers Supporting language the special section share the It is becoming increasingly difficult learning in experiences of people who are for one part-time co-ordinator to Qinghai Province, China 12-13 trying to promote education in meet the growing demands placed The benefits of mother ‘mother tongue’ (the child’s first on EENET. So this year, EENET tongue education in Senegal 14 language). They show how use of recruited a small team of volunteers Language for effective mother tongue languages at the to help with administration and family learning, Uganda 15 start of, and throughout, a child’s specific projects. They only work a Language for education can help prevent few hours a week, usually in national reconciliation: exclusion and drop-out, and between their studies or paid jobs, Southern Thailand 16-17 promote diversity and reconciliation but their help has been valuable. A Community participation in society. big thank you to Alex, Hattie, in mother tongue based Kalpana, Nola and Olivia! multilingual education The newsletter also contains articles in Bangladesh 18-19 on other inclusive education topics. EENET’s Steering Group In particular, we have four pages This year we are reviving our The growing demand looking at inclusion in vocational Steering Group, following feedback for private education and higher education. If you have a from EENET’s evaluation in 2006. in English: a barrier story to tell about making education The Steering Group oversees the to inclusion? 20-21 more inclusive for learners from direction of EENET’s work, and Introducing multilingual different language groups, or for ensures that the network’s vision for teaching in Vietnam 22-23 learners in vocational, higher or creating conversations about Useful publications: informal education settings, we’d inclusive education in the South is Language and inclusion 24 love to hear from you. maintained. Steering Group members represent the viewpoints Website news of EENET’s user groups, its regional Writing for EENET 25 We continue to be amazed by how networking partners, its founders, Building bridges, Russia 26-27 much the website is used. and the international NGOs and EENET interview 28 donors that support EENET’s work. Regional news 29 In the last two years, the site has This year we held an open REDEinclusão – been used by 187,484 individuals. application process for two Steering Inclusion Network 30 They live in: Group vacancies for ‘grassroots’ • 213 countries or territories. Only representatives. We received Debating the role Chad, Central African Republic, applications from 24 countries and of special schools North Korea, Turkmenistan and we were very encouraged by the in inclusive education 31 Western Sahara are missing! number of people interested in Useful publications 32 • over 8,000 different towns and EENET’s development. The new cities around the world, though for Steering Group will meet in Editors: 15% of visitors we have no record September 2008. Ingrid Lewis and Susie Miles of the city/town. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 3

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A focus on policy: Afghanistan Parween Azimi

Two decades of war destroyed thousands of schools. The Ministry of Education (MoE) says hundreds of trained teachers emigrated or were killed. But education is seen as central to the modernisation of the Afghan state. “Equal access to quality education for all” is enshrined in the 2003 constitution and National Education Strategic Plan, 2006–10. Particular attention is paid to ethnic minorities and children identified as having special needs, and to compensating girls for discrimination during the Taliban era. Parween describes a recent initiative to include disabled children in mainstream schools in Kabul.

Challenges but were unsure how it would work to challenge attitudes, encouraging The school enrolment rate for girls in reality. They thought extra difference to be valued and disabled has risen from a little more then resources would be required, and children to be accepted in class. By 0% in 2001 to 35% in 2006. learners with intellectual evaluating their existing teaching impairments would be disruptive, methods, teachers discovered new In the 1990s a generation of children bullied, and unable to learn. educational approaches, e.g.: had little access to schooling. Now • songs and repetition – made Afghanistan has one of the world’s Inclusive education is the only way learning more accessible for lowest literacy rates. The situation to reach the 196,000 disabled children of all abilities worsened when the Taliban children of school age. • drama – helped communicate outlawed the education of women abstract concepts and and girls, although communities set Teacher-parent relations explanations to deaf or up secret schools. A problem-solving approach meant intellectually impaired children parents and teachers worked • games – were used to develop Enrolment targets are now 75% for together to analyse barriers faced memory and communication skills boys and 60% for girls by 2015. by disabled children. Teachers • making school more accessible. Targets for disabled boys and girls learned more about medical are 45% and 30%, respectively. aspects of disability. Parents of Responses to the programme There has been a seven-fold disabled children were visited by The final evaluation showed that: increase in teacher numbers since medical specialists and teachers • Teachers learned a range of 2001, but only 22% meet the with advice on supporting their practical skills; became more national qualification grade. children at home. creative, inventing their own methods; and developed greater A focus on policy and practice Teachers and parents were not awareness and more positive The United Nations Development used to collaborating. Parents attitudes towards the inclusion of Programme (UNDP) has helped to saw no need to participate in their disabled learners. develop education policy and has child’s schooling and viewed • Parents were happy about the worked with schools to increase teacher involvement in the inclusion of their disabled accessibility for all children. UNDP community as intrusive. But they children. has encouraged the enrolment of became more supportive when they • Teachers and parents said disabled boys and girls. Involving saw the benefits of the programme. children were more engaged in parents in their children’s Co-operation became seen as learning and enjoyed the new education and challenging crucial for success, as parents often methods. negative attitudes about disability had to go to great lengths to bring • Disabled children learned new are vital aspects of work. their children to school. skills and had opportunities to socialise. Three mainstream schools in Kabul Promoting inclusive • Non-disabled children became were chosen to take part in a UNDP- classroom environments more aware of the needs of supported programme which Play was recognised as others, and learned more quickly included 32 disabled learners (the developing physical, social and then before. programme is now also supported intellectual capacity in all children. by UNICEF, UNESCO, UN Mine Parween Azimi is the focal point for Action Centre for Afghanistan and Resource persons were trained by inclusive education at the Ministry the MoE). Parents and teachers the MoE (supported by UNICEF) to of Education, through UNESCO were initially sceptical. Teachers facilitate understanding of inclusive Afghanistan. She can be contacted liked the idea of inclusive education, education. Teacher training sought at: [email protected]. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 4

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Inclusive vocational education, Morogoro, Tanzania Emma Machenje

Bigwa Folk Development College (FDC) offers vocational education to students from rural areas, many of whom have not completed primary or secondary school. Daily travel is impossible for many students, so they board at the college during term time. The college promotes an inclusive approach to education – not just through its commitment to enrolling disabled students, but also through the welcoming, student-focused environment created for all learners. Bigwa’s principal, Emma Machenje, explains how this inclusive approach has developed.

Our approach to learning We believe that every person is a We decided to embrace inclusive At Bigwa FDC we offer students a resource who can help in the education because we thought it chance to learn a skill (tailoring, learning process. Every student can was a good idea; we believe the carpentry, masonry, domestic bring their ideas to the student community and education should be electrical installations, gardening and council and to the college for everyone. cooking). At the same time they can administration. They can advise us continue with academic learning on improving the education we After training, we started to raise (languages, business studies, etc). provide. We don’t like having a big awareness within the college We use our small, but well-organised gap between teachers and students. community. We encouraged parents library to encourage all students to We try to close the gap. For to educate their disabled children, read more widely, about any example, we have a system of and they started to bring them to subjects that interest them. Every student diaries. Every day students Bigwa. We still work closely with student has library sessions in their write what has happened in the TAMH in our efforts to involve timetable. We also found that staging diary. At the end of the diary there is parents. TAMH is a membership small discussion groups is very good a space where they can also write organisation for parents of children for all students. On a regular basis their personal reflections. Students with learning disabilities. A TAMH students gather in groups to discuss and teachers read the diary together, member from Bigwa’s community what they have read in the library or and then staff can make any represents parents and follows up learned in class, and the running of changes that are needed, based on with the college administration every the college in general. what the students have experienced. month, so that parents know what is going on. We also raised awareness “When a teacher is teaching, you “A teacher has to be tolerant among students by stressing that can forget issues, but if you also because some are slow and some they should all care for one another read by yourself you can remember are fast learners. He should be as they would want to be cared for better.” (Dickson, student) patient with anyone who writes themselves. slowly.” (Mariam, student with visual When you introduce a new idea like impairment) The role of students this, it grows slowly. Students need When the first disabled students to get used to it. We helped them Introducing disabled students enrolled, we held a staff meeting to develop a structure for the The Ministry of Community discuss how we should receive discussion groups, e.g., someone Development, Gender and Children them. We decided on a system who is the chairperson, etc. In class, first introduced college staff to where fellow students help them – students help each other during the inclusive education ideas in 2005. not over-protect them, but just assist discussion groups. We encourage We then attended seminars on them within and outside class. We them to keep discussing outside of inclusive education/schools, Sign asked non-disabled students if they class, and to go to the teachers if Language and Braille, run by the wanted to volunteer to support a they have any questions. They can Tanzanian Association for Mentally disabled student, and many of them also come to my office at any time if Handicapped (TAMH). We were did. They started by showing the they want to talk or ask questions. taught how to work and live with disabled students around, helping disabled students and how to them to wash their clothes and do “A teacher has to love his students.” incorporate them in the learning other daily tasks. (Ally, student with learning disability) process. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 5

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To start with it was difficult, but we all persisted. Some of the disabled students were kept hidden in the community before they came here; with no social contact even simple daily tasks were a challenge for them. Some, like Omari, could not

even talk. When they first enrolled Ally and his friend Aron practise using a camera they often preferred to be alone. In April 2008, a participatory photography project was run at the Staff and students encouraged them college, with support from TAMH and its Norwegian partner NFU. to mix in daily activities, and now the disabled students have gained The project helped disabled and the support of teachers and confidence and social skills. We non-disabled students to express students, Omari is learning to currently have 15 disabled students their views on what makes be a tailor and is speaking with enrolled, with a range of physical, education inclusive, and what increasing confidence. The visual and intellectual impairments, responsibilities the students, photograph represents how the out of a total of about 75 students. parents and teachers have in regular library and discussion developing inclusive education. sessions make use of TV and “We all need to be co-operative and video to stimulate thinking and ask classmates. We don’t just have debate. Omari said “We get news to wait for the teacher when we have from the TV and when I’m a question; friends can explain watching I can be well informed things to us as well.” (Mwajuma, about what is going on around the student) world”. During a group discussion about making education more Participation and progress inclusive, Omari also stated that We don’t just leave the disabled “…parents should bring a letter to students in class once they have schools and say ‘my child would enrolled. We do lots of follow up like to study’”. questioning to ensure they are participating. For example, I often This photograph was taken by A book and a short film of young meet with them and ask them if they Omari, aged 28. He had never people’s views of education, have any problems. Then I sit with been to school before TAMH Young Voices – resulting from the the teachers and we all discuss how encouraged his guardians to enrol participatory activities carried out we can solve any issues that arise. him at the college. He had rarely at Bigwa, and at schools in left his home and could not Tororo, Uganda – will be available As principal I believe I shouldn’t speak. Now, one year later, with from EENET later in 2008. be restricted by my working hours. My home is always open. In this job I have to be patient and listen to every student. If they get frustrated How do we keep improving? And of course, most importantly, because I don’t listen, then we will To develop inclusive education in the students give us many lose them. this college we have used ideas from suggestions for improvements, other places and from discussions through the student diaries and Students have both continuous with other principals. Anatoglou FDC the student council. assessment and end of module taught us about the need to love tests, which can be written or oral, and care for students so that they Emma Machenje is Principal of depending on their communication have confidence and will stay in Bigwa Folk Development College. abilities. We keep records on the college. We have used the Contact: students’ progress. For example, our suggestions of innovative teachers, Bigwa FDC students who have learning and I have done a lot of reading PO Box 330 disabilities are regularly assessed for into education research. Visitors Morogoro progress in basic reading, writing to the college can also advise us Tanzania and numeracy skills. and discuss issues. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 6

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Inclusive higher education in Rwanda: the story continues Evariste Karangwa

In Enabling Education Issue 7, 2003, we shared the experiences of a rural secondary school in post-Genocide Rwanda. Visually impaired students had not had access to secondary education, but with the unique efforts of educators and the parents’ committee, the school was able to include them. The story ended with Evariste’s determination to see disabled young people enrolled into Rwandan public universities. Now, three Rwandan public universities have opened their doors to male and female students with visual and hearing impairments for the first time.

It all started with a meeting who had qualified but could not get enriched community. We recently convened at Kigali Institute of into university. There were over 250, held a three-day seminar for Education (KIE) by Dr Mujawamariya so we decided on a series of phases educators to explain how a resource Jeanne d’ Arc, then Minister of to introduce disabled students into room can bridge the gap between Education. Educationalists from the the universities. students with impairments, their Ministry and four public universities peers, teachers and the materials discussed how to give disabled In January 2008, nine blind students provided. We covered, for example, secondary school graduates a were admitted into the National the use of equipment for Brailling chance to go to university. Shortly University of Butare on Law, and tactile imaging in providing after that, The New Times newspaper Languages, Journalism and Social notes and exams for visually reported that Rwandan universities Science courses; five deaf students impaired students, and discussed would have to admit disabled joined Kigali Health Institute for sport for all students. students for the first time. various medical studies courses; and eight students (six blind, one The association of disabled It was eight years since I had left the physically impaired, and one deaf) students staged a play on the secondary school where I had began education training at KIE. ‘denial of our educational rights, struggled to include visually impaired and its impact on our contributions students. These students were now The government pays their fees and to society’. Many spectators were in pressing for university registration, living costs during their studies. In awe as actors depicted effective and this pressure was felt in the addition, a special chair was made secretaries who did not need hands Minister’s office. So after the meeting for the physically disabled student, to use computers; and blind lawyers at KIE, I was asked to lead a team of and an assistant hired to support and mothers who executed their 12 people (mainly educators and him in certain tasks. A resource duties diligently. activists) to help universities include room for blind students was built these students by January 2008. close to the universities and the The Minister attended, even though Ministry of Education funded she had moved to a different I knew it would not be easy, but the US$180,000 worth of educational position by then. The students knew Minister was clearly different from materials for it. A compulsory and appreciated the crucial role she others I’d met before. She shared a information session and an had played as “the best government dream that few other policy-makers awareness-raising day were planned cabinet member ever”. They were and educationalists in Rwanda had: for university staff. also aware of the role they are left “It will always haunt my thoughts, if I with: asserting to everyone their leave this office before I see these The first few days in the university permanent right to attend higher students in the same lecture room were shocking for the disabled education and showing that they with their peers”. students, and their non-disabled simply require equal opportunity – peers. Everyone knew from the not more or less than their peers. My team reviewed application and media that these students would be selection criteria and advised the enrolling. But sighted students were Contact: Ministry about adjustments and still surprised to see blind students Dr Evariste Karangwa equipment needed to assist disabled on campus asking to share their Kigali Institute of Education students. The Ministry, with the notes, though many were eager to Faculty of Education National Examination Council and help. Now the first semester is (Special Needs Education) the National Federation of the almost over, and I see attitudes B.P. 5039, Kigali Disabled, provided a list of changing daily as staff and students Rwanda applicants with various disabilities experience the realities of their now Email: [email protected] 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 7

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The views of blind and deaf university students, Namibia Cynthy Haihambo

In addition to enrolling students with physical disabilities, the University of Namibia has enrolled three male students with severe sensory disabilities since 2003 – two are blind and one is deaf. Here, Cynthy presents these students’ views during an action research project in 2005. What was it like being the first students with severe sensory disabilities at the university? What were the challenges and successes? How could things be improved?

Registering Lectures socialising. Other students often “We do not cater for blind people” The students applauded most visited their rooms to talk, shared was what one student heard when lecturers for creating a non- food, took them into town, etc. he telephoned the university to ask discriminatory environment and Many students said they found them about registration. He was told there ensuring that they benefited from inspirational. However, the students was no space for him. the lectures. They highlighted the with disabilities had some negative following areas for improvement: experiences, such as being robbed “I felt so rejected. I felt that I had • Blind students who rely on tape- and facing awkward questions from reached the end of the road. What recording lectures need time to other students about how they learn was left for me was to remain at set up their equipment. and what their abilities are. home and start weaving baskets”. • Lecturers who write on transparencies or chalkboards Students’ recommendations He persisted and turned up anyway. need to read aloud what they • run a disability sensitisation write, so that everyone can follow campaign in the university “Staff members asked a lot of the lectures. • re-design the application form to questions about me, and talked • Blind students need oral be sensitive to those with about and not to me. Finally, a information describing things that disabilities member of the Department of other students are able to see. • review the student loan provided Educational Psychology • Blind students need textbooks in by the government – it does not accompanied me, and it ended up Braille or audio format. meet the financial needs of as a very pleasant process.” • Lecturers need to stand where students with severe disabilities deaf students can see them, if • get stronger commitments from Accessibility and orientation they rely on lip-reading, and not the university and government The blind students said they found it turn their backs as they talk. • appoint university personnel to aid difficult to locate and enter some • Lecturers need to provide notes to those with severe special needs lecture rooms and the library. There deaf students; they cannot lip- • place tactile signposts around the are many stairs and only one lift. read and write at the same time. campus to facilitate mobility. The campus lacks touchable signposts that could help them find Learning I was appointed as a ‘guardian their way. All three students said All three students felt they faced lecturer’ for the blind students and that orientation information was challenges to their learning: my colleague, Pamela February, was inadequate and only available in • limited study materials a ‘guardian’ to the deaf student. We print, and student-assistants lacked • a lack of suitable computer arranged for learning materials and awareness of their needs. programmes assistive devices and briefed their • few staff who respond to their lecturers. We lobbied the university “They wore t-shirts indicating they needs promptly for a Disability Unit and co-ordinator, are there to assist, but if you can’t • being dependent on other and were successful in 2007. All see, how can you know that they students who are also studying. three students graduated in 2007 are the ones to assist you?” and 2008. Lecturers often set observation, The university had no one trained in writing or reading assignments Cynthy Haihambo is a lecturer mobility assistance for blind without taking the students’ needs in the Department of Educational students, so Students’ into account. Psychology and Inclusive Representative Council members Education, University of Namibia. assisted them, but they were also Social life Contact: PO Box 20795, busy with their own registration The students had mostly positive Windhoek, Republic of Namibia. process. experiences of making friends and Email: [email protected] 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 8

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How inclusive are national education policies and plans? Ingrid Lewis

EENET recently reviewed education policy and planning documents from Nepal, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zambia,* to see if they mention inclusive education. If they do, what approaches to inclusive, quality education for all are being outlined? Here we summarise key issues highlighted by the review, and suggest questions you might want to ask about education policy in your country.

Issues highlighted by the review Questions to ask about your country’s education policy

Definitions of inclusive education • Do your country’s policies lead the way in presenting clear • The policies have rather confused definitions. explanations of inclusive education? Inclusive education is seen primarily in terms • Do they tackle the confusion between the concepts of ‘special of disability and ‘special needs’. education’ and ‘inclusive education’?

Quality education • Are your country’s policies based on a strong understanding that • Improving quality in education is discussed, improvements in access need to be matched with improvements but is not given as much attention as increasing in quality, if enrolment growth is to be maintained and drop-out enrolment rates/access. rates reduced?

Holistic approach • Do policies in your country view inclusive education as a way to •Inclusive education is mainly presented as a change the whole education system so that every learner is set of separate interventions for separate groups included in a better quality education? of learners. • Do the policies present a vision of a unified system in which formal, non-formal, mainstream and segregated provision work together?

Resource allocation • Do policies in your country encourage every area of education •Allocating funding to inclusive education is a to budget for improving inclusion, rather than sidelining challenge; there is no easy way to put a price on inclusion issues with a separate budget? improved inclusion.

Participatory data collection • Are education policies in your country built firmly on a system •Methods of collecting education-related data, to of information gathering involving participatory processes with inform policy and practice development, are children and adults across the community? discussed in the documents. But data on diversity and exclusion is still often limited.

Teacher education • Do policies in your country push for radical reform to pre- and •Teacher education is discussed in detail, but in-service teacher education? training on inclusive education is rarely mentioned. • Do they encourage a view of inclusive education as a natural Inclusive education is presented as a specialist way of working for every teacher? area of study. • Do they ask the question “who trains the trainers”, and tackle the sensitive issue of well-established training institutes teaching out-of-date approaches?

Flexible curriculum development • Do policies in your country encourage curriculum reforms built • Curriculum reform is prominent in the reviewed on stakeholder input? documents, but stakeholder involvement in this • Do they support local flexibility in curriculum development? process appears limited.

Inclusive education as a rights issue • Do policies in your country actively promote inclusion as a • The policies and plans do not stress the rights basis human rights issue and use human rights as a justification for for inclusion very strongly. inclusive policies?

What is education policy like in your country? Have your country’s education policies been reviewed, or could you review them, following the questions asked above? Could you write an article about policy strengths and weaknesses in relation to inclusion and quality? If you think any of the answers to the questions in the table are ‘no’ for your country, how could you help change the policy situation? EENET wants to hear from you!

* EENET was asked to conduct this review by Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation). To obtain a copy of the full report, please contact EENET. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 9

“There is no alternative to mother tongue education. It is the only means of ensuring good quality primary school education.” Indira Chakma Special Edition: Language

Imagine this … you’re six and about to start school. You’re getting ready for your first day; you’re excited and chat to your mum and sister using your mother tongue, the local language. You also know Kiswahili, which you speak in the market, to your friends and at church. You like speaking these two languages and have no difficulties switching between them. You arrive at school, find a place to sit and wait for the teacher. She arrives, smiles and begins to give instructions and explanations … but you don’t understand her. She’s not speaking Kiswahili or the local language … she’s speaking English. What do you do?

Key issues to consider in relation to language and education

Mother-tongue communication and teaching: including Sign Language

Teacher education, Policy: recruitment and deployment: at national, district and local encouraging minority language levels - clear guidance to speakers, learning to teach teachers and officials language, etc

Language Community and Early years education and parental involvement inclusion

Teaching and Attitudes learning methods: and awareness: child-friendly, how children learn activity-based, etc

Writing systems and curriculum materials

Thanks to Helen Pinnock and Samantha Ross Hepworth for their input into this overview of key issues. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 10

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Language as an inclusive education issue

In this special section, we will look at language and the impact it has on children’s participation and achievement in education. The use of, and teaching of, language is a complex issue. We can only provide a brief introduction through the articles in this newsletter, but ideas for further reading are provided on page 24.

Problems and solutions of initiatives, from teacher Language teaching Millions of children worldwide are education, to material and learning approaches still not attending school, and production, to community Children can often switch language barriers are a significant involvement. But many policy- between languages when reason for this. Many children, makers are yet to be convinced. carrying out everyday tasks like especially those from ethnic shopping. But the cognitive and minority groups, use a different Areas for action language skills needed to cope language at home from that used • Develop effective monitoring of with learning at school in a in school. If they don’t speak the mother-tongue language second language are very school’s language, they may not programmes, to show policy- different. Children learn literacy be accepted, may struggle to makers the benefits. and academic content best in the make progress, or drop out early. • Explain that investing in multi- language they understand best. Girls may find it harder to cope in lingual education may cost They cope better with learning school than boys because they more initially, but will be more a second language if they are often less exposed to other efficient long term. Guatemala are educated in their own languages outside the home. saved over US$5.6 million a language first. year when mother-tongue Mother-tongue based education reduced It is not true that children will communication and teaching repetition and drop-out rates. automatically learn a new Children need to learn in their The article from Senegal (p.14) language quickly if they are own language for five to six years, looks at issues of affordability. surrounded by it in class; or that before they gradually begin using deaf children will get used to a second language as the main Policy lipreading and communicating medium of instruction. And they The choice of language used in through writing if they experience need to have received, and keep education is often dictated by the it enough, or that this is the best receiving, good quality teaching government. They may want to thing for them to be able to in that second language. Yet ensure that everyone function well in a hearing society. many children have to learn communicates in a common subjects in their second language language or learns the language In everyday life we learn languages almost as soon as they start used in the country’s economic in a practical way, seeing or school. Education authorities in activities, or that its use establishes touching items that represent new low-income countries often think a sense of national unity. words we are learning. But in it will be too expensive and time- school, teachers using traditional consuming to deliver quality Areas for action methods rely heavily on speaking, education in multiple languages. • Document evidence that using offering few clues as to the They forget that current language multiple languages in education meaning of unfamiliar words used and education approaches aren’t doesn’t encourage minority in unfamiliar situations (e.g., words working or helping to improve groups to work against the state, used to describe new concepts educational quality. instead it fosters social and like maths). They may confuse political harmony and peaceful learners by translating back and Increasingly, therefore, education resolution of disputes. forth between local and official programmes are promoting the The article from Thailand languages. The development of use of prolonged mother-tongue (pp.16-17) looks at language literacy is particularly difficult communication and teaching, as a tool for reconciliation. through a second language. and demonstrating its benefits. Programmes often cover a range 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 11

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Areas for action may not speak the same language Writing systems and • Provide clear guidance to at all. Some may even have been curriculum materials teachers and parents on the deliberately deployed to an area Where teachers are discouraged differences between (a) giving where they don’t speak the from using the local language, students good language learning language to encourage education there is often also a lack of learning skills, and (b) teaching the in the official language. materials in that language, or of curriculum in a language. community-accepted script for that • Promote child-centred, active It can be difficult to recruit teachers language. Teachers often spend learning approaches to who speak ethnic minority time translating materials, slowing language learning. languages; students from these progress through the curriculum. • Allow/request primary-level groups often lack sufficient exams to be taken in different education to be accepted on Areas for action languages. teacher training courses. Teachers • Encourage local education The article about China are increasingly trained using authorities to work with minority (pp.12-13) highlights active English as the medium of language communities to create learning approaches. instruction. But this does not make their own scripts and literacy them better at teaching in English, materials, in line with the Teacher recruitment, it just makes it harder for them to national curriculum. education and deployment learn how to become teachers. The article from Thailand Sometimes teachers speak the (pp.16-17) highlights the children’s language but are not Areas for action complexity of developing writing allowed to use it in class. Or they • Create alternative routes into systems for minority languages. teaching, e.g., on-the-job teacher training to build up Community and trainees’ experience and parental involvement education levels until they can Too often there is a division get accredited teacher status. between a learner’s home life •Develop and share lessons and their education experiences. from pilot programmes on For instance, family members training primary school often do not speak the language teachers to teach the official that their children are learning in, language as a subject. and so cannot support their The article on Vietnam (pp.22-23) children’s learning. shows how community women The articles from Uganda (p.15) have worked as classroom and Bangladesh (pp.18-19)

A display of children’s and parents’ learning materials, language assistants. highlight efforts to close the gap Uganda (see p.15) between language use at home and school. Emergencies Communication and teaching in mother tongue becomes an even It is important to continually greater challenge in emergency and post-emergency situations, improve language practice in especially when students are displaced to areas that use different education, rather than aiming for languages for instruction. Careful planning of language issues within unrealistic short-term targets or education in these contexts can contribute greatly to reconciliation sudden big changes. Progress and reconstruction. towards mother-tongue based multi-lingual education is being Areas for action made in many parts of the world. • In emergency situations, design suitable language transition By documenting and sharing these programmes for children who have been displaced. experiences more widely, we can • Accelerated learning for children who have missed school should show educators and decision- take place in their mother tongue, with gradual transition to the makers that schools can meet the mainstream school language. needs of multi-lingual societies. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:20 Page 12

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Supporting language learning in Qinghai Province, China

China is ethnically and linguistically diverse, with 56 officially recognised ethnic minority groups, speaking up to 80 languages – in addition to the official Chinese language.* The country has a policy stating that “every nationality has the freedom to use and develop its own language”. All ethnic minority primary and secondary schools should teach both ethnic minority language and Chinese curricula, and the right to receive education in the first (mother tongue) language should be respected. There is, however, a gap between policy and implementation. Here, Lou from Save the Children UK (SC UK) outlines work piloting a more effective way of language learning with the Tibetan minority group.

The challenge in Quinghai Some are not qualified teachers Finding solutions Qinghai province in north-west and have had only short-term pre- With the support of Qinghai China has 43 ethnic groups, of service or in-service training. The provincial education department, which the Tibetan ethnic group is lack of teachers means they have SC UK set up a language learning the largest. Many families live in very heavy workloads, making it resource centre in Douhesuo remote areas with poor access to impossible for them to undertake primary school, Tongde County. It basic quality education or other additional training. is a pilot project illustrating a services. Because of its diverse different approach to language population, since 2003 the Qinghai Evidence from Tongde shows that, education. The centre is based on provincial education department in Chinese language lessons, the internationally accepted idea has piloted two main approaches teachers have poor language that children need to listen and to bilingual education: skills. They can only focus on speak before they can learn to grammar, vocabulary and reading; read and write a second language. • Model 1: areas where and teaching styles are built The centre is designed to: Chinese language use is limited. around rote learning, resulting in The ethnic minority language students’ disinterest in learning • recognise and support is the medium of instruction languages. understanding of Tibetan and Chinese is introduced language and culture as a subject. Some parents, government officials • help Tibetan students improve • Model 2: for areas where and educators do not value their Chinese language skills, Chinese use is stronger. learning Tibetan, and challenge the especially their listening, Chinese is the main language development of bilingual speaking and reading abilities of instruction, with the ethnic education. They see Chinese as • improve students’ life skills minority language used if the language of economy, the one • promote community participation necessary. Unfortunately, this that will help their children pass in education through managing model does not respect the exams, get a higher education, and running the centre. ethnic minority culture and and provide a better economic language. future for the family. School Child-centred learning administrators and teachers have The project team wanted the Qinghai lacks qualified bilingual also objected to bilingual centre to increase second teachers, with fewer than half able education. Some fear that studying language exposure and give to speak and use both Tibetan and Tibetan will slow the learning of children a chance to hear and Chinese in class. In Tongde Chinese, and that any textbooks practice Tibetan and Chinese in a County, more than 90% of the made available in Tibetan will not natural learning environment, population is Tibetan. The schools contain the curricula needed for rather than in a formal classroom. follow Model 1, and in some national examinations. Insufficient The centre offers space to develop primary schools no teachers are textbooks means teachers’ time is thinking skills and the ability to able to teach Chinese. spent translating Chinese work together – a child-centred materials, which are not always learning environment that culturally relevant to maintain enhances peer interaction and student interest. child-environment interaction.

* The official language is called Putonghua (also known as Mandarin). For simplicity, it will be referred to as ‘Chinese’ throughout this article. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 13

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Lou Chunfang

From the beginning, the staff stressed that the centre is a place where children can decide what to do, with volunteers setting up spaces for children to experiment, practise, and learn.

Using volunteers We needed to find people with Chinese and Tibetan language skills who were open to finding new ways of working with children. Fifty-three Tibetan students from Qinghai Normal University were selected as volunteers. They went through intensive training to ensure a common understanding of the function and aims of the centre; to improve their skills playing with and working with children; and to help them design A child reading a book at the language learning resource centre and plan language learning activities and materials. In groups And the teacher shortage means The activities are developed the volunteers developed lesson not enough attention is paid to around themes. Children are asked plans using local resources – they students’ overall development; what they would like to learn identified themes relevant to only to academic performance and about. All themes are related to the students’ local contexts, using an exam technique. Consequently, children’s real life, e.g. health and innovative theme-based language schools are often perceived by hygiene, environmental protection approach. parents as irrelevant, not teaching and science. Community members useful skills or conveying useful are involved in the whole process, Selecting learning materials information. This contributes to from centre design through to on- Language learning resources were high absenteeism and drop-out going management. The centre selected and designed to develop rates. Teachers in many schools also provides many relevant books children’s interest in learning do not value the potential input of for community members, for Chinese and Tibetan. Books using parents, and parents have no example, books on agriculture. very simple Chinese were chosen, opportunities to understand the as were DVDs of children’s stories, importance of education for their The project will now concentrate songs and chants in Tibetan. Since children, believing it to be solely on demonstrating to more teachers few quality Tibetan children’s the school’s responsibility. and education authorities just what books are available, we trained a difference active language volunteers to make Tibetan SC UK therefore felt the centre learning can have on children’s language learning materials, such could improve children’s life educational successes. as big books and picture stories skills and language skills, through using role-play and games. well-planned, interesting activities. Lou Chunfang is Save the We also thought it could develop Children’s Research and Developing life skills ways to involve communities in Education Officer in China. Children’s life skills in Qinghai their children’s education. We Contact: Province are very low; their designed activities to improve Save the Children China traditional lessons cover only children’s ability to understand Programme Tibetan, Chinese and Mathematics. themselves and improve their Apartment 051, Entrance 2, In class they usually only listen to self-esteem, by providing Building No.2 the teacher. opportunities to succeed and to Jianwai Diplomatic Compound communicate better with others. Beijing, 100600 P. R . C h i n a 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 14

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The benefits of mother tongue education in Senegal Rudy Klaas

The benefits of learning in one’s mother tongue are no longer disputed. But is it affordable to implement mother tongue as the first language of learning and teaching for all learners? And if it is, where can one find the necessary expertise and ideas to make it happen? In this article, Rudy shares the story of a mother tongue project in the small village of Diembering, south-west Senegal, which may begin to answer these questions.

Project background “They spoke to me in Affordable and worthwhile? In 1998, school teachers in the language I understood” Detailed figures are not available yet Diembering attended a mother In addition to using non-local on how much the experimental tongue literacy teacher training event language teaching and learning mother tongue classes cost per run by SIL International. The materials, the Diembering school student. However, these classes in teachers then convinced their heavily supplemented the students’ Diembering produced almost four headteacher to try out the reading with local language times the level of exam passes than methodology in their school. This materials produced by SIL. the traditional classes – but certainly first initiative was a success, and didn’t cost four times as much to convinced parents that their children “We had lots of fun things run. So the mother tongue class would learn better in their mother to read in our own language” approach is clearly worthwhile. tongue. The mother tongue SIL supported the creation of a programme that followed sought to library of mother tongue reading The cost of producing traditional reduce the high failure rates in books, folktales, health books, etc, class books is not that different from schools that resulted from students’ for use by students and the producing the same book translated poor development of basic literacy community. Other experimental into a mother tongue. Translation skills in their first few years of classes did not have this resource. costs don’t have to be high either; education. In 2002, the government some work can be done voluntarily, launched a separate experimental “You encouraged us.” if time is taken to find motivated multi-lingual education programme Diembering school staff received translators. in five locations, including support from SIL consultants in Diembering. literacy and education, while the Students from mother tongue other schools did not. classes often complete their learning Changes within Diembering school goals faster than those in traditional • 11 out of 18 students who were “The multi-lingual education classes. This can reduce overall using mother tongue in all lessons training seemed to lack something.” education system costs, especially if passed their exams. In the two Some teachers and trainers felt the it reduces the number of students classes using French for initial training provided by the who repeat years. instruction, only two and four government was insufficient, and not students respectively out of 20 followed up with in-service training. We need to think: passed. Next year, SIL plans to provide • Mother tongue classes are more monthly in-service training in If a country spends less money on student-centred, with more use of Diembering so teachers can network education that doesn’t work, it interactive teaching methods. On- and build relationships and discuss costs them more in the long term going monitoring shows that successes and challenges. than if they spend more money on students are more confident and education that does work! enthusiastic. “We already knew you.” The community in Diembering Contact: Differences between already had a strong relationship Rudy Klass Diembering and other schools with SIL linguists and literacy SIL - Klaas Other experimental mother tongue consultants who had lived there for BP 2075 classes in the area were less nine years doing research, providing Dakar successful. During my on-going translations and facilitating mother Senegal monitoring visits, students, teachers tongue literacy classes, so the idea Email: [email protected] and education officials have of mother tongue classes in school suggested reasons for this: was welcomed. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 15

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Language for effective family learning, Uganda Leni Wild

Everyone says parents are a child’s first and best teachers. One project in Uganda suggests this is true. The project reveals the extent to which language is key to effective learning for the whole family. Here, Leni explains how Education Action, a UK-based international NGO, is working with Literacy and Basic Education (LABE), a local partner in Northern Uganda, to develop new ways of placing language at the heart of learning for children and parents.

Background Education resources in Participation is key – parents are A study by LABE in four districts in local languages consulted on the timing and Northern Uganda found a key Most textbooks are printed in the content of classes to ensure that reason why children were failing to official language (English). the education meets their needs. learn, progress and complete However, with our support, Clear communication is needed to primary schooling was because of resources for children and parents enable effective participation, the early use of English as the main have been translated into local which is why the use of mother language of instruction. As a result, languages. Our project integrates tongue has been so important for at home it became impossible for local languages, materials and delivering effective education to parents to effectively support their stories into lessons. Activities with parents. This work has led to the children’s schooling – by motivating children in the Yumbe and Gulu development of resources and them or helping with homework – districts include: making games out activities in local languages, as they too did not understand the of local materials, such as counting including numeracy booklets and main language of instruction. games using everyday objects parents’ story booklets in the found at home; story-telling in local Acholi and Aringa languages. The Government now recognises the languages; and composing riddles advantages of mother tongue that carry meaningful messages, “The idea of parents and teachers learning. It introduced a ‘Mother appropriate to the local context. educating children together is the Tongue Education Policy’ for the first way to forge ahead in the education three years of primary education, but Activities with parents of our children”. Deputy head teacher currently lacks the resources to We provide classes for parents, effectively implement it. The policy conducted in mother tongue. These Life-long education aims to provide mother tongue help them to understand and While learning official languages materials (e.g. translations of the support their children’s education, remains important, our project national curriculum) for all 52 local and to participate more effectively in reveals the need to go further than languages spoken in Uganda, but so their local communities, for example, just encouraging mother tongue far they are only available in six. improving their ability to secure communication and teaching during Many teachers also lack training in better prices for goods at market. the early years. A few years of how to integrate mother tongue and learning in their mother tongue is not English language instruction. The literacy classes for parents are enough for most children to acquire based on the curriculum for primary the language skills needed for This is where the Education years one and two, adapted to suit learning across the curriculum – Action/LABE’s project, funded by parents’ learning levels. Parents including learning an official the UK’s Department for learn the same concepts that their language. And building effective International Development, comes children do at school, so they can literacy skills for adults will remain in. With a particular focus on girls’ support their children’s learning. a challenge unless the language and women’s education in Classes are usually held in the of instruction in adult education Northern Uganda, we are afternoon, after domestic and work is given more attention. facilitating the development of a commitments have been completed. range of learning activities and They often take place under a tree in Leni Wild, Research and resources in mother tongue the school compound or at a Development Officer, languages. The project places parent’s home. Parent educators Education Action. language at the heart of our lead the classes. They are 3.10 @ Canterbury Court, strategy to promote education, volunteers, selected from within their Kennington Park, 1-3 Brixton Rd, and we hope to expand this in communities, who receive training in London SW9 6DE, UK future programmes. adult learning techniques (including Tel: +44 (0)20 7785 7217 use of mother tongue languages). [email protected] www.education-action.org 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 16

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Language for national reconciliation: Southern Thailand

Patani-Malay is the language spoken by 83% of people in the four southern provinces of Thailand. On-going violence and political unrest in this area are largely a result of language issues and identity crisis – Malay identity, as reflected by the Malay language used in daily life, is not officially recognised by the government. Compulsory education in the Thai language results in poor attendance and achievement among Patani-Malay- speaking students. They gain few working skills and have limited prospects for higher education and employment. Many fear education is being used to destroy the local language and religious identity. In this article, Suwilai outlines a mother tongue based bilingual education programme designed to help Patani-Malay-speaking children retain their Malay identity at the local level and achieve a Thai identity at the national level.

Introducing the programme 3 Develop a writing system for Challenges A nine-year participatory action Patani-Malay using Thai-based • Using the local spoken language research programme is being script, building on academic as in education as a way to promote conducted by Mahidol University well as native speaker acceptance development, peace and linguists and a Patani-Malay- and technical feasibility. This will prosperity is a new idea that some speaking research team. It covers help children to transfer to using find hard to accept because there eight school years, from Thai as the main medium of are few previous examples of such Kindergarten to Grade 6, with one instruction. work in Thailand. year of preparation. The programme 4 Develop a curriculum, using • Many people think that language supports Patani-Malay-speaking Patani-Malay and Thai as the and script are the same, and that children to speak, read and write medium of instruction, which script is more important than the well in both Patani-Malay and Thai. contains more local content, yet spoken language. This proves Patani-Malay is used as the medium maintains educational standards. problematic. Jawi script (based on of instruction from Kindergarten to 5 Develop teaching materials and Arabic script) is commonly used in Grade 1, so that children gain the graded reading materials in the region for writing, but this necessary skills in listening, Patani-Malay and materials to means the writing is done using speaking, reading and writing in their support students’ transfer to using Central Malay language, which is mother tongue, before learning Thai. Thai. different from Patani-Malay Patani-Malay Studies, in which 6 Recruit and train bilingual language. People use Central Patani-Malay language is the main education staff: teachers, writers, Malay language in religious component, is also taught local culture experts, workshop contexts where they can memorise throughout primary school. The organisers, etc. texts, but this is not suitable as a Education Act allows up to 30% of 7 Evaluate learners in the medium of instruction in schools the curriculum to be locally experimental schools and for children who speak Patani- determined in this way. compare with those in other Malay as their mother tongue. schools. Efforts to use Thai script instead Programme objectives 8 Build co-operation among have been controversial. 1 Language Situation Survey – to governmental and non- Opponents believe such efforts gather information for programme governmental funding and could make the teaching and planning. technical assistance writing of Jawi script redundant. 2 Awareness-raising about the organisations, influential people in Those in favour of using Thai script benefit of mother tongue based society and the mass media. believe that Jawi script is currently bilingual education. Mobilising 9 Develop and establish a inadequate for writing Patani- partners for the programme supportive national language Malay, but that Jawi will continue activities, e.g., a local research policy. to be taught in religious schools, team of academics and village while Thai-based script will only be scholars, including four used in secular schools. The experimental schools. bilingual programme will consider incorporating the Jawi script at a later stage. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 17

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Suwilai Premsrirat

• The pilot schools are in an area experiencing political unrest and violence, making it difficult to monitor progress of the programme. • Despite the support provided by the programme, the benefits of teaching Patani-Malay within the formal education system are not A villager writing a story using Thai-based Patani-Malay yet fully understood by some authorities dealing with security • Academics, government officials, Creating a sense of security and education issues. Even mass media and members of the Despite the obstacles, this project though higher level government public have offered has earned the trust and officials generally accept bilingual encouragement and support, confidence of the local education, some do not have agreeing that this type of communities. They value the efforts confidence in the use of mother education will meet the needs of made to preserve their language tongue as a medium of instruction local people and assist with and culture and to respect their through to the higher grades. national reconciliation and internal Malay identity in education. They • The biggest challenge is how to security for the whole country. see this as a move towards lasting incorporate bilingual education • New teaching materials for oral reconciliation and understanding. principles into the curriculum and and written Patani-Malay have Ultimately, they feel more secure in teaching/learning materials. been carefully developed by a the education system. The future group of native speakers, including success of the programme relies Successes to date local teachers and educators from on the continued support and good Preliminary results from the various fields. faith of all participants. This project preparation year are encouraging. • Teachers of Patani-Malay have lays the foundation for significant • The local research team has been been given detailed training, from improvements in the prospects of actively involved in developing planning lessons to teaching and the children in the south of written language, curriculum, managing bilingual classrooms. Thailand. It is in line with growing lesson plans, teaching materials, • The popular Total Physical awareness that the linguistic and songs and graded reading Response method (TPR) is being cultural rights of minorities demand materials in Patani-Malay and Thai. introduced along with other new the attention of governments and The team consists of language techniques in child-centred policy-makers, who have a teachers, educators, linguists, education. TPR involves students responsibility to preserve and Islamic committee members, initially remaining silent while the protect such diversity, wealth and village scholars and young co- teachers use the language being heritage from abuse or extinction. ordinators in various communities. taught to instruct them to make • Awareness-raising activities have physical actions. Suwilai is a linguist who works been conducted among • People from Malay-speaking with endangered ethno-linguistic communities, academics, communities have been actively communities on language educators, officials and religious participating in the programme, revitalisation programmes, and leaders. especially in producing graded is the project director for the • Consultants from SIL International reading materials about local Strong Bilingual Education have provided technical stories or local culture and Programme in Southern Thailand. assistance. knowledge. Contact: • Governmental and non- Suwilai Premsrirat governmental funding agencies “Using Patani-Malay as the language Institute of Language and Culture such as UNICEF and Thailand of instruction from Kindergarten for Rural Development Research Fund have promised to Grade 1 will spare little children Mahidol University, funding for the first three years. from the confusion and fear of Salaya, having to learn in a language that is Phuthamonthon, not their mother tongue. The change Nakhonpathom 73170, should have been done long ago.” Thailand School Director, Narathiwat province. Email: [email protected] 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 18

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Community participation in mother tongue based multilingual education in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, most children from indigenous ethnic minority groups are disadvantaged by an education system that does not recognise their language, culture or future livelihood realities. They are taught in Bengali, a language they do not understand. Many quickly lose interest in school and leave. In the Chittagong Hill Tract region, the drop-out rate for indigenous children is more than 60%. In this article, Mathura outlines a project that promotes quality, inclusive education, with a strong focus on mother tongue education, and which has community participation throughout.

The project aims, by 2011, to Education component ensure indigenous children receive The project introduces a two-year a quality, inclusive education and multilingual pre-primary participate in decisions that affect programme in target communities, them, supported by national, with children enrolling at the age of regional and local policy and four. The students are taught practice. It is being implemented entirely in their mother tongue in in three sub-districts – Khagrachari the first year, to build their Sadar, Panchari and Dighinala – in confidence. Preparation for literacy 60 pre-primary centres with 1,259 through oral practices is Local materials are used to help children develop their indigenous children, of whom 631 introduced. Gradually students language skills (50%) are girls. The government enter into pre-reading, pre-writing department of education and the and subsequently pre-maths Project background local government authority are activities. In the second year, The Chittagong Hill Tracts region closely involved. children begin to read and write in has diverse cultural and ethnic their mother tongue and continue communities, and complex The project promotes indigenous with oral mother tongue. In the administrative structures. Until children’s education by first second half of the year they also 1997, decades of political unrest developing a strong foundation in begin to learn oral Bangla. had left the region isolated from their own mother tongue, through the rest of the country and from multilingual pre-primary centres. Community participation development initiatives. Around They then gradually learn the As multilingual education is half the region’s population national language as they make a new concept in Bangladesh, belongs to various ethnic the transition to mainstream we started the process with indigenous communities, the rest schools. This approach allows community involvement activities, are Bengali. Historically, teachers children to progress well through such as consultations and did not speak the same language school, maintaining their own awareness-raising activities. as their students and the host language, culture and identity but We involved community leaders community, and they were not ultimately still gaining access to in all activities. People initially officially allowed to use local the official language. had varying perceptions of languages, only Bengali. multilingual education. “I attend school regularly In 2006, Zabarang Kalyan Samity because my teacher teaches me One community leader thought (ZKS), a local NGO, initiated a in Tripura [language]. I like to “…the concept of mother tongue project called Shishur Khamatayan: play with the colourful ball very based education is a great idea for Children’s Action Through much. I want to be a school the betterment of indigenous Education with the support of the teacher when I grow up.” children’s education, but it may Save the Children Alliance. Apusmoy, age 5, Salkatal Pre-school take as long as fifty years to make this dream a reality”. There are two main areas of work within the project – education and child participation. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 19

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Mathura Bikash Tripura

We involve and respect the leaders of the community reviews the of each language community we materials and suggests changes work with. For the Chakma and/or additions, e.g., decisions language development process we on the issues of spelling, standard established relations with the uses of scripts, themes for the Changma Academy, an teaching/learning materials for organisation of Chakma language multilingual pre-schooling, etc. practitioners. For ‘Kokborok’ – the Community members oversee Tripura language – we involved the each level of activities. Each Bangladesh Tripura Kalyan community has a Centre Sangsad, a national organisation Management Committee which of Tripura people. And for the has overall responsibility for the activities relevant to the Marma management and monitoring of language, we involved the Marma the pre-primary centres. They also Unnayan Sangsad as well as a encourage parents to send their number of monks who practise children to school regularly, both reading and writing the oversee the construction of language regularly. centres, appoint teachers and monitor their attendance, inform An example of alphabet charts developed by the project “There is no alternative to mother the parents about the monthly tongue education. It is the only parents meeting, visit the centres of all children in the classroom and means of ensuring good quality at least three times a week, and school, helping them to participate primary school education.” maintain the building. in decisions that affect their Indira Chakma, a female leader education and issues within the in Khagrachari District Child participation component community and wider society, thus This component of the project was creating an environment where We prepare drafts of education only started in 2008, and focuses their voices are heard. The project materials then organise community on active learning and citizenship. aims to achieve this through reviews, workshops and Quality, inclusive education awareness-raising and capacity- exhibitions. A broad cross-section emphasises the active participation building, involving children, school teachers, parents, and community members. We have facilitated the formation of 60 child organisations, and 10 ‘community learning circles’ to ensure child participation in the decision- making processes of their communities. Children are receiving training on leadership.

Mathura Bikash Tripura is the Executive Director of Zabarang Kalyan Samity. Contact: ZKS Khagrapur, Khagrachari Sadar Khagrachari-4400 Bangladesh Tel: +88 (0)371 61708 / 62006 [email protected] Website: www.zks-bd.org

Children participating in a community celebration 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 20

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The growing demand for private education in English: a barrier to inclusion? Tony Booth

In this article, Tony Booth discusses a barrier to learning and participation that is often overlooked. Even when public schools promote mother tongue teaching, private schools may continue to only teach in English. The status of English becomes closely linked with a perception that private education offers a ‘better’ education. Many families feel pressured to pay private school fees they cannot afford, even in schools where the teachers are not fluent in English. Tony argues for the development of policies for inclusive Education for All that recognise the growth of English as a global language, but resist pressures for private education.

‘Better’ education? The need to enable democratic participation may mean Combined with The high status of that all schools have to give limited use of English and its pupils fluency in English mother-tongue in importance as a public schools global language means a low quality education for most Need to improve learners capacity of public schools to introduce Poor standard bilingual education - of English in International mother tongue/ English public schools financial pressures to increase private sector Class/ Fluent English- Increasing involvement caste issues – speaking numbers of in education fluent English teachers work in students going (e.g. World speakers higher status to private Bank) (from higher private schools schools social groups) prefer teaching in private sector Private schools Parental/cultural increasingly belief that English Need to improve English-medium fluency brings pre- and in-service status and education for teachers in opportunity public schools

Private schools could be delivering Status given to English-medium a worse overall education if learners private schools may mean public aren’t getting enough education in schools have to copy them to mother-tongue in the early years compete and so may resist mother- tongue initiatives 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 21

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The expansion of mother tongue teaching in many countries is held back by the status and power of national and international languages, particularly English.

Language, democracy and rights others the economic and social Drawing conclusions Citizens often receive contradictory privileges of being fluent in English. The success of public schools in messages about the status of their The development of inclusive Tamil Nadu, in appealing to diverse home language. The South African Education for All depends on communities, depends in part on constitution gives equal status to overcoming such difficulties. how well they can teach English. 11 official national languages and Yet the development of a public promotes eight unofficial national Lessons from India education system which promotes languages, including Sign This example from India illustrates mother tongue education, the Language. Yet English, the sixth how the high status given to both learning of a national language, and most common language used in English and private education adds quality English teaching is a huge homes, is used throughout to the complexity of trying to expand challenge. As well as improving pre- government, the media and the mother tongue teaching. and in-service teacher education, legal system. To participate in it requires making available the that democracy you need to Public schools in Tamil Nadu teach language skills held by English- learn English. through Tamil, the state language. speaking elites so that they can I visited schools in Chennai, the benefit all students. Through these The power of English globally and its state capital, in 2005 with Indian ways the growth of private education dominance of the Internet means colleagues. In one primary school may be resisted. Such challenges that English is important for the headteacher showed us the are widespread in economically poor understanding the world and the resource room for teaching English, countries around the world. They local impact of global changes. To full of special language-teaching require dedicated action by those support the democratic rights of their computers donated by an American working within schools and learners, schools need to teach company. The computer communities, and those developing through a mother tongue, perhaps programmes were irrelevant to the national and international policies. help students to learn a different lives of local children, and delivered national language, and teach them in strong American accents. Children Tony Booth is Professor of to become fluent in English. were struggling to learn English from inclusive and international these programmes and from education at the Department Rights to free public education teachers whose English was not of Educational Research, and to learn in a family language, fluent. Some families from the area, Canterbury Christ Church set out in United Nations documents who could hardly afford the fees, University, CT1 1QU, UK. Email: (see p.24), are widely disregarded. had sent their children to private [email protected] Much evidence suggests that school English-medium schools, believing fees are a major cause of poor they were paying for a better The diagram on p.20 shows the attendance, drop-outs and gender education, even though the teachers’ links between the high status of inequality in education. So when English in these private schools was the English language, the growth powerful international organisations, also not good. of private education, and attempts like the World Bank, pressure poorer to develop teaching and learning countries to expand private fee- Caste still plays a significant role in in mother tongues. paying education, they are Tamil Nadu. So-called upper caste encouraging the denial of these families are more likely than those Is your country facing similar rights and undermining Education from lower castes to have been challenges? for All. Countries fund public educated in private schools and to What status does English education through taxation. Often, have been brought up in families (or another international language) the wealthier elites send their where English is sometimes used have in your country, and does this children to private schools, and are at home. Even though teachers’ affect efforts to promote mother unwilling to pay enough taxes to salaries are higher in the public tongue teaching/learning? help develop quality free education sector, teachers from upper caste Is private education becoming for poorer families. Such elites have families may not want to teach in more or less popular? Why? often attended English-medium public schools, so they keep their Can you adapt the diagram to schools, and may resist giving English language skills in the show the situation in your country? private sector. Please share your diagrams with EENET! 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 22

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Introducing multilingual teaching in Vietnam Nguyen Thi Bich and Dinh Phuong Thao

Vietnam has 54 ethnic minority groups with different languages, making up about 13% of the population. Education enrolment and completion rates are lower for these groups, as are their performance results. This article outlines Save the Children UK’s (SC UK) work to promote increased use of mother tongue based multilingual teaching approaches, to give ethnic minority groups a better chance in education.

The situation in Vietnam language groups are often present Supporting education for The majority group in Vietnam is in one class, creating additional minority groups the Vietnamese-speaking Kinh. communication challenges for Between 2004 and 2006 SC UK Vietnamese is spoken as a first teachers, parents and children. tried to support minority children’s language by about 90% of the learning by selecting ethnic population. The constitution states Vietnam’s overall primary minority women and girls to be that all ethnic groups have the right enrolment rate is 94.5%, but the bilingual pre-school teachers. They to use their own languages, yet the rate for ethnic minority children is worked in the children’s mother language of instruction in schools just 80%. Completion rates in 2006 tongue and introduced them to is Vietnamese, and only eight were 89.7% for Kinh but only Vietnamese. Fifty women were minority languages are taught as 67.9% for children from ethnic then supported to become fully school subjects. Only 28 minority groups. This gap is even recognised pre-school teachers. languages have writing systems, bigger for lower secondary However, such mother tongue and few books exist outside the completion rates (76.5% for Kinh language support in pre-school is main minority languages, such as and 45.5% for ethnic minority still not enough to help children Tay, Muong, Cham, Khmer and children).1 cope with using Vietnamese in H’mong. primary school. Most children excluded from lower There are few ethnic minority secondary education are girls, Vietnamese is seen as the teachers, due to the difficulties especially H’mong girls. SC UK language of national unity, so they face progressing through the has evidence that drop-out rates reducing its use in education is a education system. And in highland for ethnic minority girls are also sensitive issue. Nevertheless, the areas, where many ethnic minority significantly higher than for boys government has responded to groups live, children from several from these groups. research linking ethnic minority children’s education difficulties with the unfamiliar language of instruction. It is now looking for practical ways to deliver primary education in multiple languages, testing locally relevant approaches to fit Vietnam’s situation.

SC UK has now developed a new phase of multi-lingual education in pre-schools and primary schools. The programme has been Children with teaching assistant designed and implemented jointly by community members, teachers and local education officers, and Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) specialists.

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Local languages will be introduced as languages of instruction as far as possible in pre-schools and primary schools. Vietnamese will be introduced more gradually as a second language, so that children can learn to use it without being overwhelmed.

Community teaching assistants SC UK is again working with primary- and secondary-educated women in highland communities, building their skills as teaching assistants in pre-schools and primary schools. These ‘key mothers’ work with teachers to ensure that lesson content is relevant. They help adapt the curriculum and textbooks to the local reality, and support the use of active play and learning techniques. Key mothers introduce new teaching content to pupils in the local language. The teacher Children with teaching assistant then introduces some key words in Vietnamese relating to that Results of this approach It is expected that MoET will content. To prepare children for Children in the programme are adapt these initiatives to develop primary school, Vietnamese showing much more engagement a comprehensive approach to language is introduced verbally in class and greater familiarity with quality education for ethnic and children are familiarised with Vietnamese than children minority groups in Vietnam. Vietnamese letters. taught solely by a Kinh teacher. Monitoring and evaluation of the It is expected that children various pilot initiatives will be The main focus of the teaching learning through this approach essential for providing evidence assistants is on developing – in will progress more easily to justify further investment in genuine partnership with teachers through school. mother tongue based – active learning activities that will multilingual education. stimulate and improve children’s Education and donor officials are mother tongue and Vietnamese seeing the benefits of this Nguyen Thi Bich is language skills. Teachers improve multilingual team-teaching Deputy Programme Director their local language skills through approach. As a result, ethnic and Dinh Phuong Thao is language courses and supported minority teaching assistants have Education Programmme communication with local people. been recruited to another large aid Manager for SC UK in Vietnam. Where children from multiple project to improve primary Contact: language groups are in one education for ethnic minority Save the Children UK school, classes are re-organised communities. Vietnam Programme into multi-grade classes which 218 Doi Can Street contain just one language group. Different initiatives on mother Hanoi Teachers and teaching assistants tongue based multilingual Vietnam are trained in multi-grade teaching. education are now being Email: [email protected] implemented in Vietnam by 1 various organisations. The World Bank studies ‘The determinants of learning outcomes: An analysis of data from the 2007 testing database.’ 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 24

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Useful publications: Language and inclusion

Girls, Educational Equity and id21 Insights Mother Tongue Education is Best Mother Tongue-based Teaching Education No.5, 2006 Kathleen Heugh Carol Benson/ This edition focuses on children’s This short article provides a UNESCO Bangkok, 2005 right to learn in their own useful overview of the issues This publication looks at the links language. It contains articles about surrounding the use of mother- between girls, education and Bolivia, Vietnam and India; and tongue in education, including exclusion; the barriers to girls’ also covers issues such as gender its impact on learning outcomes inclusion; and mother-tongue and language, and the cost- and cost-effectiveness. based education approaches for effectiveness of mother-tongue Available from: www.hsrc.ac.za/ improving girls’ participation. teaching and learning. HSRC_Review_Article-14.phtml# See: www2.unescobkk.org/ Available in English, elib/publications/Girls_Edu_Equity/ French and Spanish from: SIL International’s website Girls_Edu.pdf www.id21.org/insights/ SIL is an international linguistic insights-ed05/index.html NGO. SIL language teams live Highland Children’s Education within language communities Project: A pilot project on Mother Language First and study phonetics, phonology bilingual education in Cambodia Khagrachari Hill District Council, and grammar. They help UNESCO, 2005 Zabarang Kalyan Samity, develop written scripts, produce This report documents the model and Save the Children, 2007 mother-tongue materials, and run of bilingual primary education This report documents the work literacy/education programmes. provided in the north-eastern carried out on mother-tongue Their website contains a range province of Ratanakiri. It looks at based multi-lingual education of articles, guidance documents issues of policy, and the in Bangladesh. and research papers on multi- implementation and expansion of Available as a PDF file on CD lingual education and mother- the project. or by email from EENET tongue literacy. Available from: See: www.sil.org/literacy/ http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/ 0013/001395/139595e.pdf

Many of the documents listed here are available on the Internet. If you are based in a Southern country and are unable to access these documents online, contact EENET and we will put them onto a CD-ROM for you, or send you print-outs.

Key articles from international conventions

“In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities or persons of indigenous origin exist, a child belonging to such a minority or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practise his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.” UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 (Article 30)

1. “Children belonging to the peoples concerned shall, wherever practicable, be taught to read and write in their own indigenous language or in the language most commonly used by the group to which they belong. When this is not practicable, the competent authorities shall undertake consultations with these peoples with a view to the adoption of measures to achieve this objective. 2. Adequate measures shall be taken to ensure that these peoples have the opportunity to attain fluency in the national language or in one of the official languages of the country. 3. Measures shall be taken to preserve and promote the development and practice of the indigenous languages of the peoples concerned.” Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, 1989 (Article 28) 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 25

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Writing for EENET

We hope you have found the articles in this newsletter inspiring. But do you feel moved enough to write about and share your own inclusive education experiences? We know that many people are interested in sending articles to EENET, but they often don’t know where to start with preparing their articles, or feel too nervous to send us what they have written. So here are some ideas to help you get started.

Who can write for EENET? Every year we receive more articles • If you do not have access to Everyone! We encourage all our than we can publish. So we cannot a computer or email, you can readers to consider writing an article. guarantee that your article will make type or handwrite an article and We really want authors who have it into the newsletter. post it to us. direct experience of inclusive • You can also send us articles education – for instance, as a What can you write about? on audio-cassette or in Braille. teacher, a student, a parent, a youth • You can write about any issue • Ideally, articles should be written in worker, an activist or a campaigner, a related to quality, inclusive English. But if you send us local education officer, or a local education. an article in another language, NGO member of staff. • We encourage you to write articles we will try to find a volunteer that give practical advice. Avoid translator to help us. What if you have never written an writing just about the theory of • Remember to tell us your full article before? inclusive education. Instead, we name, postal address, telephone Don’t worry! You do not have to be want to know what you did, what number and email address, an experienced writer. EENET can you learned, and what impact this and write a short paragraph help you to develop your ideas and had on children’s education in about yourself – who you are, what edit what you write. If you send us your situation. your job is, etc. an article, which we think is not • Look carefully at previous ready for publishing, we will offer newsletters to get an idea of Other advice ideas, or ask questions to help you the type of articles we publish. • Use simple language – short collect suitable information. Don’t be • We particularly need more sentences; no abbreviations, upset or put off if we ask you to do articles about inclusive education jargon or academic-style more work on your article. Every in relation to: referencing. article we publish goes through a - refugees and • Break up your article into small process of rewriting and editing. emergency situations sections, using sub-headings or - early childhood development text boxes. Who decides which articles - secondary and higher education • Include quotations, e.g., to publish? - life-long learning and from students in your school. EENET has an editorial team – vocational education • If you are using people’s the co-ordinator and several - private schools names, get their permission volunteer editors – which assesses - non-formal education. first, or change their names articles and supports writers with in your article. advice and ideas. Each year we How much should you write? • If you send us a photo, make sure try to publish articles: The maximum is 600 words for a everyone in the photo (and the • from countries not featured before one-page article, or 1,200 words for photographer) has given their • about aspects of inclusive a two-page article – less if you want permission. If there are children education that have received to include photos or diagrams. in the photo, ask their parents less attention or guardians for permission to • written by or including the views of How should you publish the picture. children and parents present your article? • that communicate in different ways • Email it to us as a Word document, We look forward to reading – e.g., using diagrams, photos or with a font size of at least 12pts. your articles! drawings, instead of just words.

This article was compiled by Ingrid Lewis and Susie Miles. A more detailed guidance document for authors is available from EENET. 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 26

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Building bridges, Russia Denise Roza, Pam Mendelsohn and Yulia Simonova

Perspektiva is a Russian NGO that promotes inclusion in education and in society for people with disabilities. Its inclusive education programmes are supported by UNICEF and USAID. It has organised film festivals around disability and inclusion since 2002 and understands the power of images. One of its goals is to empower people with disabilities to be leaders and to bring about change in schools and the wider community. In this article Denise, Pam and Yulia explain about a project that helped students to acquire new skills, take pictures about their lives, and learn about and from each other.

In November 2005, 10 students, Favourite people and places Follow-up aged 12 to 15 years old, from The third task involved taking a School administrators and school ‘1961’ in Moscow, spent picture of each pair’s favourite teachers have been very five days undertaking photography place or places, and their favourite enthusiastic about the project. So activities. Disabled children were person in school. They talked in March 2007, Pam trained five paired with non-disabled children. about these choices and were other photographers and Disposable cameras were donated asked to explain why they had Perspektiva staff in this approach. by Kodak, and a local photo chosen them. The photographers also printing shop put the photos onto participated in a disability CDs, so that each day the photos Interesting objects awareness training session led by could be shared and discussed. On the fourth day the children Perspektiva. Thus, the activities collected objects that they see could be duplicated and carried Self-portraits every day at school. They out with 30 more children in three Children were first given considered how to make these other schools, with on-going instructions and a questionnaire. very simple objects appear more advice and support. Each child was asked to bring a interesting by using light, colour, favourite photo from home to the or a different angle in their first session. They shared their photos. Again photos were taken Zhenya photographing her friends in Red Square photos and explained what they and discussed. liked about them. In pairs they were then asked to take photo ‘My best quality’ self-portraits. They discussed Finally, each child completed the what they liked about these following statement on a piece of photos, e.g., the lighting, the paper: “I know it’s not good to positioning of the person, what boast, but my best quality is ...... ”. the photo could tell us about the They discussed their answers and person, etc. Each pair chose how they could take a photo that three or four of their best photos. would convey these qualities. Again they selected the best “This photo workshop taught The school environment pictures taken that day. me to ‘catch the moment’” On the second day, the children went around their school and An exhibition Zhenya Shirkina is 12 years discussed how disability-friendly it At the end of the project the old and is in the 7th grade. was, and then took photos to children considered what type of She does everything with her illustrate these issues. They pictures are usually chosen for feet, including eating, writing discussed their photos and again exhibitions; and which photos they and painting, as she was born chose the best photos of the day. should show at their event: what without arms. She has many will interest the viewers, should friends at school, takes they choose an everyday scene or classes in drawing and object, or an unusual one, etc? painting, and dreams of They made their selections, becoming a professional created captions for them, and photographer or an interpreter. then exhibited them.

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• Extensive media coverage of the project has led to people donating cameras so that more schools can develop similar activities. • This popular project has been replicated in six cities in Russia. In two cities it has become an annual summer camp activity. • The project has very effectively promoted the message that all children can and must be educated together.

The activities demonstrate to other children, teachers, school officials and parents what disabled and

Zhenya practising his photography skills non-disabled children can do when “I now see the world differently.” given a chance to live, work and learn together. Zhenya Lapin is 13 years old and uses a wheelchair. He is also in the 7th grade, and loves dancing, reading and travelling to the sea. We recently developed a Zhenya sings in the UNESCO choir in Moscow. He wants to become a photo-illustrated guide on how to Hollywood film director. For the photography project, Zhenya and his organise similar activities, which is friends visited an orphanage for children with severe intellectual available in Russian on disabilities, which they found to be a very moving experience. Perspektiva’s website www.perspektiva-inva.ru/files/ downloads/building_bridges_ brosh.pdf, or by writing to the In May 2007, Giacomo Pirozzi, a They chose the best photo and address below. UNICEF photographer, led further were given other awards, such as activities. He has worked with one for best work by a pair. Denise is Founder and Director children affected by traumatic of Perspektiva. With its 50 events in Beslan and Chechnya. Results of the project disabled and non-disabled Children aged between 14 and 17 • Many barriers between staff members, Perspektiva has years old were invited from six disabled and non-disabled developed and implemented inclusive schools in Moscow. children were broken down. training, outreach, public Working in pairs, they spent three The project demonstrated how education, advocacy and days learning about the camera, positive attitudes and information-referral activities. light, images, colour, etc, and friendships can grow in a short Yulia is Perspektiva’s practising taking photos. time using a very simple, but Education Project Manager. powerful tool – a camera. Pam is a professional On the fourth day they had a field • Photos have been exhibited at photographer and disability trip around Moscow. Beforehand schools, in parks, at the rights activist, based in the USA. the children discussed where they American Embassy, and at the would like to visit and what topics Marriott Hotel. Members of the Contact: they could photograph. They donor and business Perspektiva chose to visit tourist sites, but also community and children’s 8, 2-Frunzenskaya, Moscow an inclusive school and a relatives could view and 119146, Russia residential institution for children discuss the photos. Since Tel: +7(495)245-68-79, with intellectual disabilities. The January 2008, the project has 7(499)242-50-94 next day, they reviewed all of the become a weekly activity in Fax +7(495)245-68-79 photos as a group. Photos were two Moscow schools. [email protected] projected onto a large screen. http://perspektiva-inva.ru/ 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 28

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EENET interview

Agururu Primary School in Tororo, Uganda, used to be a regular school with a special unit for disabled children. In 2005 and 2006, its headteacher, Owerodumo Cortider, attended inclusive education training events in Kenya and Zanzibar. Here she explains to Ingrid Lewis of EENET, the changes that have happened since that training, and the successes and problems the school has encountered. Owerodumo also highlights the challenges of teaching children who speak many different languages, including Sign Language.

What is Agururu Primary We trained the parents of about this is a challenge to address. We School’s history? 30 children in Sign Language also find that some parents of deaf The school opened in 1980. Then in because children often face children still want their children 1996 the special unit was started communication barriers at home. educated in separate schools. with six children – two were deaf and The training was sponsored by an four had learning disabilities. There NGO in Tororo. Some parents come Language: The use of Sign are now 718 children altogether, and from a long way, so they can’t afford Language in class is a challenge; we 174 have various disabilities. to do that without help. Then the currently have six Sign Language NGO withdrew the sponsorship, trained teachers for 14 classes. Why did you decide to develop it so unfortunately the parents’ These trained teachers go to assist into an inclusive school? training has stopped for now. with signing in another class when The training received at the study the subject is very tough. But they visit to Kisumu, Kenya, and at the How did you prepare the teachers? can’t help in every class all the time, Zanzibar workshop on inclusive The attitude of teachers is most they have their own teaching to do. If education helped. When I came important. When the deaf children a teacher just works to translate in back I called all the teachers first come to school they are often class they won’t be paid; they need together and told them about aggressive; they can’t communicate to fulfil a full teaching load to get a inclusive education. I have tried to and get frustrated. They need full teacher’s salary. This hinders our change their attitude, such as sympathetic teachers who can efforts, though we try to bring in encouraging them that we can all communicate with them. A project other interpreters if we can. Some learn Sign Language. funded by Operation Days Work, hearing pupils are learning Sign Norway, has trained 10 of our Language as well. What do parents of non-disabled teachers in Sign Language. children think about your English is the national and official inclusive school? Why do some students travel so language. A policy change in 2007 We have asked them to accept that far to attend your boarding school? means that from primary years 1 to this school is inclusive. Parents Children who simply cannot get an 3, children should learn in their could send their non-disabled education in their local school can mother tongue language. But so children to another regular school in come here; their local schools won’t far retraining for this new approach town, but they still send them here. take them. If deaf children in has only happened for teachers of And our enrolment is higher than the particular don’t come here, there are primary 1. The problem is we have other school. Some of the non- few other options. The girls’ so many languages – about seven disabled children now know Sign dormitory is full. But if we don’t take in this school alone. So we are Language. They interact with deaf the children then they won’t go to still teaching primary 1 in English. and disabled children quite well. school at all. Yet we know that some parents don’t speak English, so students How did you prepare the parents What are the challenges can’t practise at home. for an inclusive approach? you still face? We’ve helped parents to see that Attitudes: Some of the non-disabled Contact: deaf people have a future. We have children still have negative attitudes Owerodumo Cortider four deaf adults working in the towards disabled children. We let Head Teacher school who teach the children Sign them know that everyone is here to Agururu Primary School Language. Parents are encouraged learn, and learning is a process. PO Box 887 when they see this and have However, attitudes towards disability Tororo, Uganda changed their attitudes. often originate in their families and Email: [email protected] 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 29

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Regional news

EENET Eastern Africa inclusive education debates; and the inclusive education in Zambia to In September 2007, EENET’s Co- need for sharing African publish on the website. So if you ordinator arranged a two-day experiences. They have also shared have ideas and experiences to meeting in Nairobi with people who information about events and share, or if you could assist with were interested in starting a local publications. developing the network’s activities or inclusive education information- funding, please contact EENET sharing network. Most were from EENET Eastern Africa would like to Zambia. Kenya, but there were also hear from anyone willing to volunteer participants from Somaliland and to help with expanding its Email: [email protected] Sudan. During the first day networking activities. This might Tel: +260 978 882 952 participants discussed the concept involve, for instance, helping to Website: http://enablingeducation of inclusive education, while on the distribute leaflets and EENET’s networkzambia.googlepages.com second day they looked at global newsletters, or assisting networking ideas and activities. It education stakeholders to write REDEinclusão – Portuguese- was decided that a network should about and share their experiences. language network be started, but it should aim to cover Please email the Evena Massae on Associação Cidadãos do Mundo the whole East Africa region, not just [email protected] to (Citizens of the World) has Kenya. discuss your ideas. And of course now launched its Portuguese the network would also like to hear language inclusive education Following the meeting a small from any organisation interested in website - REDEinclusão. voluntary management committee providing financial support for its See: http://redeinclusao.web.ua.pt was formed for the regional network, inclusive education information and an email discussion group sharing work. The site contains a growing started. This email group has been collection of inclusive education very active, with members from EENET Zambia documents in Portuguese, as well Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, EENET Zambia was established in as a newsletter. The first edition of Uganda and even outside the region. 2007. This national network is led the newsletter features articles Discussions have looked so far at: by Francis Simui and Charity from Angola, Guinea Bissau, the role of special schools in the Namitwe, who both studied on the Mozambique and Portugal. development of inclusive education M.Ed. Inclusive Education course (see p.31); inclusion for deaf at Manchester University. While in If you would like to contribute students; involving teachers more in Manchester, they learned about, an article in Portuguese to the were inspired by and did voluntary REDEinclusão newsletter or work for EENET, before returning website, or if you have any If you live or work in East Africa home determined to support better other questions for the network, and would like to join this information sharing in their country. please contact: discussion group, please email: eenet_eastern_africa- EENET Zambia aims to promote Associação Cidadãos do Mundo, [email protected]. dialogue on inclusive education, to rua Gago Coutinho, 6, Please remember to write highlight the challenges being faced 2710-566 Sintra, Portugal. a short note explaining your by Zambian communities and enable Email: [email protected]. involvement in inclusive them to develop their own solutions. education and why you want You can read an interview to join the group. Although still a new network, Sight with Ana Maria Benard da Costa Savers International Zambia has about her work to set up generously loaned office space, and REDEinclusão on page 30. a small website has been started. EENET Zambia is looking for articles and longer documents about

EENET Asia The Asia network continues to grow and has now published five newsletters. A regional email group has been set up. To subscribe, please email: [email protected]

Participants at the Nairobi meeting 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 30

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REDEinclusão – Inclusion Network

In 1998 we interviewed Ana Maria Benard da Costa about her voluntary work to translate EENET's newsletter into Portuguese. Now, ten years later, Ana Maria has led a project to develop an inclusive education information network for teachers, parents, students, policy-makers and NGOs in Portuguese-speaking countries. In this interview with EENET, Ana Maria explains the process, and the challenges, involved in establishing this network.

When and why did you share information and experiences. not meet often as they live in decide to start a Portuguese We translated and adapted different parts of Portugal and language inclusive education materials that we received. most still have full-time jobs. information network? Email has been my greatest This decision was inspired by two Who has helped to make this communication tool, but I felt very different sources. First a friend who project happen? deeply how difficult it is to work on had worked in Rio de Janeiro, We, of course, received help from a project like this when you are not Brazil, with street children our team members (mostly part of an organisation or do not proposed that we set up of an teachers and teacher trainers), plus have colleagues nearby. NGO called ‘Citizens of the World’ NGOs, parents and teachers who to carry out projects to promote have sent us their experiences for What motivates me to pursue this health, education, citizenship and our newsletter. EENET’s newsletter task is the belief in the importance other human rights. is our basic source of inspiration of this communication network and EENET’s Co-ordinator has and the need to not disappoint At the same time, EENET supported and advised us. The all the people who helped me organised a meeting in Portugal to Centre for Studies in Inclusive along the way. discuss its regional networking Education, UNESCO, and the plans. I presented the idea of Ministry of Family and Child What has caused you the promoting inclusive education in Development in British Columbia most stress? Portuguese-speaking countries, have also let us use their The most stress has been caused and Windyz Ferreira presented a documents. The University of by the difficulty in getting similar idea for Brazil. Aveiro helped with the production responses to my requests for of the website and the Gulbenkian people to share their inclusive These two ideas were combined, Foundation provided essential education experiences. At one and a group of people from funding for our activities. point, I thought that I was never different fields (health, education, going to receive any stories that social development) came together How did you find the people could be used in the newsletter. to create Citizens of the World and who have written articles for I now realise how difficult it is for its project ‘Inclusion Network’, the newsletter? teachers to write about their own inspired by EENET. Most of the contacts started with real experiences. the people and organisations on We then tried to find funding (which EENET’s mailing list. Many of What has been most took about three years), and now these people then sent us other enjoyable so far? after six years we have finally been contacts, and others have been The most enjoyable moments have able to launch the network. suggested through our team been our team meetings where members. I felt supported and could share What did you do during and discuss ideas, and when I those six years? It has been a very difficult received emails expressing support We created a working group of process – what motivated you for the project or sending stories people committed to inclusive even when the task seemed for the newsletter. education and willing to volunteer impossible? on this project. We met and It was really a very difficult and See page 29 for more information discussed website ideas. We also sometimes lonely process to get about REDEinclusão, and searched for relevant documents REDEinclusão launched, as Ana Maria’s contact details. and people from Portuguese- nowadays I am retired and working speaking countries who could from home. Team members could 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 31

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Debating the role of special schools in inclusive education Dimity Taylor on behalf of the Eastern Africa e-group

There is still much disagreement around the role of special schools in the move towards inclusive education. This topic was recently debated by EENET Eastern Africa’s email discussion group (see page 29 for more information). Here, Dimity Taylor, the first co-ordinator of the e-group, highlights key points raised by debate participants.

The discussion highlighted reasons Contributors felt that this transitional need also to be resource centres for promoting an inclusive approach approach could draw on the that support ‘non-specialised’ to education, including: the social positive characteristics of special inclusive schools to educate children and education benefits for children schools – such as ensuring children with specific impairments in their with and without disabilities; and the with disabilities can interact with and community school. support that inclusive education support each other – as well as on gives to the development of an those of inclusive education. This Creative, flexible solutions inclusive society. It acknowledged approach can be particularly useful The discussions demonstrated the the need to not simply ignore special if the special classes are located need for constant creativity and schools in this process, but to find within mainstream schools, and all flexibility in developing education creative ways of uniting special and children share break times, systems that cater for the needs inclusive education systems. recreation and other activities. Such of all learners. Every approach a process can help prepare the developed in a particular situation Using special education mainstream school for the inclusion must be constantly re-evaluated to build skills of children with disabilities. and altered to ensure it really Some contributors discussed the However, effective planning for this addresses every learner’s needs – idea of using special schools or transition is essential, to ensure that and it may not work as well in classes for several years to build inclusion, and not merely another situation. learners’ specific skills, such as integration, takes place. Braille, Sign Language and other The debate reminded us that if language skills, before including Developing ‘specialised’ inclusion is not done well it can them in mainstream classes. One inclusive schools cause more problems for the contributor illustrated how the The idea of developing mainstream children we are trying to assist. ‘inclusive school’ she had attended schools that specialise in the Participants suggested there is – which she felt provided her with inclusion of children with a particular no need to draw a hard line ‘academic inclusion’ but not the impairment has been debated (e.g. a between special schools and skills and confidence necessary for mainstream school that specialises inclusive approaches to education. ‘social inclusion’ – could have in including children with visual Both systems have benefits, and been supported by special impairments). This would not drawbacks. Some felt that inclusive education. This example is from exclude children with other (or education is not about ‘inclusion at the USA but nevertheless offers without) impairments from attending all costs’ (i.e. putting children into important lessons for our activities the school, nor prevent children with a situation where they are not able in Eastern Africa: that particular impairment attending to learn). Inclusive education is other schools. about ensuring the best education, “I am deaf…I did have both socially and academically, for sign language interpreters This approach could build on a all children, including, but not for...classroom lectures, but never positive aspect of special schools; limited to those with disabilities. for social interactions in the the fact that some (though not all) cafeteria or on the playground... are centres of excellence in a The discussion reinforced the I had very little social interaction particular area of education. need to develop a system that uses with most of my hearing peers However, every child has the right to the best elements of all approaches for most of my education... attend school close to their home, to education; blended in a way perhaps I would have stronger and specialisation can be expensive. that addresses the needs of, and social skills…if I had had the So, ‘specialised’ inclusive schools upholds the rights of, every learner. opportunity to attend a ‘deaf school’ for at least a few years This is a controversial issue. What role, if any, do you think special schools of my early childhood.” can, should or have played in the development of inclusive education? EENET wants to hear from you! 5011-EENET-Issue12:EENET 21/8/08 14:21 Page 32

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Useful publications

Education’s Missing Millions: Inclusion in Action DVD A limited number of printed or CD Including disabled children ZAPDD and MoEVT, with NFU/ copies are available from EENET. in education through EFA Atlas Alliance, 2008 Download PDF version from FTI processes and national This 95-minute DVD with workbook www.eenet.org.uk/theory_practice/ sector plans documents inclusive education theory_practice.shtml World Vision, 2007 experiences in Zanzibar. It can be This report details the findings of a used for awareness-raising and as a Teachers for All – with a focus study to assess how the Education practical training tool. on learners with disabilities for All Fast Track Initiative Partnership Available from EENET. This website is an interactive teacher is tackling the challenges of disability training tool featuring text, video and and inclusion in education. Inclusive Education: audio files about the practicalities of Available from: Where there are few resources inclusive education from a disability Philippa Lei Atlas Alliance, (updated 2008) perspective. It is a joint project with Senior Child Rights Policy Adviser This revised edition of the book first universities, teacher training World Vision UK published in 2002, looks at colleges and ministries in Kenya, World Vision House inclusive education concepts and Norway and Uganda. Opal Drive strategies in resource-poor See: www.intermedia.uio.no/ Fox Milne contexts. It has been updated to teachersforall Milton Keynes MK15 0ZR, UK present a wider perspective on Bangladesh; Ingrid Lewis, Uganda; Rudy Klass, Senegal. etnam; Mathura Tripura, Email: philippa.lei@ inclusive education – looking Young Voices: Young people’s worldvision.org.uk beyond the school and beyond views of inclusive education Website: www.worldvision.org.uk/ disability issues. It also contains Åse Driveness and Ingrid Lewis/ server.php?show=nav.1780 a new selection of case studies. Atlas Alliance, 2008 French translation available on Available, after October 2008, This resource consists of a short EENET’s website: from EENET and from: DVD and a booklet. The booklet www.eenet.org.uk/other_langs/ The Atlas Alliance contains photographs taken by documents.shtml Schweigaardsgt 12 disabled and non-disabled PO Box 9218 Grønland students in Tanzania and Uganda. Family Friendly: Working 0134 Oslo, Norway The students use the images to with deaf children and their Fax: + 47 23 16 35 95 explain their views of education – communities worldwide [email protected] what makes them feel included or Deaf Child Worldwide, 2008 excluded. The DVD shows some This book aims to raise awareness Making Schools Inclusive: of the students discussing their of the role of parents and families How change can happen. views of education and engaging in the lives of deaf children. Save the Children’s experience in their daily activities at school. It provides examples of families, Save the Children, 2008 Available from EENET after service providers and deaf people Case studies from 13 countries October 2008. working together. The book takes illustrate inclusive education an action research approach approaches that: target specific and contains case studies and groups of vulnerable children; build EENET practical guidance. inclusive school communities; c/o Educational Support Available from: promote change throughout an and Inclusion Deaf Child Worldwide education system; and address School of Education 15 Dufferin Street financial barriers to inclusive The University of Manchester Oxford Road London EC1Y 8UR, UK education. It aims to inspire others, Manchester M13 9PL, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7549 0454 by showing what can be achieved. Tel: +44 (0)161 275 3711 Fax: +44 (0)20 7251 5020 It also highlights important lessons Fax: +44 (0)161 275 3548 Cover photos by: (top of page) Save the Children, Vietnam (clockwise from top left) Ingrid Lewis, Uganda; Vi Email: [email protected] learned from the challenges that Mobile/SMS: +44 (0)7929 326 564 Save the Children has faced in Email: [email protected] different situations. Web: www.eenet.org.uk

Please tell us about any publications you have produced or that you would recommend to other EENET readers.

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