AUTHOR Evaluation of the Southern Sudan Local Languages Educational Attitudes
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 276 294 FL 016 265 AUTHOR Cowan, J. Ronayne; Cziko, Gary A. TITLE Evaluation of the Southern Sudan Local Languages Literacy Project: Final Report. INSTITUTION Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, D.C. SPONS AGENCY Agency for International Development (IDCA), Washington, DC. PUB DATE Nov 84 NOTE 235p. PUB TYPE Reports - Evaluative/Feasibility (142) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *African Languages; Arabic; *Developing Nations; Educational Attitudes; Elementary Education; English (Second Language); Foreign Countries; *Language of Instruction; Language Research; Language Usage; *Literacy Education; *Native Language Instruction; Program Evaluation; *Technical Assistance; Uncommonly Taught Languages IDENTIFIERS *Sudan (South) ABSTRACT This report describes an evaluation of the Local Languages Literacy Project in Southern Sudan, a project to develop literacy education and instructional materials in the various vernaculars of that region and to create a bridge to the more common English and Arabic usage. The first chapter gives background information about the project and the involvement of the United States Agency for International Development and the Center for Applied Linguistics. Chapter 2 examines the social context of the project and describes the research concerning local language and educational attitudes and language use. Chapter 3 outlines the development of the literacy materials at various levels, including those developed for English and Arabic instruction. Chapter 4 describes three evaluations of the project's local impact and discusses the results. Chapters 5 and 6 summarize the major lessons learned from the project. A list of references and instructional materials is appended. (MSE) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Evaluation of theSouthern Sudan Local Languages LiteracyProject: Final Report J Ronayne Cowan andGary A. Cziko University of Illinoisat Urbana4hampaign and Center for Applied Linguistics, WashingtonD.C. iloveaber 19811 U.S. DEPMTMENT OF EDUCATOR Office of Educational Research and Improvemmt "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC) ATMs document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization wigimtinctit. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction Quality. ,yadeA, Points of view or opinions stated in this docu- mentdo notnecessarily represent official TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OERI position or policy. )INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." BEST COPYAVAILABLE PAGEL CONTENTS Preface iii Acknowledgements v 1.0Background to the USAID Project and the CAL. Evaluation 1 2.0 Social Context of theProject 2.1 Introduction 6 2.2 6 Description of Research . 2.2.1 Research Design 7 2.2.2 Data Collection 7 2.3 Results . 7 2.3.1 Background Data 9 9 2.3.1.1Misir . 2.3.1.2 Mayom 9 2.3.1.3 Tambio 10 . .. .. -11 2.3.1.4 Naga . 2.3.2 Questionnaire Data 11 12 2.3.2.1Language Use and Attitudes 12 2.3.2.2 Urban-Rural andAgrarian-Pastoral Differences 2.3.2.3 Reading Interests 13 14 2.3.2.4 Availability andControl of Education 2.3.2.5 Teaching Methods 14 15 2.3.2.6Importance of Education 16 2.3.2.7 Consequences of Education 2.3.2.8 School Attendance 17 2.4 Discussion 18 19 3.0 The Literacy Miterials 3.1Method 24 3.2 Design of the Materials 24 3.3 Problems with the Cycle 25 1 Materials 26 3.3.1 Problems with Orthography Construction 27 3.3.2 Problems Related toVocabulary Control 3.3.3 Proofreading 30 3.4 The English Bridge 33 Materials 34 3.5 Recoamendations for Improvenents 3.6 The Reading Workshop 35 36 3.6.1CUrrent Reading Theory andResearch 3.6.2 Innovations in the Literacy Materials 37 41 3.6.2.1Cycle 2 Innovations 3.6.2.2 Cycle 3 Innovations 41 3.7 Cycle 2 Orthographies 44 3.8 The Arabic Materials 45 45 4.0 Impact of the Project 48 4.1 First Impact Evaluation 49 4.1.1Description of Evaluation 49 PAGE ii 4.1.1.1Evaluation Design 49 4.1.1.2 Instruments 4.1.1.3 Data Collection 49 4.1.2 Results 50 4.1.2.1 Background Data 51 4.1.2.2Process Data 51 54 4.1.2.3 Outcome Date 4.2Second Impact Evaluation 55 57 4.2.1 Description of Evaluation 57 4.2.1.1 Evaluation Design 57 4.2.1.2 Instruments 4.2.1.3 Data C011ection 58 , 60 4.2.2Results 61 4.2.2.1 Background Data 62 4.2.2.2 Process Data 63 4.2.2.3 Outcome Data 67 4.3 Third Impact Evaluation 79 4.3.1 Description of Evaluation 79 4.3.1.1Evaluation Design 79 4.3.1.2 Instruments 79 4.3.1.3 Data Collection 4.3.2 Results -81 82 4.3.2.1Background Data 82 4.3.2.2 Process Data 85 4.3.2.3 Outcome Data 4.4Discussion 87 4.4.1 96 Primary Evaluation and Literacy inthe Rural Southern Sudan 96 4.4.2 Overall LiteracyAchievement 97 4.4.3Evidence of Impact of the Project 4.4.4Implications 98 99 5.0 General Discussion 102 5.0Postscript 111 7.0References 113 8.0 Appendixes 119 PAGE iii PREFACE This report describes, insone detail, a reasonably rigorous investigation of diverse aspects of the LocalLanguages LiteracyProject conducted in Southern Sudan. In numerous areas of theworld, educators are faced with necessityto make important the decisionsconcerning the choice andoptimal sequencingoflanguages for initial literacytrainingand forcontent instruction. Southern Sudan is an area of extremelinguistic heterogeneity in whichliterally dozens of mutuallyunintelligiblelanguagesarespoken. Arabic isthe official language of thecountry although Englishoccupies a special position as a lingua franca inthe southern region, thelanguage of the regional governaent, and the language of communicationbetween Sudan and non-Arabic-speaking states. Therefore,high premium is placedon developing proficiency in both Arabic and English to facilitate educational,occupational and social mobility. This task although complex ismorestraightforward in the northern part of the country where Arabic is widely spoken as a mothertongue. In the South, the numerous mutually unintelligible languages are so unrelated to Arabicthat one canlegitiaatelyraise the question of whetherachild initially introduced to literacy training and tocontentinstruction in the home language might, over.the longrun, benefit lore from formal instruction thana counterpartwho is *submerged" in Arabicfromthe beginning of formal schooling. For our purposes, then, a aajorfocus of theproject concerned whether one could optimallychoose andsequence languages for purposes of initial literacy training and initialcontent instruction to maximizethe educational benefit derived by participating children and thus helpthem to enhance their potential. Analogous situations exist and thedilemma isrepeated innumerous countries throughout the world-- in the Philippines, in Nigeria, in Cameroon, etc. -- and hence the results of this investigation will interest not only Sudanese educators but the myriadothers throughoutthe world whoare also concerned with such questions. Initially, a very optimistic research agendawasenvisioned. There would be stages for needs assessments, planning,materials preparation, teacher training, trial implementation, andrevision followed by the careful selection of groups of project and comparisonchildren who wouldbe observedover a period of years during their primary school training andthe introduction of revisedmaterials.The plan called for an examination ofchildren from. several ethnolinguistic groups from the time they began their formalschooling and were or were not introduced to initial literacy using newly developed vernacular materials to the time whenLley undertook a transition toArabic as the medium of instruction and also beganthe study of English asa second language. Ideally, the childrenwouldhavebeenfollowedthrough the completion of the primary cycle of their education-- i.., Primary 6. By then, it would have been possible to look cumulatively at theprogress made by the children in the comparison groups and in the project groups. One would be ableto exasinethe children's languageabilities, their contentsubject 5 PAGE iv mastery, their school retention rates, theirperformance on the primaryschool leaving examination and their relative ratesof admission to junior secondary school. Other affective informationcould havebeen examined aswell. Unfortunately, despite the fact that theprogram began with a flurry enthusiasm and with a good of dealofsolidaccomplishment inmaterials development andteacher training, workdid notproceed as rapidly as might have been hoped because of various social, economic andpolitical factors. These have affected not only the educationalsystem but also the social fabric of SOuthern Sudan during the past fewyears. The present report, then, is a modest one, but nevertheless in my view an important one. It is important in thatit presents a aodel for consideration by edueationalresearchers in othersimilar settings-- and there are many throughout the world. It is important also because itraises explicitly the question of the utility and benefit to be derived from local languageliteracy projects in settings in which theta is virtually no support whatsoeveroutside the formal school context forsuch literacy once acquired. Theproject is also important because of thedemonstration that such innovation necessitates teamork involving people with training inanthropology, linguistics, and psychology together with those committedto educational reform. The monograph describes the efforts of sucha group. Southern Sudan