263 Literacy and Reading in Nigeria Vol.13, No. 1, 2011

An Overview Voicesfrom Afi'ica on literacyfor the attainment ofsustainable development:

Nkechi M. Christopher University of , Nigeria [email protected]

Abstract Development is achievable and sustainable through literacy. Africa has lagged behind in both. To improve living conditions and make life worth living for Africans, the achievement and sustenance offunctional and lifelong literacy is a necessity in national development and nation building. Voices from Africa on Literacyfor theAttainment ofSustainable Development addresses diverse issues The book on literacy as the fulcrum of sustainable development. of readings denotes advances being made in the African literacy landscapes, suggesting that African scholars are coming to grips with Africa’s literacy situation.

Keywords: Language Literacy LiterarySustainable development Training

Introduction The contributions in this book of readings address many issues on literacies for the attainment of sustainable development. Although the book is titled Voicesfrom Africa on literacy for the attainment of sustainable development, some chapters have been contributed by non— Africans from the United States of America, Canada and the , in addition to on themes and how the Afi'ican authors. The contributions are grouped into these four parts based w1iters handled them: 1. General: Postulations on matters ofliteracy and sustainable development 2. Literary works and projects

3 . Training and literacy projects 4. Language and literacy research to The tour of the books takes us from Swaziland to other African countries and back

Swaziland ~ the last chapter is concerned with how to find a way out of the devastating menace being wreaked by HIV and AIDS in that country.

Part 1:General: Postulations on matters of literacy and sustainable development have been and Papers in the first part of Voices dwell on how literacy and access to literacy African environment to sustainable can be entrenched in the pursuit of a literacy-rich engender remedies to development. In Chapter 1, Alan Brody, writing from his heart, proffers literacy various socio—cultural problems and inadequacies in the continent, from household management on the scene in Swaziland when to the fight against the HIV and AIDS scourge. Brody was HIV/AIDS ravaged the small country and responded in his capacity as the UNICEF fruits representative by exploiting the enchantment in storytelling, such as “The forbidden fru—fru epidemic,” to deliver the message ofcaution to the people. In another vein, Alan Brody indicates that successful teaching leaves enduring impact on is learners, especially when it is in tune with their environment. “Doing” literacy reaching people also as a of the in the “language” that they understand; not only as a linguistic entity, but product

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environment. His major concern in the paper is how we cut across to people inside and outside the classroom with literature and literacy that they can identify with, and which bring about personal development and social change. Good writing and good books cannot be compromised in teaching literacy, but are worthless without societal values, learner participation and, particularly, good teachers. Onyedikachi Abiodun-Ekus and Chukwuemeka Onukaogu in the next chapter also make reference to the training of teachers on literacy teaching in Nigeria. However, the focus of their chapter, “Reading in Nigeria: Yesterday, today and tomorrow — The place of RAN,” is the activities of RAN (Reading Association of Nigeria) since its inception, as wells as its teething problems, and what it has offered and stands to offer Nigeria and Africa. The indication is that RAN, having been set up to redress the falling reading culture in Nigeria at her critical period of socio—economic crises, also played a major role in the establishment and sustenance of PAN African Reading for All Conference. Both bodies have provided forums for teacher training and professional development of reading specialists in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. Therefore, they suggest that RAN’should provide leadership in the advancement of literacy development in Nigeria. on the Maduabuchi Focusing individual, Chinyere (Chapter 3, “Building a total person for sustainable development through reading") insists that in today‘s world only a “total person” can utilize available resources and opportunities to live a life with meaning while escaping prevalent of diseases and traps other malaise in society. Taking us through the benefits of reading to the “total and the person" arsenal of literacy skills they possess, she highlights problems encumbering schools from developing that total person. She therefore, enunciated the need for entrenching lCT (information and communication technologies) literacies and the right reading in in pedagogies Nigerian schools, addition to a list ofother antidotes for tackling impediments to literacy development ofthe total person. Ken Goodman in 4: Chapter “Making sense ofall kinds ofprints” suggests that literacy is not the exclusive of set of in — preserve any people society any person that can use oral language can learn to read and write. He in demystifies print any language or writing system and tells us that any efl‘icient reader three when applies cuing systems reading, and that miscues give us insight into how make sense of people print when they read. identifying the psycholinguistic strategies involved in he recommends that texts for reading, teaching reading should be as authentic as so that possible the predictability factor is not compromised. Such materials already exist in the leamers‘ environment. And while the importance of a child learning an international language cannot be underplayed, equating literacy with the ability to read and write in that language and not in the mother tongue is misplaced and hurts learning in general and reading and writing in Goodman particular. observes that developing capacity for mother tongue literacy learning does not investment 7 but the require heavy perhaps, political will and dedicated attention, as chapters by Saleh ldris and Tanya Spronk also suggest. School drop-outs become marginalized in society, but far more than they, people living with disabilities are handicapped without literacy. Cebsile qumalo’s concern in Chapter 5, “Including the excluded in literacy programmes" is how to cater for a significant portion of society that is of access to deprived literacy, acquisition of which will alleviate the suffering brought about by disabilities. physical While many governments, such as that of Swaziland, have statistics of with little is people living disabilities, very being done to address their peculiar needs so that they can benefit from literacy programmes. He indicates that society needs to adopt humane attitudes towards learners with special education needs in order to decisively tackle the diverse obstacles thathinder their access to literacy and self—empowerment. Yetta Goodman gives attention to the literacy development of children. She observes that

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children are adequately exposed to literacy skills in their environment which need to be built on by teachers and family in helping the child advance on those skills. Seemingly picking up a thread from Ken Goodman's article that says: “Like oral language development reading and writing develop in the context oftheir use” (p. 62), she suggests that the reading curriculum should extend literacy activities taking place around children. “Building literacy on the cxpcricnccs of children” (Chapter 6) indicates that children generally like reading and writing and want to do what they see adults and other children around them do. Moreover, Goodman explains her ‘ conceptualization of multiple roads to literacy learning and gives signposts for identifying and following through. Still on children, Angela Okpala in Chapter 7 identifies challenges to “Reading promotion that school libraries can take to among children in Nigeria.“ Okpala recommends steps engender the love of reading among children and ensure that they have access to books. In addition to teachers and librarians taking advantage of resources available on the Internet in the process. the children can be guided to generate their own reading resources and to participate in promotion ofreading. It is impoflant to ascertain that efforts invested on teaching reading to children are productive. Indeed “assessment has become one of the major determining elements of reading instruction today” (p. 106), surmised Christy in Chapter 8: “Methods and materials for continuous assessment of reading progress among primary children.” She observes that some assessment when tools are generally not easy to utilize with integrity in African situations. especially being no for African which used to assess second languages (European). They are also good languages differ significantly from European languages. Therefore, continuous formative assessment is to be preferred to standardized tests in order to teach meaningfully and monitor reading progress. Christy demonstrates how teachers can design levels oftests and‘locally generate materials in L1 (mother tongue e child's first language) for the teaching and assessment ofreading. in On the same trail, “Some assessment procedures for enhanced teaching of reading Nigeria” by Moji Olateju, while setting aside traditional standardized tests explains seven authentic reading assessment procedures that teachers should adopt as an aspect to teaching discussed reading so as to ensure that leamers‘ cognitive abilities are developed. The procedures involve learners and teacher in formative assessments, a process that could reveal learners' areas where learners need more on progress. permit individualized attention and indicate support that teachers in their way to becoming competent literates. However, she notes Nigeria's present dispensation cannot implement the methods without further training. Moreover, for students to present “oral seminars on books they have read” (Olateju, p. 124), they need to have access to books, which usually is not the case. Nkechi Christopher (Chapter 10) and Tanya Spronk (Chapter ll) focus on book publishing in two different contexts. Christopher and points out in her discussion on “The book in Nigeria in the 2lst Century: Prospects challenges" that publishing in Nigeria has not kept pace with global publishing trends, and that internal and external to the progress achieved in some areas is attenuated by problems industry. Thus, still grappling with the vagaries of traditional publishing in Nigeria’s socio—economic and climate, publishers are yet to adopt or adapt essential digital publishing facilities opportunities. Nonetheless, Christopher sees ICT as a convenient bridge between publishers and learners in the classroom, as this will ensure and increase access to literacy materials across the country. and African leaders are largely unaware of the intricacies ofbook development, production distribution. ln Nigeria, in spite of a comparatively long history of publishing, the government to instructional materials are changes curriculum at will with little or no consideration given how are unable to to be produced by commercial publishers. Often, publishers adequately recoup

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before have to embark on another investment made on producing to a curriculum change they yet titles. is bound to be — educational they cannot enjoy the dividend of prolonged sales of Quality to. article warns against compromised, and other genres unattended Therefore, Tanya Spronk‘s the low level of available taking book production for granted, especially considering technology on the in Eritrea. Her in most African contexts. Spronk‘s guidelines are based experience gained is a must—read article, “Educational book production: Allowance for the logistics" (Chapter 11) in Africa. what is involved in for governments and educational policy makers Learning educational book (and support materials) production, taking time to plan, providing adequate are inevitable if a a ministry of resources and being faithful to a book project government, and sustain a successful educational programme education or a funding body is to initiate supported by state-wide book provision.

Part 2:Literary works and projects as well as on Part 2 contains propositions on how to and how not to use literary works, reports materials. Featured first in this part is practical steps taken in South Africa to develop literary in schools. titled: "When textbooks are few: Anne Sullivan’s panacea for low book availability for skills." One say but most African The poem as a compressed form teaching reading may so and therefore this may not be feasible. countries may not have published many poems proposal asserts that: there is a culture, there is a poetry” May be they have not, but Sullivan “Everywhere that children be directed to do research (p. 168). And for content areas studies('?). she recommends fuse emotion and content" it is and writc their own poems. Besides, “because poems (p. 168), does not at that: she easier for learners to remember what they learn through poetry. But she stop for and for elucidates how poems provide a window exploring language developing specific

reading skills. _ as cultural artefacts with their Azeez Sesan on his part takes literary works that, together and human creators, have roles to play in a state of anomy. In Chapter 13, “Artists, society capital is in a state of but that development: The Nigerian example,” he establishes that Nigeria anomy, can transform the she also has within her artists that can create and produce popular culture that works that sometimes society. He cites examples from well-known Nigerian authors' express, the state and fururistically (for example one of Christopher Okigbo's poems), of anomy proffer own “We contend that in form, unique solutions to observed inadequacies. In his words: art, any a writer's achieves its purpose in human and national development through technique, disposition ofthe audience and accessibility ofthe art form” (p. 171). Nor without and “Literary models for national enlightenment: Langston Hughes's laughter Sesan‘s Zaynab Alkali‘s The virtuous woman” by Francis Mogu goes along with argument. Mogu of an American writer and that in Chapter 14 attempts to draw a parallel between the work(s) to note that the American male author wrote on (those) of a Nigerian writer. Would it be pertinent female author wrote on a female , an American male protagonist and the Nigerian protagonist? but female is the this gender issue is not a significant factor in Mogu's paper, gender portrayal and attitudes contention of Soneye and Fajobi in Chapter 15. Mogu indicates that the lifestyle while his Sandy Rogers was trained to cultivate in a hostile American community, pursuing man him later in life. The education tenaciously, combined to emancipate him and made a great of and class—based hostility ofNana Ai's community in Alkali‘s The virtuous woman is both gender— which the — considered that is, why should a woman from a poor family attend a school high—brow chiefs daughters could not? to the female into works that It is the carry-over of society‘s unpleasantness gender literary forestall creative unbiased Taiwo Soneye and Eunice Fajobi quarrel with because of its power to inclusive 15) thinking among young learners. “Enhancing literacy through language” (Chapter

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convinces us that the use of gender—insensitive language should no longer be taken for granted or ignored because language has the power to create lasting images and impressions, and negative ones are inimical to development ofa healthy mind set and to nation—building. How to to in bring people indulge literary activities in family and community are tasks that Snoek Desmond and Hunt embarked on. George Desmond in Chapter 16 presents a report on a in KwaZulu Natal family literacy project (South Africa) that was geared at establishing a literacy culture at home so that preschoolers could acquire prevliteracy skills before entering school. This would eliminate low achievement when enter literacy kids school, and create an environment that will foster a lifelong love of reading. hopefully. There were indications that participants became more aware oflittle interactions with children that in no small way enhance literacy acquisition Hunt's article is on Although George (Chapter 17) also family literacy, the major goals were to cultural relevant Ll material in a generate reading community previously undersen'ed (as a consequence ofapartheid) and to inculcate literacy habits in the school children and adults alike. Hunt observes that the initial enthusiasm with which the project was embraced at the beginning waned. Thus materials earlier generated and literacy skills development approaches taught teachers were not sufficiently included in the instmctional process, even though the pupils seemed to both. A enjoy prevalent misconception is that time spent on learning L1 and L1 literacy is better utilized in and developing teaching L2 (second language), which is considered more relevant for personal/economic advancement. Hunt concludes that the L1 family literacy aspect of (and indeed) an additix’e bilingualism can be sustained project only by community members pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps, and not by occasional visits by an external consultant.

Part 32Literacy and training projects - in Part3 are accounts of Papers intervention and teacher training programmes. six and four papers, respectively. CLE was used in two separate interventions on similar students in Plateau State, Nigeria, Charity Andzayi and Sarah Nengel (Chapter 18) trialled concentrated language encounter on and (CLE) hearing visually impaired primary students with great success. but not without impediments. They had to train teachers on how to use the approach after its modification and to meet the children‘s adaptation special learning needs. In the second account. Gladys Babudoh in Chapter 19 illustrates how she and teachers adapted CLE to help hearing-impaired students to overcome blocks to to learning read. She adopted strategies that allowed her to initiate learners and into, take them through, a development process ofreading, signing and writing. Moira Chimombo‘s account is on “Approaches to keeping orphans and vulnerable children in school” in Malawi (Chapter 20). The special needs of children without family were being addressed by giving special training on early childhood education to preschool teachers and so that the trainees could caregivers teach children under their care pre—literacy, pre—numeracy and psychosocial skills 7 skills usually taken for granted in normal family conditions. 1n a different circumstances situation, led Chinwe Muodumogu (Chapter 21) to establish a reading club for the purpose ofraising the literacy skills of pre~university students in Benue State University, Nigeria. Mostly through personal effort, she has kept the reading club going and the students have acquired and improved upon higher level literacy skills through participation in the activities ofthe reading club. In other kinds of interventions Onyedikachi Abiodun-Ekus (Chapter 22) and Charles Jegede and Favour indicate Jiboye (Chapter 23) that communities' literacy landscapes were changed the restoration of a through secondary school library and the teaching of rural women basic literacy skills, respectively. Abiodun—Ekus observed that students of the school expanded their educational scope by going beyond secondary level education by reason of having access to

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in books the school library. Similarly, Jegede and Jiboye empowered rural traders who now applied literacy skills acquired during the intervention exercise in their trading business. Both projects were carried out in Nigeria and supported by the International Reading Association (IRA). Recognizing that teachers are usually not trained to teach reading skills, Timothy Oyetunde and Chinwe Muodumogu (Chapter 24) tailored a training programme for content areas teachers to enable them solve literacy learning inadequacies they identified among their students, and to acquire strategy instruction skills for the purpose of developing strategic learners The authors analyzed teachers‘ responses to ascertain the impact the training had on teachers' understanding of and as well as strategic reading instruction. how much they were now capable oftackling poor learning habits among their students. Suzanna Umoh, Sarah Oden and Patience Ebam (Chapter 24) report on a more elaborate training programme organized for teachers in two states in the Niger Delta region. They report that the training programme on general education and subject specializations equipped those teachers without prior training on general education for easier handling of their subject matter in class. Nonetheless, Barbara Basel (Chapter 26,) felt that personal testimony was inadequate in assessing educators' mentoring competence. Responses given to assignments with varied levels ofdifliculty reveal that the educators were in much need of training in academic literacy in order to understand tasks and give feedback that will be relevant in the assessment ofmentees. In concluding this part, Obiajulu Emejulu and Pamela Rettig inform us in Chapter 27 that to succeed, the implementation ofliteracy intervention programmes in communities requires tact in addition to painstaking planning and execution. They hope that the details of their experience in Awka—Etiti in , Nigeria, where they trained teachers on teaching reading, would others in derivable guide maximizing benefits from such intervéntion programmes as well as encourage them to maintain post—intervention interaction.

Part 4:Language and literacy research In the final part of Voices are reports of studies carried out to find out the state of affairs in language learning in schools, and the influence of reading and culture on behaviour. Saleh ldris writes about the (Chapter 28) steps taken by the Eritrean government, after a national reading survey, to develop appropriate instructional materials in nine languages. Although teaching in mother tongue is pedagogically sound. the country also wants to ensure that students acquire enough language arts skills in an international language. Chapters 29 and 30 surveyed reading and writing performance in primary schools in Kenya and Nigeria, and the implications of underachievement on lifelong learning and for policy formulations. Agnes Gathumbi's paper reports on a national study that surveyed performance in reading and writing tasks that were designed to test multiple literacy skills. Performance levels varied between public and private schools and between urban and rural schools; but in all, the number of students who could in at operate English the desired competence level (DCL) was less than two—fifth, suggesting that teachers and learners had much work to do to enable learners to comprehend content area subject matters. In Chapter 30, Angela Izuagba and Adaku Afurobi present results ot‘a quasi—experimental study of primary students' performance in L1 and L2 literacy skills in [me State, Nigeria. Performance in English literacy tests by Primary 6 pupils was superior to that in the mother tongue, while the answers to test questions by students in Primary 4 were illegible, and therefore could not be scored. In sum, only the “Primary 6 pupils are minimally literate in English but not literate in the language of the environment” (p. 372). The authors conclude that students at both levels possessed competence levels very inferior to what are expected, and that they would not be

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able to cope with academic work — borrowing from Gathumbi, the learners performed below desired competence level (DCL). However, while Gathumbi found that girls performed slightly better than boys, lzuagba and Afurobi found that gender made no significant difference in test performance. Can we trace the sources of difficulties in literacy development among pupils? Grace Gadagbui (Chapter 31) sought to link reading difficulties with the child‘s family background. Through the pronunciation of sight words and naming of pictures, she was able to test pupils' reading abilities, the scores ofwhich were compared with the testees' family backgrounds. She concludes that family background, when defined as parents' level ofeducation. is not as important as whether a child is exposed to reading and reading materials at home. The individual child's intelligence level and life ambition may also be ofimportance. The next two chapters go beyond literacy acquisition to examine the use to which literacy competence is put in a person's life. Margaret Baleeta (Chapter 32) believes that presenting information in the vernacular will contribute to nation—building in Uganda, and so she researched “The role ofvernacular newspapers in promoting sustainable national development: The case of U ganda" by interviewing readers ofBukedde, a newspaper in Luganda. She concludes from her discussion with its readers that newspapers in indigenous languages have the potential to reach most people (in rural communities in particular) with development information and materials that can enhance personal intellectual development and good health. How we can use literacy (bibliotherapy) to restore healthy marital relationship in Botswana is the desire of M. A. Onyewadume who wrote on “Marital stress reduction and reading: Implications for nation-building.” The scholar cast a research net into the society and was able to find 68 out 0f200 married persons that used bibliotherapy to reduce marital stress — more females than males. With very high divorce rate and increasing incidence of passion killing, bibliotherapy can be employed by government and marriage counsellors to stem marital stress. The author discusses four major themes that emerged from the study that, if addressed, could lead to the creation ofa Vibrant reading culture in Botswana. Taking us back to Swaziland, in the last chapter of Voices, “Socio-cultural beliefs and practices, behaviour change and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Swaziland: The views of students,” S. Malindzisa and G. Nyakutse discover with students the link between culture and HIV andAIDS pandemic (Chapter 34). According to the authors, several approaches to stem the spread ignored cultural practices of the people. Thus, although many students were not ignorant of HIV and AIDS, cultural beliefs and practices took precedence over the exercise ofprecautionary measures, such as the use of condom. The chapter suggests that focus group discussions could help youths to become more conscious ofthe dangers involved in, and how to avoid, risky behaviours,

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Conclusion Taken together, Pbiccs/‘i‘om Africa on litel'acvfi1rtlze attainment ofsustainable development indicates that the African continent is becoming more aware of its literacy situation, and that literacy activities are ongoing. However, efforts are still minimal compared to the burden of illiteracy and the low availability level of print and non—print materials. There is no doubt that literacy experts and linguists need to confer with governments to chart a practicable course to sustainable development through literacy acquisition. On the other hand, Voices from Africa on literacy for the attainment of sustainable development is such great synergy ofliteracy efforts across African countries that each country can buy into in expanding its literacy development programmes. This publication in presenting to readers literacy activities in other parts ofAfrica not only creates awareness but also expands the literacy development space for each country within the continent. Literacy practitioneis can borrow a leaf from what colleagues elsewhere are doing to increase their relevance in their own country. Sustainable development is a personal as well as a community issue; and Chapters in the publication aptly elucidate how to be involved at both levels.

Reference

Christopher, N. M. ted.) (2009). Vaicesfivm Africa on literacyfor the attainment of sustainable development. International Development in Africa Committee (lDAC) & International Reading Association (IRA),

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