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Room for Growth Training and Support for Mother-Tongue Preschool Teachers in the Guera Region of Chad

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Room for Growth Training and Support for Mother-Tongue Preschool Teachers in the Guera Region of Chad DigitalResources SIL eBook 68 Room for Growth Training and support for mother-tongue preschool teachers in the Guera region of Chad Caroline J. Tyler Room for Growth Training and support for mother-tongue preschool teachers in the Guera region of Chad Caroline J. Tyler SIL International® 2016 SIL e-Books 68 2016 SIL International® ISSN: 1934-2470 Fair-Use Policy: Books published in the SIL e-Books (SILEB) series are intended for scholarly research and educational use. You may make copies of these publications for research or instructional purposes free of charge (within fair-use guidelines) and without further permission. Republication or commercial use of SILEB or the documents contained therein is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the copyright holder(s). Series Editor Becky Quick Volume Editors Dirk Kievit Bonnie Brown Managing Editor Eric Kindberg Compositor Bonnie Waswick Abstract Teachers play a critical role in facilitating effective learning in the classroom. This is particularly true in innovative education projects in low-income countries which seek to ground children’s learning in their first language and culture. In this study I evaluated teacher training and support in mother-tongue preschool classes run by the Guerguiko language association in the francophone African country of Chad. These classes help children develop early literacy, numeracy and French language skills, giving them a head start in French-medium Grade 1. For this study I adopted a case study approach and gathered qualitative data through stakeholder interviews, class observations and project documentation. The findings of my research underline the importance of timely and relevant training and ongoing support for teachers which actively promotes continuing professional development. The findings illuminated two areas of teacher competence in particular: 1) teachers’ development of linguistic skills appropriate to the multilingual learning environment in question, and 2) literacy teaching skills that incorporate both letter-based and story-based activities within a culturally relevant curriculum. The study showed that teachers benefit from opportunities for reflective professional development within the context of a community of practice. This community is established and strengthened through pre-service training courses, one-to-one supervision visits from qualified and experienced support staff and regular in-service opportunities with other preschool teachers. This supportive environment gives teachers room to grow by encouraging them to practice and develop new knowledge, skills and attitudes. The recommendations flowing from my research centre around ways to improve aspects of current teacher training and support. For more information, email [email protected]. Cover photo by Caroline Tyler. Used with Permission. Contents Abstract Contents Acknowledgments Abbreviations Chapter 1 Setting the Scene 1.1 Mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) 1.2 The Chadian context 1.3 Language-in-education issues 1.4 MTB-MLE in Chad 1.5 Impetus for this research 1.6 Research aims Chapter 2 Considerations and Challenges for MTB-MLE Teachers 2.1 Key teaching competencies for MTB-MLE contexts 2.1.1 Linguistic skills 2.1.2 Pedagogical skills 2.1.3 Intercultural skills 2.2 Effective models of training and support 2.3 Emerging issues Chapter 3 Stakeholder Views, Practices and Experiences 3.1 Methodology and data collection 3.2 The value of previous experience 3.3 Initial training 3.4 In-service workshops 3.5 Supervision 3.6 Teaching competencies 3.6.1 Skills in L1 3.6.2 Letter-based L1 literacy teaching 3.6.3 Story-based L1 literacy teaching skills Chapter 4 Conclusions and Recommendations on Teacher Preparation and Support Appendix A: Languages of the Guera, Chad Appendix B: FAPLG Preschool Programme Objectives and Summary of Content Appendix C: Guerguiko Villages Surrounding the Mount Guera Mountain Range Appendix D: Ethics and Background Information Form Appendix E: Details of Data Gathered Appendix F: Research Methodology Appendix G: Sample Interview Schedule (Preschool Teacher Interviews) Appendix H: FAPLG Teacher Training and Support Framework Appendix I: FAPLG Adult Teacher Training Schedule Appendix J: FAPLG Preschool Teacher Training Schedule Appendix K: Sample Letter Lessons from L1 Literacy Materials Appendix L: Summary of L1 Story-based Activities Appendix M: Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations References iv Acknowledgments I would like to express my appreciation to all those who have provided assistance and encouragement during the course of this research project. I am especially grateful to the Guerguiko teachers, staff and board members who participated enthusiastically through interviews and observations, as well as my FAPLG and SIL colleagues who gave of their time for interviews and who encouraged me to pursue this endeavour. v Abbreviations CPD continuing professional development ECD early childhood development FAPLG Fédération des Associations pour la Promotion des Langues du Guéra (Guera Literacy Federation) KRT key resource teacher L1 first language, mother tongue L2 second language MLE multilingual education MoI medium of instruction MSA Modern Standard Arabic MT mother tongue MTB-MLE mother-tongue-based multilingual education MTE mother tongue education NDL non-dominant language NGO non-governmental organisation NQT newly qualified teacher PARSET Programme d’Appui au Réforme du Secteur de l’Education au Tchad (Support Programme for Educational Reform in Chad) PEBIMO Projecto de Escolarização Bilingue em Moçambique (Bilingual Schooling Project in Mozambique) SIL SIL International UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation vi Chapter 1 Setting the Scene “I really appreciate this work. Over the last 3 years, some of my [preschool] children have already reached Grade 1, 2 and 3 [in primary school] and are making good progress. Sometimes they are among the best pupils in the class and that gives me great pleasure”. NT, Guerguiko preschool teacher, Chad One of the most vivid memories from my first months of living and working in the Guera region of Chad was visiting a preschool class in a rural village half an hour’s drive from the main town of Mongo. Like many Chadian classrooms, this class met in a makeshift shelter which hosted a crowd of dusty children sitting on a large plastic mat. Their teacher had only a few resources and a simple blackboard at his disposal. The teacher, a middle-aged man from the local community, had received no formal teacher training and had left secondary school after four years, having achieved the general secondary certificate. Unlike many other Chadian classrooms, however, the learners were attentive and engaged in their learning, participating in discussions and games, obviously enjoying a good relationship with their teacher and keen to show off their emerging literacy and numeracy skills to the visitors. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this learning environment was the language factor—both children and teacher were at ease using their first language, or mother-tongue, as a valuable communication and learning resource. I arrived in Chad in early 2006 to work as mother-tongue (MT) literacy specialist with SIL Chad, the local branch of SIL International, a “faith-based non-profit organization committed to serving language communities worldwide as they build capacity for sustainable language development” (SIL International 2013). I was seconded to the Guera region, home to 27 language communities (Lewis 2009), to help support MT literacy activities run by FAPLG, the Guera languages and literacy federation, a partner organisation of SIL Chad. Appendix A shows a map of languages of the Guera. FAPLG is a civil society organisation which currently supports 18 member language associations seeking to use their language for literacy and development activities. In 2013, FAPLG was awarded a UNESCO literacy prize in recognition of its efforts to combat illiteracy. In 2006, FAPLG was composed of five member language associations running MT adult literacy classes in the following language communities: Dangaleat, Guerguiko, Kenga, Migaama, and Sokoro. In addition, two of these language associations (Guerguiko and Dangaleat) were running experimental MT preschool classes, following an introductory workshop in 2005. These classes aim to give 5–6 year old children a head-start to school life by introducing them to first language (L1) literacy, L1 maths, and second language (L2) speaking and listening skills (FAPLG 2010). Appendix B summarises programme objectives and content. SIL partnered with FAPLG in developing and expanding this project and specifically in the domains of programme planning, curriculum and materials development, and teacher training and support. Since the experimental phase, the preschool programme has expanded to include nine language associations and the number of classes has grown from five in 2006 to 75 in 2015. A total of 1,292 children completed the six-month programme in 2014 (FAPLG 2014). These MT preschool classes have generally been successful in helping children improve their chances of success at primary school by preparing them for school life and introducing them to basic literacy and numeracy skills. 1.1 Mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) Mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) has received increasing attention in recent years as a means of improving the quality of formal education offered
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