each government competency. The team then adds performance indicators for each learning outcome. The indicators state the things that students should be able to do to show they have achieved each outcome. Government supervisors have expressed their appreciation for the curriculum and given MTB MLE teachers permission to use it.
Teaching materials follow a pedagogical approach to language education that focuses on both meaning and accuracy. Men and women from the local communities attend writing workshops each year where they learn to create stories that relate to the students’ community and culture. These stories are for teachers to read to their students and for children to read alone or together. For academic subjects, the curriculum team reviewed government textbooks to identify the content of each of the lessons. They then developed MT-specific lessons to teach the same content but using local themes that build on MT students’ knowledge and experience. All the materials were checked with literacy consultants and tested in the community.
PCDP began the first literacy project and so was the first to develop a MT curriculum and materials. The other SLD literacy projects have used PCDP’ s materials as a guide in developing materials for their own programmes. SIL consultants have continued to help the newer literacy projects with planning and by checking materials.
How do you train teachers?
Teachers for MT1 and MT2 3 take part in one pre-service and two in-service training workshops in which they learn MLE principles and teaching methodology. They practice the games, songs and other learning activities that they will use in their classrooms. Teachers also have time to practice reading and writing in their MT since this will be different from their own primary education experience. During in-service training, teachers are encouraged to give feedback and discuss the challenges they are facing in their classrooms.
For primary Grades 1 to 5 there are usually two teacher-training workshops a year. The first training session focuses on the syllabus for that year. During in-service training, teachers can share teaching problems, learn about topics they will encounter in the syllabus and get any additional help they need. Pre- and in-service training also provides instruction and time to practice specific parts of the curriculum.
Each programme also organizes training events to build the capacity of male and female members of the village school committees so that they will know their roles and responsibilities in supporting their school and teachers and will be successful in managing their school.
How do you supervise classrooms?
Each project has school supervisors who have been trained to monitor MTB MLE kindergarten and primary classes. School supervisors make weekly school visits. After each visit they complete
3 MT1 and MT2 are equivalent to Kindergarten years 1 and 2.
Booklet for Case Studies
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