Students learn to read and write in their MT. Teachers introduce students to reading and writing in their MT— the language they know best— because
… the purpose of reading is understanding. And understanding is achieved when children make connections between what they read and the knowledge that they already have acquired. Children who have no access to reading materials that build on what they already have acquired, whether language, culture, or geography, are seriously disadvantaged( Prouty, 2009, pp. 17-18).
MTB MLE teachers use a“ dual approach” to help their students learn to read and write in their MT. Students learn the letters of their alphabet and the language sounds associated with each letter. They use that knowledge as they practice reading words and sentences correctly. They also practice writing letters, words and sentences correctly and neatly.
As students learn to sound out words and write sentences correctly, teachers also help them understand that reading and writing are meaningful activities. They give students simple stories in their MT about familiar people, places and activities and encourage them to use the pictures on each page to“ read” the stories to each other. They also encourage students to write their own stories— using their own invented spelling systems— and share the stories with a partner. Teachers continue to use this“ dual approach”, focusing equally on accuracy and meaning, to help students gain fluency and confidence in reading and writing their MT. Here is what educators said about this dual approach at an MTB MLE curriculum development workshop in Ethiopia:
MTB MLE RESOURCE KIT Including the Excluded: Promoting Multilingual Education
We are trying to focus more on meaning and not just on accuracy in the new materials we are preparing. Many times our children don’ t manage all four skills [ hearing, speaking, reading, writing ] because this one – the focus on meaning— is missing.... We have to strengthen speaking and thinking skills and free writing that will make them strong.
The coordinator of an MTB MLE programme that uses the dual approach in northwestern Pakistan said this about their students after just two years of MTB MLE:
Students from our MTB MLE schools can read and write after completing two years of preschool while those from government schools cannot read and write, not even in Grade 5.
Students begin learning the official school language. Students begin learning the school language through“ hear-see-do” activities that help them develop their oral vocabulary. At first, teachers call out simple commands such as“ Stand up” or“ Point to the door.” Students listen and observe the teacher say the commands and do the actions several times. Then they listen again and they do the actions. The teacher adds new words and phrases each day according to a carefully constructed lesson plan.
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