Implementing an Early Grade Reading Program Aligned to the National Language Policy in Education:

The Government Perspective

MONTHMARCH

YEAR2018

Felicia Boakye-Yiadom

Title: EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Natonal Council for Curriculum and Assessment, MOE,Ghana

LANGUAGE IN READING INSTRUCTION,

GHANA

MOE, Ghana, is implementing a Language in Reading instruction

program through the USAID Partnership for Education: Learning

(Learning) .

The program is supporting the implementation of the Ghana’s LiE Policy

and also the Textbook policy.

11 Ghanaian Languages that are officially recognized for use in

schools.

Two-pillar system (Ghanaian Language and English)

Ghanaian Language is taught as the first language of literacy

English slowly transitions in through the grades, and becomes the

language instruction with the most literacy teaching time from Primary

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Language & Literacy period is 90 minutes in early primary grades ( KG

to Primary 3)

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OVERVIEW OF EARLY GRADE READING PROJECTS IN

GHANA

NALAP: Let’s Read and Write materials

▪ MOE/GES, EDC with USAID funding, 2006-2012

▪ Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMP);

▪ Chicago State University/MOE with USAID funding, 2006-2012

▪ Integrated Approach to Literacy (GES)

▪ MOE/GES with USAID funding, 2012

▪ Enlightening Hearts EGR Manual (Olinga)

▪ Literacy Learning Through Play (Right to Play)

▪ Early Childhood Education Teacher’s Manual

(UNICEF/GES)

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ELEMENTS ADOPTED BY LEARNING

USAID Partnership for Education: Learning (Learning) project

began in 2014, has produced Robust package of EGL

reading materials

Learning has incorporated previous projects by retaining

elements of previous projects, for example

▪ Integrated Approach: Circle time, discussion of a poster of a

busy scene for oral language development

▪NALAP: Integrated high quality stories such as Read Aloud

and Comprehension

▪NALAP : Big Books and Conversational posters

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NEW ELEMENTS UNDER LEARNING

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Learning brought new elements: ▪ Separate teacher guides for each Ghanaian Language (previously

were within one guide), pupil book and Pupil take home books

▪ More structured and coherent language Learning

▪Difficulty of skills builds over time

▪Decodable text built on each unique Ghanaian Language

▪More focus on word reading and fluency

▪Additional phonological awareness skills

▪Focus on decoding using letter sounds

▪More text that is appropriate for early reader level in Ghanaian

Languages

MOE/GES INTEGRATED APPROACH MILESTONES

Big-picture goals for pupil learning over multiple grade levels

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Pupil Learning OutcomesSpecific skills we expect all pupils to develop in each grade level (KG2, P1,

P2)

KG1 KG2 P1 P2 P3

DISTRICT SELECTION:

▪ Initial selection of 165 Districts made up of 61 Performing and

104 Transitioning districts

▪Followed by final selection of 100 districts (31 performing and

69 transitioning ) through Language Matching (LM) criteria

indicating homogenous local language environments where

most pupils speak the approved language of the district.

▪Selected districts were classified into 3 LM categories ;

1. 90-100% of the pupils speak the LOI

2. 80-90% of the pupils speak the LOI

3. Below 80% of the pupils speak the LOI

▪Success was due to great collaboration between Learning and

the GES.

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GES COLLABORATION WITH LEARNING

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Staff embedded in project teams▪NaCCA project team : Literacy writing teams, illustrators, designers,

type setters, validators, trainers and monitors, book distributors and suppliers, etc.

▪Done to build capacity for project sustainability

Review and Validation process (EXCELLENT WORK FLOW)

▪22 NaCCA elected Validators and 11 Learning elected educators and language experts.

▪Field-based review focus groups: 10 teachers and 32 pupil for each of the 11 languages

▪Stakeholder Review: NaCCA TEEC, GBL and Basic Education

▪USAID Administrative staff sign off

▪A final proof review and recommendation for printing: NaCCA, NTC, etc.

GES COLLABORATION WITH

LEARNING

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• Learning project teams:

- Materials writing teams

- Illustrators

- Designers

- Validators

- Trainers and monitors

- Book distributors and suppliers

MATERIALS VALIDATION PROCESS

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PROTOTYPE RESULTS – AFTER 6 MONTHS, PUPILS

ABOVE ZERO WERE ABLE TO READ 16 WORDS PER

MINUTE.

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PROTOTYPE RESULTS – AFTER 6 MONTHS, THERE WAS

A 26 PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE IN

COMPREHENSION (ACROSS ALL PUPILS ASSESSED)

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WORKING TOGETHER

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