As the sun rises over Ngiini Primary School, a buzz of excitement fills the air. It’s 7:00 AM, and eager young learners are already settling in their classroom, ready for their first session of the day – the innovative Language Learning from Familiar to Formal (L2F2) TaRL Class! L2F2 is a Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) innovation which utilizes the local language to help learners acquire literacy skills in the formal language.
We arrive just in time to see Mr. Ombati, a teacher at Ngiini, and Ms. Janiffer, a Training and Mentoring Fellow (TMF), kick off their sessions. They are running two classes simultaneously tailored to the levels of learners: one focusing on foundational skills that is letter recognition and the other engaging advanced learners with paragraphs and stories activities.
The class opens with interactive games designed to warm up the students and reinforce what they learned in their last class. With colorful and visual learning materials like English Calendar Charts and Mind Maps at their disposal, the children engage in activities where they create words and sentences guided by their teacher.
Next, they transition to reading and writing activities. With the help of their teachers, they practice writing sentences in Swahili – their local language – before translating them into English. They used Copy and Dictation activity to practice this. The teachers read the sentences aloud, and the children follow suit, perfecting their diction and pronunciation with each repetition. This immersive approach ensures comprehension as they translate from Swahili to English.
After this foundational exercise, the class splits into small groups. Here, peer learning is encouraged as the children collaborate to form words and sentences in both languages. Teachers rotate from one group to the next, offering guidance and correcting errors, but the spotlight remains on the children as they lead their own learning.
Mr. Ombati and Ms. Janiffer exemplify the dedication that educators bring to the classroom every day. They adapt their teaching methods to meet the diverse needs of their students, creating an environment where each child feels valued and supported. Their resilience shines through as they continually seek new strategies to engage their learners and promote a love for reading and writing.
As the hour draws to a close, each group shares new words and sentences they’ve crafted in their groups. The teachers provide encouraging feedback, correcting spelling and grammar while celebrating their hard work. At 8:00 AM, the children break into a song, led by their teachers, joyfully wrap up their L2F2 TaRL class for the day.
This innovative approach is transforming the way children at Ngiini Primary School and many others in Kitui County learn English, using Swahili as a bridge. By tapping into their familiarity with Swahili, the local language spoken at home, more students are finding it easier to adapt to English. This method boosts their confidence, allowing them to speak and use English as their formal language in school with greater ease.
As we celebrate these remarkable educational innovations like L2F2, we also take a moment to honor the dedication and resilience of teachers like Mr. Ombati and Ms. Janiffer. This year’s theme for World Teacher’s Day 2024 – “Empowering Educators: Strengthening Resilience, Building Sustainability” underscores the importance of equipping teachers with the resources and knowledge they need. By supporting educators, we empower them to nurture students’ social responsibility and environmental awareness, ensuring a brighter future for our children.
