By Albert Byaruhanga, TaRL District Support Coordinator, Isingiro District
Uganda is one of the largest refugee-hosting nations in the world and while refugee learners attend school together with their Ugandan peers, learning outcomes among learners in these districts have been very low compared to the non-refugee contexts. VVOB, the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and UNICEF have been working to avert this challenge by implementing the Teaching at the Right Level for over-age-for-grade adolescent learners in Isingiro, Madi Okollo and Terego districts. In 2022, duty bearers at the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) such as Shem Musinguzi appreciate the results, they have seen with TaRL implementation and wish for its expansion to all schools in the district and country.
Shem, a Coordinating Centre Tutor (CCT) at Bishop Stuart Core Primary Teachers College, and a master trainer on Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) recommends that the methodology be adopted in all primary schools to help improve the learning outcomes of children who might be struggling with foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
Shem’s recommendation comes after his three-year engagement in training and mentoring teachers, observing TaRL delivery at classroom level, and reviewing TaRL teaching and learning support materials, in a project implemented by VVOB and MoES with funding from UNICEF Uganda.
Reinforcing the role of CCTs
Working within the MoES Department of Teacher Education, Coordinating Center Tutors’ major responsibility is to build the capacity of teachers, offer professional and technical support through coaching, mentoring and support supervision.
Shem is among 15 CCTs that VVOB and MoES have invested in their capacity since 2020 as part of the support system for the implementation of TaRL in Uganda. Their involvement as TaRL master trainers reinforces their current role as CCTs whereby they offer technical and mentoring support to teachers.
At the introduction of TaRL in Isingiro, a refugee hosting district, in October 2020, Shem, alongside other key district stakeholders, was identified as a master trainer to support teachers who were going to implement TaRL in their schools.
As a master trainer, Shem has had to put on multiple hats:
Professional development of teachers
Shem started training teachers on the TaRL methodology in Isingiro district in 2020. Prior to that, he had been trained by TaRL Africa and VVOB and had an opportunity to undertake TaRL practice classes which grounded him on the TaRL methodology.
He appreciates that the TaRL methodology has a variety of playful practical tasks that promote learning literacy and numeracy in an easy manner. TaRL as well is learner-centered and promotes peer to peer learning and cooperation.
A Math tutor himself, Shem was especially intrigued by the TaRL numeracy activities and aimed at understanding how the methodology would help learners to quickly understand the logic and reasoning behind numeracy operations as opposed to cram work.
According to Shem, TaRL is enjoyable, and learner centered. Real objects are used, and this promotes concrete learning.
TaRL materials development and contextualization
Throughout the project implementation, Shem has actively participated in the contextualizing the TaRL teaching and learning support materials. He was particularly resourceful in the translation of the English calendar chart into Runyankore Rukiga and the proof reading of literacy materials in this language.
Lesson observation, mentoring and monitoring TaRL
During implementation at the classroom level, Shem conducts classroom observations from which he can support teachers through mentoring and coaching. He has helped teachers from 45 schools, use the TaRL methodology effectively, make and use locally available teaching materials, and support teachers to improve their weak areas professionally.
With his encouragement, peer-to-peer learning has enabled other teachers to use some TaRL methodology techniques in other classes.
Parental engagement in support of TaRL
Beyond classroom engagement, Shem has reached out to the communities to create awareness on the TaRL methodology. This has been done through speaking in churches and attending the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) and School Management Committee (SMC) meetings. School specific TaRL assessment data has been shared in these fora encouraging parents to allow their children to participate in TaRL activities.
Shem’s reflections on adopting TaRL in more schools
Since 2020, VVOB and MoES have implemented TaRL in 90 refugee and host community government aided schools in Isingiro district. 238 teachers have been trained, and on average 6,149 learners have been reached.
Shem reflects on some lessons he has learnt that would enhance the effectiveness of TaRL when adopted to more schools:
- In numeracy, the practical approach of division and multiplication operations using the TaRL methodology is playful and enables learners to understand Math with ease
- In literacy, the biggest learning challenge observed (for both learners and teachers) was improper pronunciation of words which is then an obstacle to word building. TaRL literacy activities address this challenge by supporting segmentation and blending of letters using letter card, letter jump among other activities, and this makes reading in local language and English easy and interesting
- The ownership of TaRL as an approach to help learners catch up on what they have missed in their literacy and numeracy competences is critical for the adoption of the methodology across more schools. Shem recommends working closely with parents, school management committees, local government leadership such as town clerks and Sub- County chiefs, Primary Teachers Colleges and their CCTs to easily build up a sense of ownership for TaRL in Uganda
The learning achievements of many learners in Uganda are dependent on the decision of education stakeholders to scale interventions that will enable them to catch up on their foundational literacy and numeracy skills. With the support of CCTs and other district-level officials, teacher professional development can be strengthened to help achieve this goal.
This article received editorial support from Fortunate Kagumaho (Communications & Partnerships Advisor) and Grace Mwaura (Strategic Education Advisor).
