Textbooks crucial for learning
TEXTBOOKS are a crucial part of any child’s learning. A large body of research has proved this many times and in many different contexts. Unesco has recognised this power and called for every child to have a textbook for every subject. The organisation argues that next to an engaged and prepared teacher, well-designed textbooks are an effective way to improve instruction and learning.
But there’s an elephant in the room when it comes to textbooks in African countries’ classrooms: language. Rwanda is one of many African countries that’s adopted a language policy which sees children learning in local or mother tongue languages for the first three years of primary school. They then transition in upper primary and secondary school into a dominant, so-called “international” language. In Rwanda, it has been English since 2008.
Evidence from across the continent suggests that at this transition point, learners have not developed basic literacy and numeracy skills or acquired enough of the language to be able to learn effectively. I don’t wish to advocate for English-medium instruction, and the arguments for mother tongue-based education are compelling, but it’s important to consider strategies for supporting learners within existing policy priorities.
Using appropriate learning and teaching materials could be one such strategy.
It’s not enough to just hand out textbooks in every classroom. The books need to tick two boxes: learners must be able to read them and teachers must be able to teach with them.
Existing textbooks tend not to take these concerns into consideration.
The language is too difficult and sentence structures too complex, the paragraphs too long and there are no glossaries to define unfamiliar words. While textbooks are widely available to those in the basic education system, they are rarely used systematically. Teachers cite books’ inaccessibility as one of the main reasons for not using them. A recent initiative in Rwanda has sought to address this through the development of “language supportive” textbooks for learners around 11 years old.
These were designed in collaboration with local publishers, editors and writers. Language-supportive textbooks have been shown to make a difference in some Rwandan classrooms. There are two key elements to a language-supportive textbook. Firstly, they are written at an appropriate language level for the learner.
The new concept is introduced in as simple English as possible, sentence structure and paragraph length are also shortened and made as simple as possible.
The key words are repeated numerous times so that the learner becomes accustomed to them. Secondly, they include features – activities, visuals, clear signposting and vocabulary support – that enable learners to practise and develop their language proficiency while learning the curriculum.
The activities encourage learners to regularly practise their listening, speaking, reading and writing of English in every lesson. This enables language development.
All these activities are made accessible to learners – and teachers – by offering support in the learners’ first language. In this case, the language used was Kinyarwanda, the first language for most Rwandan people. It’s important to note that many teachers were hesitant to incorporate Kinyarwanda into their classrooms because of the government’s “English only” policy.
The initiative was introduced to 1 075 pupils at eight schools in four districts.
Evidence from the initiative suggests that learners in classrooms where these books were systematically used learnt more across the curriculum. When these learners took tests before using the books, they scored similar results to those in comparable schools. After using the materials for four months, their scores were significantly higher.
Learners and teachers noted how important it was that the books sanctioned use of Kinyarwanda. Classrooms became bilingual spaces, increasing teachers’ and pupils’ confidence and competence.
This supports the importance of textbooks as effective materials in the classroom and shows that they can help all learners, but authorities must not assume that textbooks are being used or that the existing books are empowering teachers and learners.
Textbooks can matter, but only when consideration is made for the ways they can help all learners can we say that they contribute to quality education for all.
O Milligan is a lecturer in international education at the University of Bath, England. This article first appeared on The Conversation.