Literacy Development Across the Curriculum - NIGERIA
Creating an Active Learning Environment in Multicultural Classrooms
Partners: International Reading Association, Reading Association of Nigeria,
Universal Basic Education Commission (Primary Education Project II),
World Bank Mission Nigeria, World Bank Institute/CEERA Initiative
Program Objectives






Acquire a set of constructivist, student-centered teaching methods to
stimulate active learning, high levels of literacy achievement, critical
thinking, reflection, and discussion;
Use collaborative learning as a tool for stimulating opinions and promoting
individual responsibility;
Determine ways of using realistic fiction and non-fiction, reading
comprehension, and composition to enable learners to identify attitudes,
values, and beliefs relative to ethnic diversity, gender, and social
cohesion;
Acquire a set of research strategies used in assessing student learning,
teacher behavior change, classroom dynamics, effective applications of
teaching methodologies, and effective use of existing teaching-learning
resources for student achievement;
Refine pedagogical approaches based on observation data; and
Develop mentoring relationships that illuminate teacher support needs.
Activities
February – April 2004
May 2004
Draft Training Materials produced at IRA
IRA Initial 5-day Training (PEP II Team) – Begin
testing techniques; Organize schoolcluster meeting schedule and observation
June-December 2004
PEP II Team School Cluster Meetings –
Training and Observation of techniques
September-October 2004 IRA Zonal Workshops (PEP II Team, Local
government education agency supervisors,
teachers from school clusters) – Owerri,
Kaduna, and Imo States
November 2004
Review and Consolidation Workshop (PEP II Team,
Local Government Education Agencies)
Review progress of action research; New
demonstration lessons created locally
December 2004
Guidebooks Preparation Meeting (PEP II Team,
VIDEOCONFERENCE – January 26, 2005
Promoting Social Cohesion in Nigeria Through Reading, Writing, and
Thinking A Professional Development and Action Research Project On
Literacy, Culture and Gender in the Classroom
RAN/IRA Consultants)
Features of Professional Development, Action Research, and Mentoring
A) Use of Three-Phase Framework for Teaching and Learning –
 Provides organizational structure for presenting all lessons regardless of
grade level or subject area
 Learners engage with new ideas and information to create meaning and
understanding - before information is introduced, during the time when
information is introduced, and after information has been introduced
 Teacher/facilitator uses specific, evidence-based teaching techniques at
each phase to model, guide, and support strategic thinking and learning.
B) Workshops follow Demonstration-Discussion-Reflection Cycle –
 Demonstration lessons – Teaching techniques demonstrated using local
textbooks, stories, and/or culturally relevant texts
 Debriefing – Discuss how techniques guided thinking, make connections
between literacy learning and aspects of culture, compare techniques to
current ideas, discuss ways to adapt techniques
 Guided Practice – Create lesson plans adapted to specific grade and
subject
 Classroom Observations and Visits – Test lesson plans, conduct peer
review, refine lesson plans
C) Points of Data Collection –
 Daily exit cards and workshop evaluations
 Sample lesson plans by teachers and PEP II project participants
 Classroom Observation Forms
 Student Work
 Teacher Surveys
 Anecdotal Observations by IRA Technical Volunteers, PEP II Team
members, and representatives of UBEC and WB
D) School Cluster Meetings –
 Use of school-based professional development and mentoring model
 Gather observation data on adapting pedagogy, classroom dynamics,
teacher behavior and student behavior change
 Identification of techniques which resonated with teachers
 Encouragement of continued experimentation by teachers
 Support and recognition of teachers as professionals
2
Outcomes and Observations

Participants’ perception of the workshop ideas and techniques was highly
positive

A broad range of school texts with explicit or implicit cultural connections
is available in Nigeria

Teachers used aspects of culture to improve literacy learning, though
connection was more likely to be made where classroom texts explicitly
enabled it

Teachers adapted techniques to their existing classroom contexts and
traditions, using them appropriately according to the effect s/he wanted to
achieve in pupils

Techniques were implemented at various grade levels and subject areas

Teachers appeared to have sufficient competence in pedagogy to
implement techniques and concepts

Pupils had sufficient language and literacy skills to participate with these
new techniques

Techniques had a positive impact on student motivation and literacy
performance

Lesson plans indicate innovations – aspects of culture noted for
discussion and focus, instructional and literacy objectives, use of beforeduring-after framework to structure teaching and learning

Lesson plans reflect focus on performance outcomes (“will learn X”) more
often than on building strategic skills (“will learn how to X”)
3
TEACHING NIGERIAN LANGUAGES (PRIMARY 1, 2 AND 3)
+ Highly Applicable
- Less Applicable
English
Language
TECHNIQUES
Nigeria
Languages
Social
Studies
Math
Primary
Science
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
Acrostic Poetry
-
+
+
-
-
+
-
+
+
-
+
+
-
+
+
2
Anticipation Guide
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
3
Cluster Map
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
4
Concept Map
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
5
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
6
Directed-Listening/ReadingThinking-Activity
Discussion Web
-
-
+
-
+
+
-
-
+
-
-
+
-
-
+
7
Dramatization
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
8
Echo Reading
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
9
Group Language
Experience Method
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
10
Guided Imagery
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
11
12
KWL
Literature Circle
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
13
Paired Brainstorming
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
14
Read-Pause-Retell
-
+
+
-
+
+
-
+
+
-
+
+
-
+
+
15
Picture Walk
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
16
Readers’ Theatre
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
17
Role Playing
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
18
Shared Reading
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
19
Shared Writing (incl. Big
Books)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
20
Story Map
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
21
Story Pyramid
-
-
-
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
22
Think-List-Pair-Share
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
23
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
24
Quick Write (or 3-Minute
Essay)
Venn Diagramme
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
25
Visit-Other-Groups
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
26
Visualisation
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
4
TEACHING ENGLISH ACROSS THE CURRICULUM (PRIMARIES 4, 5, 6)
+
Highly Applicable
- Less Applicable
Social
Studies
Math
Primary
Science
Reading
Writing
TECHNIQUES
4
5
6
4
5
6
4
5
6
4
5
6
4
5
6
1
Acrostic/Poetry
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
2
Anticipation Guide
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
3
Cluster Map
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
4
Concept Map
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
5
DirectedListening/ReadingThinking-Activity
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
6
Discussion Web
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
7
Dramatization
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
8
Echo Reading
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
9
Group Language
Experience Method
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
10
Guided Imagery
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
11
KWL
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
12
Literature Circle
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
13
Paired Brainstorming
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
14
Read-Pause-Retell
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
15
Picture Walk
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
16
Readers’ Theatre
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
17
Role Playing
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
18
Shared Reading
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
19
Shared Writing (incl.
Big Books)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
20
Story Map
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
21
Story Pyramid
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
22
Think-List-Pair-Share
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
23
Three-minute essay
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
24
Venn Diagramme
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
25
Visit-Other-Groups
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
5
Workshop Classroom Observation Guide
Name of observer ____________________ Date of observation _____________
School and class observed ____________
(Optional) Teacher observed ____________
Type of classroom observation: Tick one.
(a) _______ Before the workshop
(b) ______
During the workshop
(c) ______ At the end of workshop
Part One
Tick the appropriate column in terms of the effectiveness of the lesson you are
observing. 0 = not at all; 1=poor; 2 = fair; 3= good
Not at
all (0)
Poor
(1)
Fair
(2)
Good
(3)
Instructional Objectives
Lesson shows evidence of:
(a) clear lesson objectives
(b) clear literacy objectives
(pupils’ reading & writing, during
the lesson.)
Introduction to the Lesson is:
(a) vivid
(b) captivating
(c) directs pupils to the lesson
Teaching Aids are:
(a) Relevant to the lesson
(b) Effectively used
(c) Made by pupils
(d) Produced by teacher
Before
(a) Teacher activates
background knowledge of
the pupils
(b) Pupils participate actively in
the lesson
6
Not at
all (0)
(c) Pupils produce something
creative
(d) Pupils spend more time “on
task” than teacher spends
talking
(e) Pupils work in groups or
pairs
(f) Pupils share
ideas/information
(g) Teacher and pupils show
respect for the ideas of
members of the class.
During
Poor
(1)
Fair
(2)
Good
(3)
:
(a) Pupils read:
From blackboard
Textbook/storybook
Big book
(b) Pupils write
(c) Pupils work in groups/pairs
(d) Teacher and pupils show
respect for the ideas of
members of the class.
(e) Teacher uses relevant
techniques to promote
learning
(f) pupils participate actively in
the lesson
(g) pupils spend more time “on
task” than teacher spends
talking
(h) pupils produce something in
a creative manner
After
(a) Pupils produce something in
a creative manner (e.g.
dramas, make big book,
write poems, etc.)
(b) Pupils participate actively in
the lesson
(c) Teachers and pupils show
respect for the ideas of
members of the class.
7
Not at
all (0)
Poor
(1)
Fair
(2)
Good
(3)
(d) pupils work in groups/pairs
(e) pupils spend more time “on
task” than teacher spends
talking
Lesson evaluation provides
evidence that:
(a) the teacher has opportunities
to evaluate the success of
the lesson.
(b) the teacher has opportunities
to evaluate the performance
of individual pupils
(c) there are opportunities for
the pupils to evaluate
themselves.
Conclusion of the lesson is:
(a) vivid and effective
(b) provides opportunity for
pupils to continue to practice
what they learned after the
lesson
Part Two
Before:
a) State and describe the specific techniques used before the presentation.
______________________________________________________________
b) What problems did the teacher face in using the techniques and how were
they tackled?
______________________________________________________________
c) What kind of help will the teacher need in order to use the techniques more
successfully?
_____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
During:
(a) State and describe the specific techniques used during the presentation.
8
______________________________________________________________
(b) What problems did the teacher face in using the techniques and how were
they tackled?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(c) What kind of help will the teacher need in order to use the techniques more
successfully?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
After Presentation:
(a) State and describe the specific techniques used during the presentation.
______________________________________________________________
(b) What problems did the teacher face in using the techniques and how were
they tackled?
(c) What kind of help will the teacher need in order to use the techniques more
successfully?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Overall
What advice will you give the teacher to improve his/her lesson?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
9
Inventory of Teaching-Learning Approaches
 The things we do when we teach children often depend on the way we
understand what reading and writing is.
 Today we will watch teachers in some classrooms and see what we can find
out about how they understand reading and writing.
 If you see something in the classroom that is on the list below please put a
tick beside it.
 Please try to remember what you saw, so we can discuss when we go back
to the conference venue. You can make notes to help you remember if you
want to.
What did you see?
1. The pupils copied sentences from the blackboard, but it looked like they didn’t
know how to read what they wrote. For example, they put all the words
together without putting spaces between them.
2. Pupils stood up to read out loud turn by turn.
3. Before the pupils read from their textbook, the teacher asked the pupils to say
what they already know about the topic.
4. The books were in English, but some of the pupils can’t speak English.
5. The teacher asked the pupils to look at the pictures in the textbook before
they began to read it.
6. The pupils “read after” the teacher.
7. The pupils read from the blackboard while the teacher pointed to each word.
8. After the pupils read something, the teacher asked the pupils to say what they
learned.
9. The teacher talked most of the time while the pupils had to stay quiet.
10. The teacher abused any pupil who could not read well.
11. The teacher treated the difficulties words before the pupils began to read.
12. Some pupils had crammed the pages in their books, so they did not look at
the books while the class was chorus reading.
13. The teacher asked questions after the pupils read from their textbooks.
10
SAMPLE LESSON PLAN 1
Name of Teacher: Amadi, Nkemdilim R.
School:
Central School Emekuku
Average:
Age of Pupils: 11 years
Date:
November 4, 2004
Time:
40 mins
Lesson:
Reading Comprehension
Class: Primary 6
Topic: Two Strange Villages
Instructional Objectives: By the end of the lesson the pupils will be able to:
Cognitive Domain:
1. Read the passage fluently.
2. Discuss what was read.
Affective Domain:
3. Demonstrate interest in the lesson by participating
in class activities.
Psychomotor Domain: 4. Use the techniques learned to write their own
stories.
Literacy Objectives: 1. Identify/Define new vocabulary words from the story.
2. Discuss the main events in the story.
3. Identify and discuss supporting events in the story.
Entering Behaviour: Pupils live in villages or have visited relations and friends
who live in villages, and can discuss their experiences.
Instructional Materials: Venn Diagramme
Before Reading: Set induction using predictive questions.
During Reading: Do guided reading and shared reading of text.
After Reading: Create Venn Diagramme of ideas, using Questioning method.
Pupil Evaluation: Pupils answer questions based on the text. Who are the
main characters? What is the problem? What are the different events in the
story? How did the story end?
Teachers Evaluation: Teacher reflects on her performance. Did pupils learn the
message of the text? Were they interested? Did they participate in class
activities?
Closure: The pupils help the teacher conclude the lesson by saying what they
have learned and the teacher writes them on the chalkboard as summary.
Assignment: Pupils answer the following questions at home.
If you have to write a story like the one you read, what will the title be?
What characters will you have? What will be the problem?
How many major events do you intend to include in your story?
How will the story end?
11
[SAMPLE Lesson 1 continued] INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE
CONTENT
DEVELOPMEN
T
STRATEGIES/
SKILLS
TEACHERS’ PERFORMANCE
ACTIVITIES
PUPILS’
PERFORMANCE
ACTIVITIES
STEP 1
Introduction:
Set induction using
Predictive
questions
The teacher focuses attention of
pupils to the passage through
such predictive questions as:
From the title of the story, what do
you think the story is about? Will
there be male and female
characters? What do you think is
the problem? What do you
expect this story to tell you?
The pupils predict
the answers.
Guided Reading
and Shared
Reading
The teacher divides the passage
into two parts. She reads the first
part and asks pupils to read aloud
guiding them to pay attention to
key events. She allows half the
class to read while others listen,
and vice versa. The teacher asks
them to check their predictions.
The teacher reads the second
part of the story and calls on
groups and individuals to read.
The pupils listen
attentively to the
teacher’s reading.
They listen and
take turns to read
in groups and/or
individually paying
attention to the
main ideas in the
passage. They
also check their
predictions.
Before Reading
STEP II
During Reading
Venn Diagramme
and Questioning
The teacher asks pupils questions
on key points and from their
answers she illustrates and
compares ideas in the story using
a Venn diagram.
No Sleeping
No Eating
The pupils answer
the teacher’s
questions and
participate in the
comparisons of
ideas in the story.
1. Marriage celebration
2. Hospitality
3. Wives join husbands and
are happy
4. Wives fearful of
husbands’ cultures
5. Mother provides solution.
STEP III
After Reading
Venn Diagramme
The teacher asks the pupils to
form groups of five and using the
Venn diagramme to illustrate and
compare the events in the story.
Pupils form
groups, illustrate
and compare the
main events using
Venn diagramme.
12
SAMPLE LESSON PLAN 2
Name of the Teacher: C Osuji
Class: 6
Number in Class: 38, 32, 30
Date: 21st October, 2004
School: Jaafaru LEA Primary School, Sabongari-Zaria
Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Advantages and Disadvantages of Inter-Ethnic Marriage
Time: 45 Minutes
Instructional Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the pupils should be able to:
1. use their background cultural knowledge to discuss inter-ethnic marriage;
2. state the advantages of inter-ethnic marriage; and
3. state the disadvantages of inter-ethnic marriage.
Literacy Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
1. read and explain the points read about inter-ethnic marriage;
2. write notes on the points raised in the passage on inter-ethnic marriage; and
3. discuss what is read meaningfully.
Previous Knowledge Pupils have learnt the definition of inter-ethnic marriage
Instructional Materials Brainstorm Web pre-prepared on chalkboard
Introduction Use think-pair-share to help the pupils think about what they already know
about inter-ethnic marriage
Lesson Presentation In Steps
Before Reading: In groups, pupils should write five things they know about inter-ethnic
marriage. Pupils should also state what they want to know about inter-ethnic marriage.
Teacher will insert these items onto a brainstorm web, outlining topics and sub-topics
related to inter-ethnic marriage.
During Reading: Pupils should read the passage on inter-ethnic marriage silently. Allow
pupils to write ten things that they learn from the passage about inter-ethnic marriage.
After Reading: Divide the pupils into two groups; group1, boys and group 2, girls. Let
each group come forward to write on the chalkboard or on a cardboard what they have
learnt on inter-ethnic marriage. Let the group that writes the most relevant and correct
points emerge as a winner. Compare what the pupils have written with what have
already been produced on the brainstorm web.
Activities
Think-Pair-Share, Brainstorm Web, reading, writing, discussion, and competition
Full Participation
This is achieved through pair work and group work.
Interaction
Pupil-pupil, pupil-teacher, pupil-text, gender-based
13