This is one of my most recent photos and one I took at my
final workshop. I have realised that you cannot focus training at too basic a
level for teachers here. The teaching of Phonics for Reading is something so
fundamental and all children in England learn sounds of letters to build words.
Here they recite the alphabet endlessly but don’t seem to realise that this is
of little help to young readers.
I invited these teachers to come and learn the sounds of
letters and then gave them a sheet of cardboard and a marker. These resources
are seldom found in schools. As always there is no child care so a few babies
arrived as well. This one slept most of
the day. The teachers, many untrained, worked enthusiastically, demonstrating they
have little practice writing letters and using scissors. However, by the time
our boxes of chicken and rice arrived balanced on someone’s head, each teacher had a set
of phonic cards in a plastic bag and a free marker to take away. They promised
me they would use them and from what I have heard, most are trying their best.
I suppose it is inevitable that the most worthwhile
activities I have carried out should be at the end of my placement. Hey Ho!
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