The development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) through its Teacher Teacher Development for Transition (TDT) Project trained a total of 100 teachers selected from 10 primary schools over a period of two weeks at the American Space Kano to improve their English Language competencies in the area of transition from using vernacular as a medium of instruction to English Language. The TDT Project is aimed to improve the English language competences of 100 SUBEB Grade 3 English teachers in the area of transition from Hausa language to English language in 10 Government primary schools in 5 rural and 5 urban Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kano State through capacity building and mentoring.
The training was conducted from the 22nd of June to the 2nd of July, 2021. The target schools and the teachers were randomly selected by State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) officials, with the support of dRPC-TDT Project Team, from LGAs that have no existing donor funded interventions. The Project’s target LGA(s) are Takai, Rogo, Bunkure, Kabo, Tsanyawa, Gabasawa, Ungogo, Gwale, Kano Municipal and Gezawa. Ten teachers were trained in each of the following schools: Takai Special Primary School, Rogo Special Primary School, Bunkure Special Primary School, Garo Special Primary School, Tsanyawa Special Primary School, Zakirai Special Primary School, R/Zaki Special Primary School, Dorayi Karama Special Primary School, Salanta Special Primary School and Gezawa Special Primary School
The objectives of the training are to strengthen the capacity of grade 3 English teachers in transitioning from teaching in Hausa to English language, to equip the teachers with various methodologies for smooth transition, support the teachers to master the use of appropriate resource materials and provide adequate monitoring and mentorship for the teachers.The training was conducted in 3 cohorts.
The first cohort (pilot) training was conducted from 22nd-24th June 2021 at the American Space Kano, Murtala Muhammad Library Kano State. Fifteen (15) Teachers (11 males and 4 females) selected from 10 public primary schools were trained by the education experts and Lectures from SRCoE. In addition to the over-arching training objectives stated above, the pilot training was organized in order to pretest the draft manual developed by the Saadatu Rimi College Lectures. During the training, teachers had a brainstorming session on their experiences transitioning from using Hausa as a medium of instruction to English Language. The training featured brain storming/ experience sharing sessions on transitioning from using Hausa as a medium of instruction to English Language. Other sessions conducted include strategies for effective transition, practical group work and video screening on some effective approaches in teaching foreign language to pupils at basic levels.
Similar to the Pilot Training Model(1st Cohort Training), the 2nd and 3rd Cohorts of Training were conducted from the 28th June to 2nd July, 2021 at the American Spaces and the Murtala Muhammed Library, Kano State. A total of 85 grade 3 teachers (67 males and 18 females) from 10 public primary schools were trained simultaneously in 5 days during the 2nd and 3rd cohort teacher training on Transition from Hausa to English Language. The training was conducted by five education experts from Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education (SRCOE). The training content featured a revisit of the curriculum, the concept of transition, strategies for transition such as the whole language approach, look and say approach, whole text reading approach and classroom organization. The participants were also tutored on mentoring and monitoring to strengthen their capacity to cascade the training to other teachers during the SUBEB Mandatory Teachers Development Meetings (MTDM).
The trainings were attended by the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Library Board, Dr, Ibrahim Bichi, the representative of the SUBEB Board Secretary, Mallam Mai- Kudi A. Alawi, the coordinator of the American Space Kano, Nura Musa and two Deputy Directors from the SUBEB for the Quality Assurance Department; Mallama Sadiqa Isah and Yau Adamu D.
