Vignette

Abstract

This vignette provides insight into our experiences of working in SIL International partnerships to improve the quality of pre-school and primary education in rural Cameroon and Kenya through the use of local languages and by drawing on various approaches, including the ‘soft landing’ approach, the Finnish KÄTS literacy method and total physical response. Overall, we found that the use of local languages was key to the mobilization of these initiatives, which were effective, not just in supporting the development of literacy, but also in guiding teachers towards more creative approaches and helping parents to see the usefulness of school. Since 1994, SIL International has recognized the value of developing literacy in students’ home languages for increasing the quality of education and has worked on various educational initiatives for this across SSA (and other parts of the world). This vignette provides insight into some of the approaches that we have developed as SIL-affiliated programme implementers and researchers working to enhance the quality of early childhood education programmes for teaching literacy in local languages in rural Cameroon and Kenya. Our experience and research suggests that these initiatives work towards developing relationships with schools, communities and parents so that developing literacy in indigenous African languages is embraced locally. It is hoped that these insights can inform other early childhood education initiatives in the region and beyond that are seeking to increase understanding of support for developing literacy in local languages.