Page 31 - ELG1705 May Issue 447

PEOPLE
BEN GREY CV

Jason Anderson

Jason Anderson is an
education consultant,
teacher, teacher trainer and
author. He has worked in
a wide range of countries
across Africa, Europe and
Asia for governments, NGOs
and development agencies.
He has been involved with
teacher training projects
for the Unicef Child-
friendly Schools Project in
Bangladesh, Malawi, Rwanda
and Kenya. He has also led
the design and writing of
materials for various teacher
development projects (e.g.
UNICEF Malawi in-service
primary teacher education,
and the British Council
Thailand RETC project).
Many African countries have made huge strides in education
Jason is the author of
Learn: Children learn at their own speed; working with the same sort of challenges you
Demonstrate: Children demonstrate what they faced in Africa? various ELT books, including:
have learnt; For ex-pat teachers from higher income ELTons winner Teaching in
The model was developed not just for countries who go to teach or train teachers in Africa (2015, EAEP, Kenya);
English language teaching, but obviously sub-Saharan Africa, my first recommendation Teamwork (2004, DELTA
serves well for ELT, insomuch as it promotes is to leave your prior assumptions about what Publishing, UK); Trinity
communication and interaction between teaching is, and how best to do it, behind. CertTESOL Companion
students. Begin by trying to understand your new (2017, DELTA Publishing,
You mention the particular problem of low culture, recognise the perceived ‘constraints’
literacy levels in the mother tongue among as part of that culture, and learn from your UK); Speaking Games (2014,
the many challenges teachers face. students and your colleagues – become part DELTA Publishing, UK); Role
As educators and consultants working of a team, but don’t try to lead it. And for Plays for Today (2006, DELTA
across Africa know well, some governments teachers who have learnt to teach in African Publishing, UK).
are making the dangerous assumption that the classrooms, a simple piece of advice is to con-
earlier they introduce English the better, yet we sult your learners more about their learning.
know from research that students learn faster Organising a focus group of students and
and retain more if they have a solid foundation finding out about their personal challenges that
in mother tongue literacy before they begin to often make it difficult for them to study can
read and write in English. often be very insightful. An example of this is
Because so many African languages are a Tanzanian secondary teacher who found out
You can follow Jason’s blog at
written phonetically in a Roman alphabet, that if she started and finished her afternoon speakinggames.wordpress.com
I have found that a phonics approach to lessons earlier, more female students from dis-
‘additional literacy’ in English that builds on tant villages could attend, simply because they
(rather than ignoring) their first language were able to get home safely and collect water
literacy, to show the features of English sound- before it got dark.
spelling relationships, can reap rewards with Teaching and learning in much of Africa
the right support. Yet we know so little about cannot be separated from the challenges of CLAUDIA CIVININI
introducing phonics in contexts where English daily life, and this is a key learning point for Chief reporter,
is a foreign language, and much more research anyone working in this wonderful continent, EL Gazette.
is needed in this area. where the will and resolve of teachers and
Could you give some advice to teachers learners never cease to amaze me.

editorial@elgazette.com 31

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