Teaching Children to Read: A Conversation with Teachers
Teachers are the most crucial link between children and their learning. On the 15th of November, they took centre stage at the Pakistan Learning Festival at the Islamabad College for Boys G-6/3 during a panel discussion “Teaching Children to Read: A Conversation with Teachers”, hosted by the Pakistan Foundational Learning Hub’s Manahil Naeem. The panel included Ms. Sana Naseer from the Directorate General of Basic Education Community Schools, Ms. Izza Raza from Teach For Pakistan, Ms. Yumna Jilani from the National Education Foundation, and Ms. Sabeen Malik from the Federal Directorate of Education.
The panel set out to hear from teachers from the government and non-formal sector; schools that cater to the majority of children in Pakistan and primarily to children from low-income backgrounds. The discussion focussed on strategies for teaching reading, some of the challenges that they face in the classroom, and their recommendations for policymakers looking to support teachers and improve students’ learning levels.
The panel had real lessons for those trying to improve foundational learning in schools. Some key highlights from the rich discussion with teachers were:
Teachers believe reading is an essential life skill and the foundation upon which all future learning depends.
Teachers are overburdened and schools are understaffed. Some teachers take six classes a day which leaves them little to no time to plan their lessons. Similarly, the student-teacher ratios are extremely high for most schools, making it difficult for teachers to cater to their students’ learning needs. For example, in one school there are 200 students and only 3 teachers.
Teachers need more training. Training programmes in the past, especially for teaching reading, have been unreliable and depended on the availability and interest of donor funding.
Students need reading material that fits their level. While many schools have libraries established, teachers’ say that the books in them are not interesting or appropriate for students in primary grades.
Non-formal schools require additional support from the Ministry of Federal Education and other stakeholders. In some areas in Islamabad, teachers themselves are paying to rent out buildings for learning.
Students, especially in the non-formal schools, come from extremely challenging circumstances. Many children are involved in child labour and have to balance their studies with their jobs. With parents often uneducated, children don’t get the support they need to learn at their grade level.
Policies and priorities change at an extremely high speed, making it hard for teachers to keep up. For example, in one school the Daily Reading Hour is only conducted once a week due to the pressures of many other initiatives.
Teachers require better tools to diagnose children’s learning levels and need more training on how to use data from assessments to tailor their teaching to students’ needs.
Listen to teachers share their experiences below:
Ms. Yumna Jilani, Primary Level Teacher, National Education Foundation
Ms. Izza Raza, Teach For Pakistan Fellow placed at the IMCB Pakistan Town
Ms. Sabeen Malik, Senior Elementary Teacher, Federal Directorate of Education
Ms. Sana Naseer, Primary Level Teacher, Directorate General of Basic Education and Community Schools
