Tusome Early Literacy Programme English Module for Primary Teacher Training Colleges

Agency for International Development (USAID). The program aims to improve literacy outcomes in the early grades by focusing on curriculum support, continuous in-service teacher training, as well as the development and provision of teaching and learning materials. In 2016, USAID expanded Tusome to address specific areas within Primary Teacher Training Colleges (PTTCs), including the development of training materials and training PTTC lecturers for English and Kiswahili on teacher training for early grade literacy. The Tusome PTTC English Module is designed to equip English and Kiswahili language lecturers in teacher training colleges with the knowledge and skills to train their teacher trainees to teach Tusome Early Literacy Programme. The module provides a variety of instructional approaches used in teaching the components of literacy and is consistent with the provisions of the ongoing curriculum reforms towards Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya. The module explores in depth the five components of reading, namely phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, which cover the range of skills critical to early grade literacy. Module 1 of the Tusome PTTC English Module focuses on instructional approaches. The unit introduces different instructional approaches and helps to tell the difference between instruction and instructional approaches. The Direct Instruction Model is the main instructional approach used by Tusome to teach literacy in grades 1 to 3. The unit describes the theoretical and practical approaches to bilingual education and discusses how the first language helps in the acquisition of a second one. The module also explores various instructional approaches specific to education, including constructivism, guided instruction, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, anchored instruction, cooperative learning, and reciprocal peer teaching. These approaches require varying degrees of teacher knowledge, resources, and teacher talk, and it is essential to consider the skills, content available, and resources when deciding on the approach to use. The Tusome PTTC English Module is designed to provide training for English and Kiswili language lecturers in teacher training colleges. The module is expected to equip lecturers with the knowledge and skills to train their teacher trainees to teach Tusome Early Literacy Programme. The module is a result of a carefully designed process involving local and international reading and language experts, with guidance from an experienced technical team from the Ministry of Education, the Teachers Service Commission, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, the Kenya Education Management Institute, the Kenya Institute of Special Education, and the Kenya National Examinations Council.