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<h1 class="entry-title">Use of local languages in lower grades a success</h1>
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<span class="gmail-td-post-date"><time class="entry-date gmail-updated gmail-td-module-date" datetime="2018-02-12T17:46:59+00:00">February 12, 2018</time></span> <div class="gmail-td-post-comments"><a href="https://www.lusakatimes.com/2018/02/12/use-local-languages-lower-grades-success/#comments"><i class="gmail-td-icon-comments"></i>44</a></div> <div class="gmail-td-post-views"><i class="gmail-td-icon-views"></i>2,226 views</div> </div>
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<figure id="gmail-attachment_105730" style="max-width:650px" class="gmail-wp-caption gmail-alignnone"><a href="https://i2.wp.com/www.lusakatimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Local-language-1.jpg?ssl=1"><img class="gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-105730" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lusakatimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Local-language-1.jpg?resize=650%2C405&ssl=1" alt="THE recent implementation of the revised national education curriculum by Government, which introduced teaching of local language syllabus from Pre-School to Grade four level in Primary Schools, is progressing well in Choma district, Southern Province. Above, Grade One pupils at Kalundu Ka Maria Primary School were found cheerfully learning how to construct sentences in Citonga in their classroom." width="650" height="405"></a><figcaption class="gmail-wp-caption-text">THE
recent implementation of the revised national education curriculum by
Government, which introduced teaching of local language syllabus from
Pre-School to Grade four level in Primary Schools, is progressing well
in Choma district, Southern Province. Above, Grade One pupils at Kalundu
Ka Maria Primary School were found cheerfully learning how to construct
sentences in Citonga in their classroom.</figcaption></figure>
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</div><p>Ministry of General Education Director of Standards and
Curriculum Sunday Mwape says the policy by government to change the
teaching strategies from English to local languages in lower grades has
been a success.</p>
<p>Dr. Mwape said that children in lower grades are now able to write
without difficulties because it is easy for a child to link the outdoor
experiences to the classroom activities.</p>
<p>Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Dr. Mwape stated
that lower grades are now producing better results since the change was
implemented.</p>
<p>He said the quality of teaching and learning at classroom level was
affected when teaching was done in the English language to learners.</p>
<p>“Children are more comfortable to interact and learn when the language being used is best understood by the child,” he said.</p>
<p>Dr. Mwape stated that according to a research that was conducted by
specialists in the teaching profession, it was revealed that it is
prudent to restructure the teaching and learning strategies for
learners.</p>
<p>The Director of Standards stated that the curriculum is helpful to
children who do not have a chance of attending early childhood education
as it helps them to move the home culture into school.</p>
<p>Dr. Mwape further expressed concern that parents have been
misunderstanding the policy noting that this has been the main challenge
the Ministry is facing.</p>
<p>He said the local language curriculum is not an issue that will soon
be changed but a policy that will be followed as it has turned out to be
helpful.</p></div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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