09 October 2014

Creative approach to improve literacy in Central Province

Central Province educators are learning innovative methods of teaching children to read in an initiative to boost the province’s literacy rate.

Eight educators recently completed a workshop in the use of phonetics - a method of teaching children to read by associating sounds with letters in the alphabet.

Funded through the Kokoda Initiative and facilitated by the Central Province Education Division, the workshop was part of Australia’s ongoing support to elementary and primary education in the Kokoda region.

One of the educators at the workshop, Senior Standards Officer Dimsok Patrick, said: “The literacy rate in Central Province schools is currently between 30-50 per cent. One of the reasons reading has been a difficult area for improvement in our schools is due to the lack of correct sound with letter recognition and formation.”

Central Province Education Superintendent professional Gaile Gaoma said: “The workshop was initiated by the province and aims to improve teaching standards and student learning outcomes.

“Competency in phonetics is the key to unlocking challenges when reading in other academic disciplines. Courses of this nature help us tackle the literacy challenge in our province head on.”

The Kokoda Initiative aims to support eleven Hiri District Inspectors to be specialised trainers in creative phonics and readings skills, using this new approach to learning. The trainers will pass on their skills and knowledge to teachers in the district.

Central Provincial Education acting Advisor Kokoro Aga Nigona said: “Using the trainer-of- trainer model will bring quality teaching to the most remote areas in the province such as the Kokoda Track, where schools in the Hiri, Mt. Koiari and Sogeri districts can take days to reach by foot.”