Abstract from the article prepared by PINZ consultants on the Raising English Literacy Levels in Vanuatu Schools project. Click here for the complete article.
PINZ Involved in raising literacy levels
"Children of Vanuatu face an enormous challenge, acquiring literacy in English, or French, as these languages are so rarely spoken outside the school. However, research in other Pacific countries has shown that a “Book Flood” of high-interest, illustrated story books, combined with short teacher-training workshops, has the potential to overcome the twin problems of low motivation and lack of exposure to English language. The methodology has support from Krashen’s theory of comprehensible input, and relies heavily on shared reading and writing, as used in New Zealand schools, but adapted for Pacific conditions.
In the first of three studies described in this article, Year 3 and 4 pupils, in Vila schools in Vanuatu who had been exposed to such a programme, made large gains on literacy tests, when compared with control groups. In the other two studies, which were organised by Polytechnics International New Zealand,(PINZ), and funded by NZAID, pupils in rural schools, who were exposed to a similar book-based programme, made literacy gains comparable to those of the urban schools. The mere provision of books without accompanying teacher training was not found to be effective. Implications are drawn for extension of such policies for meeting the Millennium Development Goals of other developing countries."
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