Educational Materials Production Workshop held in North Windward

by Megan L White

After months of planning and design, the North Windward Materials Production Workshop took place on February 17, 2016 in the library of the Sandy Bay Government School.

The workshop was coordinated by Planning Committee members Elva Springer, principal of Langley Park Government School (LPGS), Jasmine Jackson, Grade 5 teacher of LPGS, Megan White, {{more}}Peace Corps Volunteer of LPGS and Sherril-Ann Woods, Grade 1 teacher of Tourama Government School. The workshop was funded by the Small Project Assistance grant, via the Peace Corps organization.

After a needs assessment was conducted within schools of the North Windward region of St Vincent and the Grenadines, it was concluded that literacy was an area of concern amongst primary school students.

Some schools have reported that just half of all students had been reading at their grade level, many children falling farther and farther behind each year. With a new Child Friendly Initiative in place, it is understood that learning should be more student-centered, rather than utilizing the age-old methods of “chalk and talk,” which have become traditional in this country. Part of being Child Friendly includes the creation and use of appropriate teaching and learning aids, materials which are more visually or kinesthetically stimulating for young children.

The aim of the North Windward Materials Production Workshop is to train teachers, parents, and students alike in how to make their own learning aids, then to provide these participants with ample time and materials for them to apply their new knowledge.

Twelve persons received the training from four selected North Windward communities, including Langley Park, Sandy Bay, Tourama, and Owia Government Schools. The agenda for the day comprised an overview from Elva Springer; a session on Alphabet Knowledge and Phonics by Megan White; Decoding by Jasmine Jackson; Spelling and Vocabulary by Sherril-Ann Woods and guest speaker Dr Godfrey Henry, a native Vincentian who has been lecturing at the University College Birmingham in England the past thirty years. Throughout the day, participants were given the opportunity to create low-cost, durable, and developmentally appropriate teaching and learning aids, with the materials and supplies procured through the grant funding. A plethora of engaging and interactive products were designed, including charts, games, and other manipulative activities, with the focus of literacy in mind.

Two further workshop sessions are scheduled to take place on March 16 and April 13, 2016. Areas of emphasis for these dates will include Reading Comprehension, Writing Composition, Use of Technology, Positive Behaviour Management, and Civic Education. In exploration of these topics relating to classroom materials production, those involved in the project strive to improve the literacy skills of all students in North Windward, St Vincent.