Squigglepark||Bili Exchange
In this part of the world, academic achievement is greatly dependent on the learners' literacy skills. Raising the literacy skills of learners is a great challenge especially if the learners are from households and/or communities where English language is rarely spoken. As a teacher, it is always beneficial to link learning to play. My pupils love computer games and we were lucky to be accepted into an international program for testing a literacy app called Squigglepark. The app makes learning different aspects of the English language fun, engaging, and simple. 30 learners were accepted into the programme. And for the past one year, we have seen consistent increase in their level of communication.
Another interesting literacy skills building programme is the Bili exchange. Pupils are matched with age-grade learners from partner schools abroad for six weeks. During the period, pupils will provide answers to various tasks as set by their teacher. These answers will be graded by their partner. They, in turn, will grade their partners' work. The teachers oversee the whole process to ensure sanity. Ten pupils were accepted into the programme.
These two programmes have been a way of raising learners' litreacy skills. They also allow learners to collaborate with peers from other countries.
