Quality of learning through play and the impact on child outcomes: two observation tools on emergent literacy development in Zambia

• In Event: Tools for Playful Pedagogy: Formative Tools for Improving Teacher Practice in Learning through Play

Proposal

Despite increasing enrolments in Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Zambia, ECE provision is too often teacher centred, fosters rote learning, and does not lead to children’s holistic development. Often misunderstood, using learning through play (LtP) in ECE provides children with better chances to a good head start in life.
In Zambia, VVOB – education for development strengthens LtP in ECE by building teachers capacity on playful learning for emergent literacy development. This approach actively makes the link between LtP and the desire of teachers, parents, and other stakeholders to see children advance in literacy from an early age and provides a clear focus and hands-on approach to build teachers play facilitation skills.
In order to deal with the challenge of measuring the quality of LtP in VVOB’s initiatives and assessing its contribution to development of child outcomes, VVOB has developed two observation tools.
The I-CLAP (Instrument for Children’s Literacy Actualised Performance) is a short formative assessment tool for ECE teachers to assess emergent literacy progress of ECE Learners through observation. The instrument uses six indicators to track learner’s progress over time. The six indicators include elements of holistic development as well as specific elements of language and emergent literacy development. The I-CLAP has been based on the Zambia Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) and the ECAT (Early Childhood Assessment Tool, developed by the Zambia Ministry of Education). An early version of the I-CLAP has been piloted and evaluated by VVOB in the framework of the USAID Let’s Read Programme, leading to several recommendations for improvement of the tool. These recommendations include: (i) providing additional training for teachers to improve teacher’s understanding of the tool and concepts used; (ii) clarifying and redefining a few the indicators used; (iii) providing teachers with a report template to facilitate formulation of I-CLAP reports; (iv) adding visual depictions to the indicators; (v) improving the alignment of the indicators to the ELDS.
The ‘Coaching protocol: for self-reflection and coaching’ includes an observation tool that can be used by teachers and teacher-coaches to assess the quality of ECE teaching practice and to support the progress and professional growth of ECE teachers. The tool is qualitative and descriptive. It includes observation categories on wellbeing and involvement of learners, on classroom management and environment; on learning through play; emergent literacy teaching practices and teacher-learner-interaction. The ‘Coaching protocol’ is currently being piloted in both the USAID Let’s Read Programme and the LEGO Foundation funded IT’S PLAY programme. Results of the pilot are expected by early 2022. The tool is currently also being adapted for use in Rwanda, also in the framework of the IT’S PLAY programme, focusing on learning through play for emergent numeracy development.

Authors

• Joke Van Belle, VVOB - education for development

• Benedict Mwango Chipalabwe, VVOB Zambia