In summary, then, several significant principles emerge from this brief discussion on models and principles of teacher education and support. Programme planners and teacher educators need to bear
these principles in mind when planning professional development activities for MTB-MLE teachers. Recurring themes include the importance of ongoing opportunities to critically reflect on past practice
and experiences, constructive mentoring from experienced trainers or teachers and structured exchange with teaching colleagues in similar contexts. Some practical issues to consider include optimum group
size, modelling and observation of effective methods, sufficient and authentic opportunities to practise new learning and the appropriate use of technology.
2.3 Emerging issues
The literature reviewed in this chapter provides a broad picture of the competencies teachers require in multilingual learning situations and how these competencies can be nurtured. Of central importance are
teachers’ linguistic and pedagogical competencies, and their ability to embrace and incorporate learners’ cultural background and knowledge in the classroom. Teachers need practical and relevant training
regarding adapting their understanding and practice to MTB-MLE contexts. In addition, they benefit from ongoing support to discuss and reflect as they seek to implement these innovations and integrate them
into their existing beliefs and classroom practices.
More studies in francophone African countries would be useful, especially ones which address the messy details of this process of change and take into account common realities faced by teachers, such as
large class size, lack of resources and little classroom support. Teachers themselves may come to the profession with a less-than-desirable level of education from traditional L2-submersion systems, a factor
which exerts a huge influence on teachers’ practice. Giving teachers too much theory, for example, may be counter-productive and serve only to fill notebooks rather than inform reflective practice. Judging the
right balance of theory and practice is a very pertinent issue and further studies could give useful guidance.
Likewise, more examples of successful models for training and support used in African MTB-MLE contexts to empower teachers to deliver a culturally appropriate curriculum would be helpful. This
would be especially relevant for practitioners tackling the challenges involved in applying a reflective professional development model in situations where funding is limited. In such contexts, for example,
how could adequate coaching and mentoring be facilitated and how could teachers be given opportunities to be involved in a transformative “community of practice?”
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Chapter 3 Stakeholder Views, Practices and Experiences
3.1 Methodology and data collection
Before turning to the findings of this study, I will briefly discuss the research methodology. In order to address the third research objective to “explore stakeholder views, practices and experiences of training
and support in the FAPLG preschool programme”, I adopted a case study strategy and gathered data from various sources to help create a “three-dimensional picture” Biggam 2008:230 of the case under
scrutiny. By using this multi-method and multi-source approach, I hoped to achieve effective triangulation by comparing and contrasting data from different angles, thus capturing a picture of
teacher training and support with both depth and breadth. As the focus for this study, I chose the Guerguiko Association for Language Development and
Promotion ADPLG, one of six community-based literacy associations running preschool within the regional FAPLG structure. The Guerguiko community of roughly 25,000 live in 20 rural villages
surrounding the main mountain of the Guera region. Appendix C shows a map of the area. ADPLG started MT preschool classes in 2006 and now runs 15 classes. I gathered data from ADPLG’s preschool
teachers and literacy support staff 3 teachers, one coordinator and two supervisors, seven regional FAPLGSIL literacy support staff, and project documentation. I incorporated the views and experiences
of local and regional staff in an attempt to gain insights from their breadth of experience and to form a well-rounded perspective of FAPLG preschool.
In early 2013 I undertook two research visits in order to gather data through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews. During the first visit I spent a morning 8–11am with each
teacher observing lessons, followed by a semi-structured interview with the teacher, facilitated by an interpreter. I held individual interviews with local staff. On the second visit, I observed only two
teachers, since the third teacher was absent. By returning to each class a month later, I could gauge children’s progress and scrutinise significant issues emerging from the first visit in greater depth. I held
follow-up interviews with all three teachers, and a group discussion with the local staff. I conducted seven interviews with regional support staff between January and March 2013. I collected a range of
project documentation, including teaching resources, training resources and project reports. Appendix D shows the ethics and background information form. Appendix E summarises data gathered and appendix
G shows a sample interview schedule. A fuller discussion on the methodology used is provided in appendix F.
Data collection was constrained by factors such as the availability of time and resources, the need to work through an interpreter in interviews and observations, the availability of relevant staff and the
challenges related to the geographical situation of the Guera region where the research was conducted. I made every effort to work constructively within these constraints.
The remainder of this chapter outlines the main findings of this research and evaluates the FAPLG training and support framework, as summarised in appendix H, as a means of accompanying teachers in
improving their knowledge, skills and attitudes.
3.2 The value of previous experience
The three teachers in this study were in their third, fourth and seventh years of preschool teaching respectively. All teachers met the recommended selection criteria for teaching preschool: each had
successfully completed four years of secondary education and taught L1 adult literacy in their community. One teacher had three years and the other two eight years of adult teaching experience prior
to teaching preschool.
