Teacher Guide: Basic Literacy, Numeracy and Themes for Everyday Living
The Teacher Emergency Program (TEP) programme for Angola followed the main principles and approaches of versions for Somalia and Rwanda, and this is being carried forward in the generic English version. The main components are the Teacher Guide, the Teacher Training courses, the NRC Trainer’s Support Manual and the TEP kit of basic materials.
The Teacher Guide is the most important element in the TEP system. It is handed out at the training of teachers/facilitators, and with it the TEP kit when the candidate has passed the tests and is ap- proved for the programme. The TEP kit is not issued without training and teacher commitment.
This version of the TEP offers a one year programme with the assistance of locally recruited teachers, who, in some cases, are non-qualified before training. The extent of the training courses would depend on the qualifications of the teachers, but for non-qualified ones, a five week intensive training course seems necessary. The training and the programme can be shortened to suit the needs of a given community and situation.
The intention is to provide children with basic learning skills so that they can enter or be reintegrated into normal school activity. The themes are aiming at responding to basic needs for information for survival and improvement of the quality of life. With some adaptations of the themes and the approach, the programme can be used for other groups as well – such as young people and illiterate adults.
The Teacher Guide introduces the participatory methodology and ways of working in the classroom. It also gives general advice to the teacher on how to behave with the children to make them interested in learning, and it guides the day-to-day programme of learning to make certain the indicated learning matter is covered.
In a specific situation the thematic parts may need to be strengthened or new ones introduces, such as HIV/AIDS knowledge, sensitisation on people’s suffering and experiences, and the Human Rights Topics.
A simplified Trainer’s Support Manual contains additional advice on planning and on the role of the teacher as well as tools and recommendations for many of the lessons