» + FMPROVISATION .& UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN PRIMARY ENGLISH PEDAGOGY: A KEY TO ACHIEVING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN NIGERIA BY 2015 By Chibueze O Grace FCE(T), Gombe Abstract Despite the concerted efforts of the global coniinunity to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on “Education for All (EFA) by the year 2015, international reports show that glaring inequalities still characterize ‘mostnations and regions today. This raises doubts'and fears in the minds of the United Nations member states on the possibility of achieving a Universal Basic Education (UBE) devoid of inequalities in the next 7 years - 2015. Unavailability of instructional materials in most developing nations has been identified as a major constraint. This paper, through a library research, therefore, offers improvisation in primary English pedagogy as a Millennium imperative for achieving equal and qualitative basic education in Nigeria by 2015. Among other things, the writer suggests that for Nigeria to hit the millennium target on access, equity and efficiency in literacy, and for the regional or global community torealize the EFA mandate, teachers in disadvantaged situations should See improvisation as anecessary tool without which the EFA perspectives cannot be achieved by 2015, Introduction ‘At the 2000 World Education Forum in Dakar, 164. members of United Nations (UN) with other International. organizations,’ agencies regional represéntatives and ‘non-governmental : bodies committed themselves towards achieving the 1990 Jomtien Declaration on Education fr All EFA) by 2015.Among the six major EFA goals a toensure thatby 2015 all children, particularly gi circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and coinplete free and compulsory primary education of good quality... tocliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, ‘and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, witha focus on ensuring girls full and equal access to and achievement. basic education of good quality andto improve all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence ofall so thatrecognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and esseiitial life skills. (National Planning Commission and UNICEF, 2001; UNESCO, 2008:) Inorder to achieve these goals, the UN at the 2000 World Education Forum came up with the following, eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to be achieved by 2015; Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. Achieve Universals Primary Education. Promote gender equality andempower Women. Reduce child niortality. Improve material health. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases, . Ensure environmental sustainability. . Develop global partnership for development, (wwv.un.org/millénniumgoals/ pa Ave eye * MDGs2and3 above reaffiri and are targeted towards achieving EFA perspectives on ensuring compulsory universal basic education, promoting gender equality and empowering women. To facilitate the attainment of these goals in every nation, MDG 8 above enforces the United Nations into a pledge to assist and empower the least developed countries through more generous official development assistance (UNESCO, 2008). . ‘Despite the notable efforts both atthe national and international levels to advance in the attainment of the EFA objectives over the years, there still exist glaring dichotomies between the educational attainment and qualities of the developed and developing countries, between the rural and urban dwellers, the wealthy and the poor, and the privileged ani less privileged of the same nations. Moreover, 'quality,, ‘excellence and measurable learning outcomes' have not really been attained in the Universal Basic Education The Voice of Teachers, Vol 1 No, 1, 2009 [123* Chibuize 0 Graco Promgrames of most developing nations in termiof litracy, oral expression, mumeracy, et, As Feported by UNESCO (2008, pp.33-34): Inequalities remain within countries; between regions, provinces orsstates; ‘between urban and rural areas; between rich and poor households; and - between ethnic groups...International and regional assessments anda growing number ofnational assessments ... show thatrelatively poor learning outcomes in language and mathematics, as well as other subjects, still characterize many counties worldwide. The need to improve these ‘outcomes, especially their uneven distribution within countries, remainsa salient challenge in all countries (emphasis mine). \ Mostof these imbalances and poor learning outcomeshave been attributedto unavailability of textbooks and reading or teaching materials in the subject areas (including English and other Janguages). Global comparative researches and EFA Monitoring Reports show that the pupil/textbook ratio is a significant measure of education quality (Heyneman, 2006; Fuller and Clark 1994). Yet in these countries, especially the developing nations, both. the teachers ‘and the pupils hardly see textbooks (UNESCO, 2008; Bonnet, 2007). : Earlier studies ound hatin Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombi, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela, only about one-third of primary school pupils had access to textbooks, Similarly, a survey carried out by Souther and Eastern Africa Consortium on Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ) reported that over halfof the grace 6 pupils in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania and ‘Zambia learned in classrooms that did not possess a single book (UNESCO, 2005). 1ce pupils’ access to textbooks is an.important;factor in what and how much they lear (UNESCO, 2005), there is an urgent need to tackle the global problem of scarcity of teaching and learning materials because it has a decisive influence on the learning outcome; This need has necessitated this present research: Improvisation and utilisation of instructional materials in primary English pedagogy a key to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in basi ieracy and orl expression in Nigeria Primary English as been chosen because of its pivotal implications. The paper hopes to bridge the gep that exists among schools, states, regions and countries which have teaching resources, and the disadvantaged ones that lack such readymade instructional materials (textbooks and ater laming fctatos). The researcher also aspires o achieve equity, eiency, effesivenes, quay and functionality in access and quantity. ‘Themajormethods employed inthis research are the library and project : work (sourcing out, constructing and testing some of these materials). : : Forexplicitness, this paper is considered under the following sub-headings: + Meaningand types of instructional materials Meaning, the need and sources ofimprovsaton fo primary English pedagosy. Samples of improvisation for primary English in an adverse situation Selection, utilization and maintenance of improvised materials Conclusion ‘Meaning and types of instructional materials. In any teaching leaning process, both the teacher and the pupils communicate with each other, An important aspect of communication is understanding. To ensure effective communication in a classroom situation, therefore, teachers are compelled to employ teaching aids, otherwise called instructional media or materials. So, instructional materials include all the devices and materials which educators employ in order to present a complete body of information in the teaching/learning process for a mote, effective instructional outcome (Obianwu & Azubike, 1994). It is generally believed that teaching aids ‘when effectively employed help to concretize the learning process and make learning permanent and transferable (Yee, 1988; Nigeria Teachers’ Institute (NTI), 2006). Instructional materials are commonly classified based on the senses they evoke: visual, audio, audio visual, tactile, olfactory. ‘The’phrase, “audio-visual aids” has, however, almost becomé synonymous with any ‘type of instructional medium. They are also categorized based on the level of technology involved - high or low- level technology materials; print or non-print; projected or non-projected; and teacher-made materials, often calledimprovisation. Meaning, the need and sources of improvisation for primary English pedagogy ~ Improvisation of instiuctional materials refers to the process of sourcing, preparing, and utilising available items (often discarded) in the absence of the conventional ones. Thus, improvised materials dre those [124{mprovston&wliaion of structions rntrols in primary Engh pedagogy: Ay fo echevng he ———— Millennium Development Gosle in Nigeria by 2015 teaching aids which the teacher or both the teacher and his pupils recreate of construct out of discarded or cheap materials as substitutes for the scarce, unavailable factory-made ones, : Improvisation may involvea mere substitution with a model or a creative replication oy an innovative construction. Owing to high cost and scarcity of instructional materials, the teacher of English at the basics is expected to be resourcefill in creating his own teaching aids for achieving efficientoutputs. ‘There are global evidences that soine of the imbalances iri access, equity and quality and between urban and rural or between the advantaged and disadvantaged regions, nations, states and comimiinities of the world emanate from unavailability of instructional materials (Montagnes, 2001; UNESCO, 2005; Heyneman,2006; Bonnet, 2007). In order to eradicate these disparities and enhance the learning outconiés, most developing nations, like Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Swaziland, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, etcetera, have currently embarked on capacity building workshops to retrain and encourage their basic educators to develop and use teacher-made materials for facilitating the’ teaching process (FEMSA, 2007; Ndirangu, Kathuri & Mungai, 2003). The recent workshops in Nigeria with emphases on methodology and improvisation are indicators that she isnot left out. (DomNwachukwu, Nkechi & Chinaka,2006; Chibueze,2007.)’ Since English is acoré subjectand since the EFA mandate didnot only emphasize access . and equity, but also quality and efficiency, there is an urgent task for the English language teacher at this pivotal stage to resort to improvisation, Moreover, English is mainly sounds and words: These sounds (arbitrary vocal symbols) are strange to most of our children at this stage of their formal education, The teacher should, of a necessity, device means of concretizing these strange and abstract sounds and words in the child's mind's perception fora permanent and transferable learning to take place. Effective use of improvisation will goa long, way in eurbing the dichotomies among the privileged and the less-pivleged communities and states of the ‘country, in particular, and the world in general. Despite the lack of ready-made teaching materials, which calls for improvisation, some people believe that improvised aids are more effective than the conventional ones. ‘This may be because teachers may know what their pupils need and what is most relevant for any lesson, and they can use theirown improvised media more effectively than the factory stereotyped ones. Improvisation in primary English has thus become a universal millennium imperative for achieving efficiency and equity in literacy and oral expression not only in the. rural and remoteares of, Nigeria but also in other developing countries ofthe world. Resourceful language teachers may need the following for most of their improvisation: marker, paint (colour), crayons, brushes, book-binding materials (stapler; hole punch, yarn, scissors, glue), cardboard papers, discarded blankets or flannel materials or old cardigans or woolen cloth, pieces of magnet (can be got from old loudspeakers), flattened empty metal tins, empty cartons, flat wood, junk mails, catalogues, magazines, calendars, etc. (National Association of Child Care Resouree and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), 2007; Chibueze, 2007.) ‘Samples ofimprovisation for primary Engl an adverse situation A The Flannel Board t Purpose: To display graphics ortext. Plan: Geta piece of hard board, wooden rails, a flannel cloth oran old blanket, or,, any piece of soft woolen cloth, small nails, hammer, glue, scissors, sandpaper. Procedure: © Cover asquare piece of flat hard wood/board with flannel materials, using small nails to fasten it. Ensure thatthe cloth is free from all wrinkles before attaching itto the board. Add wooden boarders round the edges. Draw the picture or write the speech sounds, words or sentences on the cardboard or reverse side of an old calendar. ‘Cut off the excess part of the cardboard. Orcut texts or graphics from discarded calendars catalogues, newspapers etc. tthe back of the graphics/cardboard attach some pieces of sandpaper or woolens, using gum, “The side with sandpaper or piece of woolen will adhere tothe flannel. ‘The above can be used in matching sounds or the alphabet letters with words, matching objects/pictures with words, and teaching simple sentence reading or displaying model stories, and short poems or passages in the absence of either a chalkboard or English textbook or both. B. Magnetic board Purpose: sin flannel board but can carry heavier pictures. Plan: Getapiece ofhard board, athin flatsheet ofmetal(aflattenedempty _kerosenetin can serve) nails, hammer, pieces of magnet, glue, cardboard and graphics. Procedure: . Cover one side ofthe board with the metal sheet. [125Chibueze 0 Grace . wed — » Draw the visualtext materials ona piece of cardboard. Orcut graphics ortext from magazines, catalogues etc. : Ifeut from magazinés, fasten itonapiece of cardboardpaper. ~. ° ‘Use glue to fix the magnet at the'rear comnérs of the' cardboard. ‘The cardboard will now be magnetic to the metal board when placed on it. “ (Obianwu de Azubike, 1994.) - Cc! FlipChart Purpose: To display iteins, graphics ortextiina series, For instance, to teach places *” of articulation in consonant sound production, Plan: cardboards of different colours, markers, softwire and ahole pinch, Procedure: Souirce cardboards or old calendar of equal sizes. Select amarker with a colour that will show clearly (e.g. avoid using a faint/dark/brown ink on a brown or dark blue paper). \ Draw vividly and boldly aspecific contact on each cardboard. : ‘+, - Give few labelling, using small letters (¢-g. upper incisors touch the lower lip, asin/fand/v/). ©. Punch the cardboards (together) atthe centre top: Fasten loosely witha soft wire. ‘© Support with flip chart standtouse. D, Flash Cards Purpose: topresentitems in aseries, or match words with speech sounds, to ‘match pictures with words, ete, " Plan: ~~» cardboard paper or empty carton, pencil, eraser; marker or felt per (of « different colours), glue, scissors, measuring instrument (ruler). Procedure: ‘+ Ciitthe ards tobe proportional to the'sizes ofthe letters or speech sounds tobe displayed. ‘+ Forword cards ensure équal spacing between the letters. + | Usethie lowercase (forreadability). © Make the writing bold (for clarity and enhanced vision). ~ + Forpicture cards, make the pictures, large. * Ifthethick paperis dull, paste white paper on its surface (Bello, 2006; NTI, 2006; Chibueze, 2007). Below are few examples: [u:] asin [tme| asin [fear [sex] ess [126Improvistion& tilieasion of instructional materials ia primary English pedagogy: A key to achieving the ‘Millenia Developement Goalsin Nigeria by 2015 D. Word or Cluster Map Purpose: Vocabulary development, creativity, raining! aided simple ¢ oral narration: Plan: cardboard, ruler, marker and, perhaps, a dictionary. : Procedure: - Enclose the theme or family name with a circle at the centre of the cluster, 2 - Put subtypes (related words) inside’ separate circles. - Use arrows to connect them to the parent and 'subtheme circles: - Continue to sub group until you get as many related words as you need, based on the class level. Here is a sample: : Golden Eagle “Bam owl [127Chibueze 0 Grace: ——— Selection, utilisation and maintenance of improvised materials The pivotal English language teachers should use their own initiative and discretion to select the materials that are most appropriate to their own teaciiing leaming situations. For. a ‘meaningful level of literacy to be achieved in an adverse austerity, ‘he universal basic English teacher can improvise flash cards for teaching speech sounds, words or sentences, Picture cards, passages for comprehension and vocabulary buildingor _ poetry performance, etcetera, can be cut from old calendars, newspapers; magazines and other print materials and used together with an improvised flannel/magnetic board. Old calendars can also be utilised as teacher-made flip. charts, ‘The teacher should be ressiurceful enough to improvise his own teaching aids to ensure adequacy and sustenance ofthe learning outcome. Apart from teacher/pupil-made resources, other sources include students' projects, any. high institution, skilled personnel, the environment or community within which the teacher operates, any resource centre, etc, Roadside artisans and craftsmen can also help in either preparing most of these materials (based on the teacher's instruction), or giving out the odds and ends needed as materials for your improvisation, Generally: the following principles should guide the selection of any improvisation: 1 Aptness and appropriateness: the media should be relevantto the topic and event itintendstoenhance. Itshould also be relevantto the age of the pupils and the circumstances of us 2. Costeffectiveness: itshould be affordable and economical. 3. Clarity: itmustnot create doubts about what itsets out to impress on the learner, It must present information clearly, 4, Acouracy/Authenticity: itmustbe accurate and authentic. 5.Appeal:itshould capture and sensitize the interest andthe attention of the children andstimulate them to learn, 6.Availablity: itshould be easily obtainable whenever itis needed. 7. Application/Operation: itshould be easy to operate,(Obianwu & Azubike, 1994,) One thing is to improvise and another is to make proper use of the material improvised. Hence, the teacher should be apt and skillful in the use of these materials. ‘The materials sourced shoiald be appfopriate to the situation, the topic or knowledge to be acquired, the environment, the culture and the age range of the pupils. ‘After each lesson, the aids should'be removed from the classroom and kept properly. Every school should have a'resource centre where the instructional media should be kept. They should be properly labelled, grouped and protected from dust, spiders' web, harsh weatherand tear. There should be aresource lab attendant to ensure proper maintenance of these media; to keep the place tidy; to keep daily or weekly records/diary of the aids; to minimize the loss and the abuse of these materials by careless users. Conelusion ‘The internation’ iredties to hit the millennium target “Education for All by 2015 are facing, worldwide tenacious oppositions. UNESCO (2008) accounts that intemational, regional and a growing number of national assessments show. that relatively poor’ learning’ outcomes in: languages and mathematics still characterize many countries globally. Moreover, disparities in access, quality, equity and efficiency within countries; between regions, provinces or states; between urban and rural areas; between rich and pdor house holds; and between ethnic groups, is another strong combatant millennium ‘virus’ militating against the achievement of the MDGs by 2015. At the basics, English as a core subject and Nigeria's linguia franca has pivotal implications on quality, equity, efficiency and contiauity in the nation’s education system, and her aspirations to buildan intelligent society’. Ideally, in the face of scarcity and adversity, the pivotal teacher should see improvisation as a useful teaching resource not only in English, but also in other subjects. Therefore, since most ofthese imbalances have been traced to poor leaming situations - scarcity and unavailability of instructional materials - this paper sees improvisation in primaiy English pedagogy as a millennium imperative for achieving qualitative and measurable basic educations forall, especially, in the poor or rural settings of the world, in general, and Nigeria in particular, Consequently, for Nigeria to hit the millennium target on access, equity, efficiency and continuity, and for the international community to realize her mandate to build a balanced universal literate community by the ‘year 2015, primary English teachers in disadvantaged/austere situations should see improvisation as a necessary tool without which the EFA mandate cannot be achievedby the year2015. References Bello, H.M. 2006. Using teacher-made materials to teach English in primary schools. In TO. 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