Pedagogical method "Teaching at the Right Level": a reluctant trainer becomes a supporter
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In one of the districts of the Regional Directorate of National Education, Raharilisy is among the 28 trainers introduced to the Teaching at the Right Level method for the reading session backed thanks to the PAEB 5 funded by the GPE (Global Partnership for Education) and the World Bank. After direct practical experience in the field, the educational counselor has completely embraced the method, convinced of its effectiveness in improving the level of education for Malagasy children. However, the method had to prove itself to reach this point.
"With 15 years of service marked by university courses and professional training, I wonder why use two writing styles for students. They will be confused, and it will clearly impact their results," Raharilisy expressed at the beginning of her training, which was a simulation. In fact, she outright labels the approach as "anti-pedagogical" compared to geometric writing, allowing students to write well and follow the lines through geometric shapes. She also notes that the method tends to promote rote learning. To confirm her displeasure, Raharilisy refuses to participate in the imposed simulation after the demonstration by the trainers: no way for her to sit on the floor to participate in the "Resadresaka" or literally "exchange" activity.
For the practical part of the training, Raharilisy is assigned to a primary school with about twenty students. Her task is to apply the method to enhance their reading level. The group she supervises is the "word" group, the third learning level for the "reading" category. On the second day of debriefing with the trainers, surprise filled the room when Raharilisy expressed her enthusiasm and satisfaction in returning the next day to continue the activities. "I hardly noticed the time passing. The children showed a particular interest in the activities, starting from the ice-breaking session. I also noted their exceptional motivation. Everyone wants to participate, but we ran out of time, and there was even a suggestion to continue the activities on Wednesday afternoons. Finally, and very importantly, I noticed a clear improvement in the overall level of students and the improvement of their writing after just a few sessions," she reported.
Raharilisy completes her training without hiding her pride. She requested that all trainer formations always be followed by such field practices to assess and correct errors and/or misunderstandings.
It is worth noting that the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) method, developed in India, allows children to quickly acquire basic reading and math skills, regardless of age or school level, through playful activities. Duplicated in Madagascar in 19 regions through the Ministry of National Education, with the support of UNICEF, JICA, PAEB 5 (GPE and the World Bank) and other donors, TaRL has enabled over 46,500 primary school teachers, including more than 26,400 women, to be trained and guide a total of more than 1,301,400 children, including nearly 648,000 girls, in their learning.
