Malawi Primary School Support Program

School children in Dowa, Malawi

(Picture source: Cover of PSSP Report, see full details below)

''Monitored and supported making and use of TALULAR in 199 schools to promote effective teaching and learning in the classroom.'' (p8)

''Teaching and learning using locally available resources provides a bedrock for quality teaching. Local resources are plentiful, cheap and effective...

...They bring to life classroom instruction and make learning more exciting and tangible... known as TALULAR (Teaching and Learning Using Locally Available Resources) are used in lesson delivery by teachers to help learners acquire knowledge and skills...

...TALULAR can be leaves or bottle tops, knowledge or experience, living or nonliving, animal or plant, human or non-human. It can be in its original form or modified to suit its intended use...

...Drama club members and teachers and community members who excel in mobilizing local resources have become role models who can help show other communities how to replicate such initiatives elsewhere.

...Role models are an important and powerful mechanism for creating change and propelling stakeholders to achieve higher.

Thanks to local resources and efforts, now nearly all the schools in Dowa district have play parks where children spend time before and after school rather than staying at home. Children are playful and are drawn to opportunities for play. Play parks on the grounds of primary schools in Dowa district have attracted more children into schools, increasing school enrollment and retention.

Source: Capitalizing on Local Resources (p24) from Primary School Support Program (PSSP: SFP), Report January 2006-February 2009 by Simeon Mawindo, Cassandra Jessee and Jennifer Anderson. Prepared for the American Institutes for Research in partnership with Creative Center for Community Mobilization, Malawi Institute of Education, and Miske Witt & Associates.

Environment and Talular

''...to get around to writing about environmental concerns here in Malawi. It is easy to allow the issue to fall to the bottom of one’s priority list when faced with more immediately life threatening problems....

...On the bright side, there is a lot of recycling going on (out of necessity not blue box programs!) by people who sell used plastic bottles, beautiful mops made from rags, and other things for re-use, children (and artisans!) who make toys out of scraps and people who buy and sell second hand clothes. Educators have embraced the concept called “TALULAR” – Teaching And Learning Using Locally Available Resources. There is a refreshing absence of consumerism and all of its environmental repercussions. ..''

Monday April 20th, 2009

Source: Hales in Africa

Talular in the Peace Corps Journal

Peace Corps Journal and Talular.

Are you in Peace Corp? Are you using Talular? Why not put a report in your journal?

The 'search' link above should allow everyone to hear about your TALULARisation!

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Also

"...Primary students learn mathematics in Malawi using soda bottle caps, an innovation of a project called TALULAR, Teaching and Learning Using Locally Available Resources."

Source: The Center for Research and Development in International Education (CRaDIE), Virginia Tech. School of Education

HEQMISA and Talular

Source: Higher Education Quality Management Initiative for Southern Africa (HEQMISA)

"Malawi Country Project...
The project was carried out in order to stimulate both staff and students/pupils in the environment they live in and how they can use these local resources in the process of teaching and learning. It is hoped that TALULAR would result in increased creativity as well as supplying the resources for teaching and learning instead of relying on
imported goods.

The following questions were asked after the impressive presentation:
1 Can TALULAR also be used in other courses?
Other areas that have been shown to use TALULAR are biology,language among others. Teachers/facilitators provide examples from their own fields

2 At what level of education can TALULAR be used?
Talular is appropriate at all levels of education starting at primary level and will continue to other levels when the new curriculum gets phased in.

3 How do you conduct assessments?
TALULAR provides a good foundation for education and assessment and is embedded in the course curriculum which is outcome based.

4 What are the challenges to be encountered when using Talurar?
Teachers and lecturers feel shy collecting waste materials for utilisation. In addition, there is also a lack of expertise in collecting materials.

5 What measures are there for follow up and feedback using the Cascade Model?
These will be checked through visits to colleges. This reduces costs and will be done during the normal activities of the MoE.

6 Why was the focus on TTCs and not other institutions?
The TTCs were easier to access because of the problem of inadequate funding.

7 Why were Principals not included in the workshops?
The Deputy Principals are normally in charge of academic programmes while the Principals are busy with other administrative activities.

8 Where is the ‘learner centeredness’ and where is ‘quality’?
Participants explained how they were going to use the resources and also the provision of equipment.

... The general situation of education in Malawi and other SADC countries was discussed in general. It was agreed that a teacher: pupil ratio of 1:300 is extremely challenging..."

Teaching made simple with Talular

"...There’s an old flip flop with three sizeable holes in its sole that sits amid scraps of paper on the concrete floor.

Talular is hard at work.

Teaching and learning using locally available resources, also known as Talular, is using any and every thing within reach, from bottle caps to old cell phone vouchers to make teaching resources.

“A teacher is a scavenger,” said Talular facilitator Byson Maneya during a Talular training at Zomba’s Mponda teacher development centre. Maneya has made more than 2,000 pieces of Talular in the last 10 years of his 16-year teaching career. His indefatigable enthusiasm and dedication have earned him the nickname, Mr. Talular.

Talular could not be more applicable in Malawi, as its 15-year-old free primary education system still struggles to cope with large class sizes with few teachers and fewer resources.

In Malawi’s schools, 60 pupils in a room is considered the target. In the Ngabu zone’s 14 schools alone, there are 10,802 students taught by 71 teachers, or a ratio of 152 students per teacher..."


Source: Yumimi Pang in The Daily Times (Malawi) of 02-04-09

TALULAR ideas... teachers all round the world can use them!

''... They use everything from old light bulbs, matchboxes and cans to plastic bags and toilet paper rolls. One of the best examples he gave us was a "television" made from a box with a roll of paper inside and two sticks... He (Gibson Zembeni) told us a great story with it... We got some really great ideas to use in the classroom. The concepts are not only resourceful for teachers in Africa, but teachers all around the world can also use them!''
Krista Patrick, Virgina Tech., USA. Student teacher visiting Malawi

Use TALULAR rather than bemoan the lack of resources

''Teaching with no resources (no desks, chairs, few books and over 100 children to each class) is challenging, and the advice is to use TALULAR - (Teaching And Learning Using Locally Available Resources). As the syllabus included introducing the game of netball, Kay fronted up to the task, by asking the girls to bring home made balls (plastic and string) and plastic bags with handles, which, when held aloft by one girl at each end of dusty space, made the goals. 140 very excited and enthusiastic girls... may go some way in encouraging other teachers to use TALULAR rather than bemoan the lack of equipment.'' Richard and Kay Harvey (2008) Concern-Universal

Kay is a teacher of PE and English as a foreign language and Richard is the former CEO of AVIVA, the world's fifth largest insurer.

Indigenous technology in science education (Doctoral dissertation)

'The rate of adoption of the TALULAR ideology, which is actively promoted in Malawi... If we were to apply crude statistics, the ratio of those who feel comfortable in using TALULAR and those who do not is already 2:1. ...For a poor country like Malawi the choice to use TALULAR as a means of provision of resources, is an answer to low financial support of educational activities. Anything that could work against a solution to financial shortcomings is worth thinking about and monitoring what goes on in relation to it. ...I started thinking that TALULAR needs a better strategy for its dissemination... Otherwise, teachers will end up using lecture methodologies all the time, because practical work would not work without resources. This will be even more necessary as teachers engage in teaching indigenous technologies in science and technology curriculum.'' ADK Phiri. (2008) Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy
Link:
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-04112008-115442/unrestricted/PhiriDissertationResubmited2May08.pdf

TALULAR footballs in Malawi

''So back during our site visit Kristy convinced the children in the village, who like to stop by, to gather random pieces of plastic from the bush (there's a lot of trash laying around). They made their homemade footballs (soccer balls) out of the plastic bags. It's the number one brand of football here in Malawi. In the education field we have an acronym for that: TALULAR (teaching and learning using locally available resources).''

Text and picture source: Journal of Brian and Kristy's experiences as Peace Corps volunteers in Malawi.

Scottish global teacher in Malawi

''I encouraged them to employ the TALULAR system (Teaching And Learning Using Locally Available Resources) and engage in Active Learning Methodologies ... singing and dancing to aid learning, all of which come naturally.'' Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Scotland, Nov. 2007. http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/dumfriesgalloway/news/2007/11/23/the-joy-of-learning-77296-20151621/

TALULAR was to be the order of the day

''We were told that it was no use waiting for resources as they might never arrive. In schools TALULAR was to be the order of the day- Teaching and Learning Using Locally Available Resources.''
Global teacher (2007) Diary of a Global Teacher. Malawi. http://malawi.wikispaces.com/Adjustment?f=print

Talular... use of such materials was not often realized.

''Frequently, a chalkboard is the only teaching resource available. The Ministry of Education encourages teachers to use locally available materials (Teaching And Learning Using Locally Available Resources—TALULAR) such as collectable objects found in the villages that are part of everyday life (e.g., buttons, yarn, sticks, etc.), yet our experiences suggested that the use of such materials was not often realized.''
George Glasson et al (2007) Understanding the Earth Systems of Malawi: Ecological Sustainability, Culture, and Place-Based Education. Virginia Polytechnic and State University. http://www.mmp.soe.vt.edu/Download/glasson_malawi.pdf

Talular part of Mzuzu University Education and Teaching Studies degree

ETS 1201: Instructional Media and Technology. This course aims at equipping students with skills for designing, selecting, modifying, and proper use of media and instructional technologies... ''...students are exposed to the concept of Teaching and Learning Using Locally Available Resources (TALULAR) approach to teaching and learning.''
Peter B Kayira, 2007, Department of Education and Teaching Studies Syllabus, Mzuzu University, Malawi.
http://www.mzuni.ac.mw/Edu%20&%20TeachStds.htm

TALULAR idea mentioned in Zimbabwe (FAO)

''TALULAR: Teaching And Learning Using Locally Available Resources.'' (page 20)
UN Food And Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Garden-Based Learning for Improved Livelihoods and Nutrition Security of School Children in High HIV-Prevalence Areas in Southern Africa. 2007. Workshop, Harare, Zimbabwe ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1432e/a1432e00.pdf

Talular in Dumfries and Galloway Standard, Scotland

''The teaching system used is TALULAR — teaching and learning using locally available resources. In other words, using sticks and bottle tops instead of the bright colourful blocks. It’s using whatever you can find as a teaching tool.''
Dumfries and Galloway Standard May 24, 2007
http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/dumfriesgalloway/news/tm_headline=teacher-takes-lessons-to-malawi&method=full&objectid=19193010&siteid=77296-name_page.html

Intervention process... TALULAR (UNESCO Forum, Accra)

''Intervention process... To teach methodology courses whose emphasis is on student-centred approaches without confining the teaching to the laboratory. This means emphasizing activities like Directed Activities Related to Text (DARTS), using the environment and using the concept of TALULAR (teaching and learning using locally available resources).''
A Saiti, UNESCO Forum, Accra, Ghana. May 2007 http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001541/154191e.pdf

Malawi currently emphasing TALULAR (Doctoral dissertation)

''Malawi is currently emphasizing teaching and learning using locally available resources (TALULAR), which sometimes may not cost any money or very little money. The use of local resources is usually associated with improvisation where, when the original material is not available, a teacher devises a substitute... comments from teachers about using improvisation through TALULAR: “… by making the aid myself I actually understand the topic better!” “I made aids with the help of my pupils, they learnt so did I …we learnt how they work by making them.” “It promotes creativity and encourages other more practical skills.” “More relevant to learners when you use local materials.” “Improvisation sets a good example to pupils and inexperienced teachers. If we do it they may see the benefit.” It is this creativity and practical skills that tutors need so that they can be able to pick any piece of junk and produce a teaching material.''(page 30)

Clemence Michael Kadzera(2006) Use of Instuctional Technologies in Teacher Training Colleges in Malawi. Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy submitted to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05152006-174707/unrestricted/Dissertation-Kadzera.pdf

Widespread enthusiasm for the TALULAR (Mzuzu Uni. Stirling Uni.)

''The lack of teaching aids and apparatus for use in schools was identified by all of the science staff, in the university and schools, as a key issue to be addressed... Amongst the lecturers and school staff there was widespread enthusiasm for the TALULAR (Teaching And Learning Using Locally Accessed Resources) approach to science teaching as this was seen as being more sustainable when compared to using specialised science materials.''
Dr Mike Carroll (Bsc Curriculum Mzuzu Uni. 2006. Page 2 http://www.aqua.stir.ac.uk/development/projects/documents/outcar.pdf report pdf)

''Recommendations... supporting the TALULAR approach in order to blend curricular and local knowledge will have a positive impact upon practical work in science and introducing sustainable methodologies.''
Dr Mike Carroll (BSc Curriculum Mzuzu Uni. 2006.Page 5 http://www.aqua.stir.ac.uk/development/projects/documents/outcar.pdf report pdf

Talular can only be stretched so far!

''...Makes both you and them frustrated let alone simply the problems of the lack of resources. Of course for us education volunteers they have a nice little acronym they used called TALULAR (teaching and learning using locally available resources). But even that can only be stretched so far.''
Malawicious: The ranting and ravings of life in the Peace Corp June 2006 http://malawicious.blogspot.com/2006/06/9-months-down-18-to-go.html

Science teacher preparation in Malawi (Doctorate dissertation)

''In Malawi, one of the education policies as stipulated in the Policy and Investment Framework (PIF, 2001)recommends teaching and learning using locally available resources (TALULAR). It was noted by Chakwera, Thawe, Banda, Matemba, January, Saiti, et al. (2001) that “TALULAR ideas can assist in making teaching and learning effective and making the education system more sustainable by introducing important cost-effective classroom technologies” (p. 103). These locally available resources may include: (a) human resources such as guest speakers; ( b) material resources such as charts, diagrams, artifacts and models; and (c) non-material resources such as individual talents (Chakwera, et al., 2001). It should be noted that knowing how to make and use locally available resources requires teacher creativity and innovative skills. The teachers are required to know: (a) types of locally available resources that can be used for teaching and learning; (b) how to use the locally available resources effectively; and (c) understand how these resources can be used in a variety of subject areas.'' (page 20)
Wotchiwe Mtonga Kalande. 2006. The Influence of Science Teacher Preparation Programs on Instructional Practices of Beginning Primary School Teachers in Malawi. Dissertation... Doctor of Philosophy... Virginia Tech.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12182006-134936/unrestricted/Wotchiwe-DissFinal.pdf