Post #41 Text of Bakari speech and opportunity to share your presentations

We have just posted the text of Dr. Bakari's keynote address to the
6th RFA Conference which many people have requested.
We will also be posting the texts of Ngugi wa Thiong'o's speeches and
several other conference documents.

ALSO: PLEASE send us your conference presentations and PowerPoints if
you would like them posted. Many people have expressed interest in
getting them, so please don't be shy about posting. There were so many
great presentations at the conference and they deserve to be widely
disseminated.

Last, I realize that some abstracts were never included in the
programme book OR in the additions sheets.
This is very regrettable, as this was our error and we are very sorry
it happened. So if your abstract was never printed, and you are
willing, send it and we will post it here.

PLENARY ADDRESS ON READING by DR SALIHU GIREI BAKARI

Literacy for Community-Based SocioEconomic Transformation and Development
IN NIGERIA: SOME CRITICAL CHALLENGES AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION

DR SALIHU GIREI BAKARI
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
ADAMAWA STATE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION BOARD
ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

BEING A PLENARY ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE 6th PAN AFRICAN READING FOR ALL CONFERENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA, AUGUST 10TH - 14, 2009

ABSTRACT
Literacy especially reading is one activity that is unique, which cuts across all spectrums of academic endeavours. In addition to providing the most significant process for appreciating the relationship between spoken and written languages, reading competence is a basic requirement for success in all intellectual tasks. Difficulty in reading thus creates a first line barrier to understanding the content of learning especially in the school context. Various tests including a national assessment of learning achievement have however revealed that the average Nigerian school child is of below average capacity in the execution of literacy tasks. The problem with these tests of achievement is that they tend, in most cases, to show the child as the issue in the low literacy performance, whereas evidence exists to suggest that the quality of the teacher and the teaching strategies employed may also be below average. The popular computer dictum – garbage in garbage out – holds here. The focus of this paper is to analyse the situation of literacy and literacy teaching in Africa with particular reference to Nigeria and at the end, locate the disconnect between various literacy programmes of government and literacy achievement of children and adults. To this end, performance tests administered on sample basic education school teachers are analysed. The analysis has shown various degrees of incompetence in reading tasks exhibited by the teachers and inadequacies in the strategies they employ in teaching reading to learners. The school environment is also mostly reading unfriendly. An integrated pre-reading programme that will emphasise exposure of the child to carefully structured reading exercises immediately she/he is fully adjusted to the challenges of school life is canvassed in the capacity building intervention designed for the teachers. For adult literacy education, the conception and context have to shift from literacy as set of mechanical skills of reading, writing and mathematics to a social literacy approach that seeks to address literacy as relevant to the day - to - day existence of the adults.

Click here to get the full text.

Post #40 Wonderful conference, Plan now for Botswana 2011

The 6th Pan African RFA Conference was a wonderful success. We will
send out a report in about a month which will include:
a summary of the delegate evaluations
the resolutions from the conference to be given to ministries and all
appropriate bodies
information about the next conference.

If you would like to stay on this mailing list and receive these
communications as well as information as it becomes available for the
next conference, you need do nothing. However, if you would like your
name REMOVED, please respond. You can also add colleagues who are
interested by sending their names in your reply.

You are free to post announcements and ideas on this group, and use
the group to contact others interested in literacy. All posts will be
moderated so that there is no spam or misuse of the group, but
otherwise your remarks will be posted. I anticipate posts occurring
every 2 weeks or less.

I hope to post Ngugi's speeches in the next week or so. If there is
anything else you would like to see, please write to me:
judithbakr@gmail.com

I am not sure how long I personally will be keeping up this group, but
for now, I will keep it going.

Yours, Judith

Day 1 of the Conference - a great opening day

Greetings from beautiful Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and the University of Dar Es Salaam. We enjoyed a wonderful Day 1 of the conference (Monday 10 August) and are looking forward to Day 2's keynote address by honored guest Ngugi wa Thiong'o, followed by many presentations by delegates, with special ceremonies tonight launching Ngugi's new book.

Internet connectivity here in Dar Es Salaam has been difficult -- but please know we have many wonderful photos and notes to share when technology will permit. In the meantime, if you are not with us at the conference, we appreciate your good thoughts of support.

More to come -- as soon as possible!

Thursday 6 August 2009 - Here Is the Final Program

Click here to view the final program.

Post #38 Important information about currency and dormitory

PLEASE READ and tell your colleagues

Banks and hotels in Tanzania will not normally accept local currencies
from other countries.

Neither will they accept US Dollars dated before 2000.

PLEASE check your currency to make sure you are able to use it in
Tanzania.

There are atms and banks on campus, but you should be as careful as
possible about having the proper currency, in case they cannot help
you.

Registration fee must also be paid by $100 [USD] bill only.

You are advised to change your money right outside the arrivals area
in the airport, where there is easy access to an office which changes
money.

Also, if you desire accommodation in the university dormitory, please
notify Luciana at cbp@raha.com immediately. DO NOT respond to this
group, nor to Judith Baker, as your request will not be known to
Luciana. If you have already requested a room, you do not need to
confirm or ask again.

Post #37 Schedule of conference events

KARIBU!
Welcome to the 6th Pan African Reading for All Conference
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania


DAY 1 Monday 10 August, 2009
8:30 Registration Begins
1:00-1:30 Procession of Delegates – Gather at Administration Hall
1:45-2:25 Seating of Delegates and Entertainment by University Art Group
2:45-5:00 Opening Ceremony
6:00 Cocktail
7:00-9:30 Burt Award Ceremony


DAY 2 Tuesday 11 August, 2009
9:00-10:30 Plenary: Keynote Address, Ngugi wa Thiong’o,
in Nkrumah Hall
11:00-12:30 Concurrent Sessions
12:30-2:00 Lunch Provided
2:00-3:30 Concurrent Sessions
4:00-5:00 Concurrent Sessions
6:00-8:30 Book Launch Ceremony with Prof. Ngugi Wa Thiong


DAY 3 Wednesday 12 August, 2009
9:00-10:30 Plenary: Keynote Address, Ngugi wa Thiong’o,
in Nkrumah Hall
11:00-12:30 Concurrent Sessions
12:30-2:00 Lunch Provided
2:00-12:30 Concurrent Sessions
4:00-5:00 Concurrent Sessions
6:00-10:00 Pearson Family Book Night for Invited Guests
in Nkrumah Hall


DAY 4 Thursday 13 August, 2009
9:00-10:30 Plenary: Speakers Dr. Patricia Edwards and Dr. Bakari
in Nkrumah Hall
11:00-12:30 Concurrent Sessions
12:30-1:30 Lunch Provided
1:30-3:00 Concurrent Sessions
2:00-5:00 Closing Ceremony
6:00-11:00 Banquet


DAY 5 Friday 14 August, 2009
6:00 Tour to Zanzibar
9:00 Visits to Local Schools: Buses Depart from Nkrumah Hall
9:00 Tour to Bagamoyo

Post #36

Please see new post titled "Thursday 6 August 2009 - Here Is the Final Program" which is dated Thursday, 6 August 2009.