Experts’ meeting about teaching reading in Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal

Geneva, Switzerland - 25 to 27 June 2014: In the context of the project Improving reading outcomes in the early years of primary school: Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal (financed by the Global Partnership of Education, GPE), the International Bureau of Education (IBE) is pleased to organize, from 25 to 27 June, an experts’ meeting to exchange on the teaching reading thematic in Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal.

This meeting will gather the professionals involved in the project from the teaching and learning to read field, in particular professors and researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), representatives of the ministries of education of Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal as well as experts of the Abdou Moumouni University (Niger), Cheikh Anta Diop University (Senegal) and Koudougou University (Burkina Faso), in order to:

• Present the International comparative study and national reading curricula analysis which will provide elements that must be considered in order to improve the reading curriculum in each country of the project currently lead by the IBE in partnership with UNIGE and the national experts,
• Provide additional information and reflections on teaching reading in French and in the national languages, the contents of the didactics tools (teaching guide, textbooks) and the training of teachers and supervisors to support the ongoing analysis,
• Provide a space for interactions between partners to continue adjusting the project to the needs of the three ministries, taking into account the commitment between IBE and GPE.

Moreover, on the second day of the meeting, the IBE will welcome experts on different reading initiatives in the three countries of the project (International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) and Enfants du Monde) in order to discuss the methodologies used to teach reading in French and the national languages.

This meeting will allow a rich exchange of experiences and expertise around the questions and issues related to teaching and learning to read.