RECOGNISING the need for Äiwoo speakers to learn to read and write their own language, the Mikilinuäve Äiwoo Translation Ministry recently held a teacher training workshop in Ngâmane Village, Reef Islands, Temotu Province.
Church leaders from the five districts in the Äiwoo-speaking community identified the participants who were trained on how to use a reading primer for the Äiwoo Language.
During the two-week training held from 17 to 28 March, participants learned to teach basic Äiwoo phonics, reading and writing.
The workshop was led by SITAG Literacy Specialist Martha Matzke and assisted by Timothy Matzke. The teacher trainees were introduced to each section of the reading primer and then practiced in small groups.
As a part of the training, Gauwâ Primary School allowed the teachers to visit the school and practice their newly acquired skills with the students.
Within the first morning of instruction, the children began to read and write Äiwoo, to the amazement and delight of the teaching staff. Teachers reported that children who were not able to read English, demonstrated they could read and write in their first language, Äiwoo.
After observing the children learning to read and write in Äiwoo, Gauwä Primary School Head Teacher, Emily Bolami said, “I see that the students are progressing. They can easily write a story, make a sentence, in language and it will be easy for them to turn those sentences and stories into English. I think the Ministry of Education should consider this programme.”
At the end of the training, the newly trained literacy teachers met in district groups to plan for literacy awareness and to identify potential people (groups) who could benefit from literacy classes such as school drop-outs, adults, youth and children.
Many of them expressed a desire to reach Äiwoo speakers who have not learned to read their language. The New Testament book of Mark is available for readers now and as the Äiwoo translation continues, more Äiwoo Scriptures are becoming available.
This literacy training was made possible thanks to funding provided by donors in New Zealand through Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Wycliffe New Zealand places a high value on literacy and desires for people to be able to read God’s Word in their own language.
The Mikilinäve Translation Ministry hopes to see literacy classes begin in the near future. At the closing of the training, Dorothy Aliko, a member of the translation team, shared that it was hard to put into words the gratitude the participants had for the training the new teachers received.
She said that the newly trained teachers are determined to see that no Äiwoospeaker is left behind and they hope everyone will be able to read Äiwoo Scriptures.
After observing the children learning to read and write in Äiwoo, Gauwä Primary School head teacher, Emily Bolami said, “I see that the students are progressing. They can easily write a story, make a sentence, in language and it will be easy for them to turn those sentences and stories into English. I think the Ministry of Education should consider this programme.”
