Part I.pdf - MTB-MLE Network

at a community/village forum. Initially, theonly form of written language available to thePwo Karen was from a different dialect.An orthography development workshop washeld in association with members of SILInternational, Pwo Karen teachers, youngpeople and community leaders.Community-based writer’s workshops enabledtraditional knowledge to be incorporated intothe process of materials development.Language committees were established in thecommunity. People were questioning why they need to read their language because it had neverbeen written before. In the discussions, it was suggested that reading groups start with the youngpeople who seemed more open to mother tongue education, and then encourage them to communicatewith their parents about reading in the first language. Materials development by CLC teachersand youth in the villages has continued.Pwo Karen literacy classes have been organized for both children and young people at the CLC.There is a learning corner where they can learn to read and write. The teachers, all ethnically PwoKaren, have been selected from within the community. The standard hilltribe curriculum is accreditedby the Thai Government and includes a basic skills (Thai and math) section, life skills and a localcurriculum which is developed by the local people according to their needs and interests(approximately 20% of the total curriculum time). In this programme, adults and children studythe same literacy curriculum.PhilippinesThe target community for the UNESCO-APPEAL sponsored pilot project is an Ayta Magbikin village.There are around 200 people, and the majority of the learners are male. Some of the first steps inproject development were community dialogue and project orientation. Incentives such as a mealwere used to gather people together. Otherwise, it was felt that people would not come. The initialvisits in the community were very informal in order to get to know the community, and occurredin the evenings as this was the best time for the community. Focus group discussions were usedon the second visit, as well as interviews with informants, and observations throughout the visit.The learning needs were observed, categorized and prioritized. These were:• Health and sanitation (nutrition, hygiene)• Building the community• Sustainable use of resources and productivity (livelihood skills development, preservationof wildlife, marketing of products)• Rights and responsibilities (civic duty, public right, human rights)27