Projects/Reading Writing Skills Kenya

Title: Primary XO Curriculum for Kenya: based on early primary basic skills: reading and writing

Address: Hands for Charity Off Thika Road Along Kasarani Mwiki Road at Seasons Stage Erik Masabule c/o Theresa Okello (254) -734-771-385

Project Members: Mary N. Omoto (Team Leader) Email: m_omoto12@yahoo.colm (254) 721-409981 Graduate Student: Business Administration

Joel Sawa: Student: Jinja Secondary School A Level

Sylvia Tabitha Lukulu: Graduate Student: Public Relations Management

Dorothy Sanda Omoto Student: US International University International Relations

Stephanie Namusisi: Profession: Teacher in Primary Education Makini Primary School

Mable N Nalyanya : Profession: Approved Teacher Guidance and Counseling Certificate

Number of Laptops: 10 Loan Length: August 25th - December 15th (9) August 25th – March 15 (1)

Objectives

1. Formulation of the XO laptop project based on the Kenyan curriculum of primary school education to facilitate a more effective way of teaching.

2. To teach children between the ages of 6 – 14 years basic reading and writing skills taking advantage of the engaging exploratory aspects of the XO laptops which will act as teaching aids.

3. To personalize learning such that pupils learn independently each with their own xo machine

4. Encourage the learning process to continue among the pupils without necessarily having a teacher around.

5. To improve pupils’ overall performance in English and other subjects

6. Encourage innovation among children through the exposure to a wider world of information and resources.

Plan of Action

1. Formulation of xo laptop project based on the Kenyan curriculum of primary school education to facilitate more effective teaching of reading and writing skills in the English subject ensuring that it does not interfere with learning but goes hand in hand with it.

2. English is the language used in all the XO activities that we will engage the pupils to use such as: chat, write, reading, games and browsing and therefore through these, the pupils’ general performance in the English subject will be improved.

3. To improve grammar and build more on vocabulary through the use of the dictionary within the xo.

4. To teach proper spelling and pronunciation of words with the use of voice recordings.

5. To facilitate for more practical lessons to keep the pupils more alert in class with the use of visual aids such as photographs, language games, diagrams and video recordings using the xo machines.

6. To improve students’ technological communication skills as they will learn to browse the net and communicate with each other with the use of the xo machines.

Needs:

1. The current methods are not engaging the students in learning to their potential

2. Learning stops when students leave the classroom. The XO offers the opportunity for ongoing learning at any time

3. Students have access to limited information and cannot develop skills needed to participate in our current globalized world

4. The Kenyan curriculum limits learning. This opportunity will expand the learning horizons and change the conservative rigid nature of Kenyan culture

5. According to our current curriculum, education is mostly theory. In practical learning, with hands-on activities, math games and more personal application of writing students will learn more and better.

6. In most schools there are limited teaching materials. This will assist the teacher to teach in a better way

Monitoring

We will report our progress through email to OLPC/Sugar Community and will create a project blog.

No we are learning about XO opportunities and libraries.

XO project will benefit from support and documentation.

Time Span

The proposed time span will be from September to November (the third term in the Kenyan school year).

Mary N. Omoto: Email: m_omoto12@yahoo.com (254) 721-409981