Beyond Texts and Test for Promoting a Culture of Multiple Narratives and Critical Thinking

www.childrensliteraturefestival.com

• Baela Raza Jamil• Amina Naveed Khawaja• Maryam Saba• Maham Ali

Beyond Texts and Test for Promoting a Culture of Multiple Narratives and Critical Thinking

Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) - 10th to 15th March 2014- Toronto

Participation at CIES Supported by: Open Society Foundation (OSF)


Founders and Partners of CLF


Outline• Introduction of the Children’s Literature Festival (Pakistan)• Introduction of the Paper• Background • Research Design and Methodology • Results and Analysis• School Based CLFs- Case Study• Conclusion


Children’s Literature Festival (Pakistan)• A social movement and a response to low levels of learning (ASER 2013) that seeks to promote the love of reading, creativity and

critical thinking in children •11 CLFs since November 2011

• Attended by over 150,000 participants• 60 Book launches at CLFs

• Website: www.childrensliteraturefestival.com

http://www.childrensliteraturefestival.com/


5

Key Findings from 2012/2013 Assessments: ExtractsLearning Outcomes are very low: Countries as diverse as India, Pakistan, and Uganda face similar learning challenges

Close to 78% of children in Std. III… cannot read Std. II text as yet. Without immediate and urgent help, these children cannot make progress in the education system. ASER India (2013)

Almost 49% children in class 5 will graduate without class 2 level competencies in Urdu/Sindhi , English and Arithmetic. ASER Pakistan (2013)

Only one out of every ten children assessed in Primary 3 was able to read a Primary 2 level story and correctly solve Primary 2 level numeracy questions up to division level. Uganda (2012)


Children’s Literature Festivals till Date

Mega CLFs

District Level CLF

School Based CLFs

• 5 National CLFs- Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad

• 2 Provincial CLFs- Peshawar, Quetta

• Bahawalpur 2013

• Kanju and Kabal - Swat 2013• Lahore 2014


Key Outcomes

• Impact Analysis Conducted• Research strand added- 2013 onwards• CLF beyond borders- Replicated by a school system in India & Nepal• 3 School Based CLFs• The First Teachers’ Literature Festival held in February 2014• More Schools interested in school-based CLFs


Introduction

A shift from a narrative focused on access to one which accounts for access plus quality and learning is vital

Reading for imagination and creativity inspire

children

The school experience for a majority of

children in Pakistan and elsewhere

globally is devoid of such methods of

learning, trapped in the culture of

‘textbooks and tests’

Children’s Literature

Festival (CLF) Pakistan is a

response precisely to such

blocks and divisions across school systems


Background

Reading

Reading Habits declining in Pakistan

School libraries are either non-existent, inaccessible if present or poorly equipped

NEP (1998), NEP (2009) – endorse libraries and reading


Research Design & Methodology

Qualitative Impact Study

Across 3 Variables: Reading, Writing, and

Creative Arts

Data collection: Questionnaire and Case

Studies

76 Schools: 61 Lahore:

10 Islamabad, 05 Swat

Comparison across School Categories &

Across Teacher Qualifications


Research Design &

Methodology

•3 questionnaires: school administration, teachers, students•School based CLFs: 1 school in Urban Lahore and 5 schools in Swat •Total Schools 76

Challenges Faced

•Response bias on the part of school administration•Teachers’ influence on students’ answers•Mitigated through longer interviews with children – the key beneficiaries


14 Concurrent Strands of CLF - Catering for Large Numbers

Read & Sing Aloud Stories and Songs Theatre and Skits

Workshops on How to Illustrate a Book, Creative Writing & Expression Digital Stories – ICTs; Workshops on Comics Production

Plenary Sessions on: Mother Tongue, Critical Thinking, Textbooks & Curriculum, Inclusion Reclaiming Heritage & Diversity – Museums & Workshops

Active Citizenship – Charter of Compassion Children’s Films

Puppet shows and cartoons Multi-experience Stalls

Bol Key Lab Azaad Hain Terey – speak for your lips are freeOpen Expression for Children in Prose & Poetry –any language (age groups 5-11 & 6-17)

Mural & Art SessionsBook Launches

Book Fair & Learning Stalls of NGOs/Local Partners 12



Analysis


45% Moderate to Hi Fee private schools 30% Low cost private schools 26 % Government schools

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

17%

14%

68%

School TypeAll Girls All Boys Co-Ed

Perc

enta

ge

45%

29%

25%

School CategoryPrivate Low-Cost PrivatePublic


Main Findings

Significant impact

across All categories

62% of the schools

implemented CLF

activities

80% of students’ interest in reading,

writing and arts

increased

58% of the teachers

replicated CLF

activities


Reading Creative Writing

Creative Arts0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

81% 81% 84%

19% 19% 16%

Improvement in Students According to Management

Yes No

Perc

enta

ge

Reading

Creative Writing

Creative Arts

0%10%

20%30%

40%50%

60%70%

80%90%

100%

70%

54%

71%

30%

46%

29%

Teachers Promoted Activities at School

No Yes


Reading Creativity0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

95% 90%

5% 10%

Percentage Improvement Accord-ing to Students

Yes No


New Activities Pedagogical Change CLF Promoted Reading

50% 55% 92%

69% 57% 93%

73% 70% 100%

Comparative Analysis Based on School Categories

Public Low-Cost Private Private


Measures Taken by Teachers

ReadingCreative Writing Creative

Arts

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

65%46% 65%

35%54%

35%

Private School Yes No


Arts

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

75%

50%81%

25%

50%19%

Low-Cost Private SchoolYes No

Reading Creative Writing Creative

Arts

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

75%68% 70%

25% 32% 30%

Public School

Yes No


Percentage Improvement in Students

Reading

Creativity

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

96%

85%

4%

15%

PrivateNo Yes

Reading

Creativity

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

93%

93%

7%

7%

Low-Cost PrivateNo Yes

Reading

Creativity

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

94%

94%

6%

6%

PublicNo Yes


New Activities

New Ideas

Replicated

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

67%

77%

56%

33%

23%

44%

Impact on Private School Teachers

Yes No

ReadingCreative Writing Creative Arts

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

81%79% 81%

19% 21% 19%

Percentage Private Schools with an Improvement in Students

Yes No



Arts

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

71% 73% 82%

29% 27% 18%

Percentage Low-Cost Private Schools with an Improvement in

Students Yes No

New Activities

New Ideas

Replicated

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

72%

90%

52%

28%

10%

48%

Impact on Low-Cost Private School Teachers

Yes No



Arts

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

93% 93% 92%

7% 7% 8%

Percentage Public Schools with an Improvement in Students

Yes No

New Activities

New Ideas

Replicated

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

90%

85%

70%

10%

15%

30%

Impact on Public School Teachers

Yes No


Comparative Analysis based on Teacher Qualification

Masters Bachelors Twelfth0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

66% 59%33%

34% 41%67%

Pedagogical Change based on Teacher QualificationYes No


Impact on Teachers

New Activ-ities

New Ideas Replicated0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

74%89%

66%

26%11%

34%

MastersYes No

New Activ-ities


10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

73%91%

55%

27%9%

45%

BachelorsYes No

New Activ-ities


10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

100% 100%

25%

0% 0%

75%

TwelfthYes No


Measures Taken By Teachers


Creative Arts

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

69%45%

75%

31%55%

25%

MastersYes No


Creative Arts

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

79%

50%71%

21%

50%29%

BachelorsYes No


Creative Arts

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

50%

100% 100%

50%

0% 0%

TwelfthYes No


School Based CLFs- Going Beyond the Pledges

• First two school-based CLFs organized in Kanju and Kabal in district Swat - Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) province

• Conflict Areas, schools once occupied by militants.

• Two Boys’ Government Schools hosted the CLFs- 19th and 21st December, 2013 inviting many schools in the neighborhood. Some girls schools also came from the vicinity.. !







Testimonials from Teachers, Students, Parents, & Education Officials – Swat Dec. 2013

A Healing Learning and Feeling Festival “CLFs for the children of Swat were held on 19th and 21st of December, 2013 in the GHSS Kabal and GHS Kanju schools. I was invited to those festivals and was amazed to see the efforts. It was something very new for us and for children. It works on the hidden qualities of students which is very good from their educational point of view.” (Teacher)“I attended the CLF Kanju. The session on Story Telling with expressions was a unique experience for me and I learnt how reading could be made more interesting.” (Student-CLF Kanju)“My expectations from the festival weren’t high when I was invited to the CLF Kanju as I believed it to be an ordinary event similar to other functions that usually happens here. However, at the day of the CLF, I was captivated by the colorful buntings and other decorations at the school….This was the first time ever that I saw such a large number of children enthusiastically participating in a program like this. I am extremely thankful to the organizers of CLF for holding such a program in our area. Without any doubt, such events stimulate the children’s interest in education and tap their hidden potential, bringing out the best in them.” (Parent)“This was a great experience for me and I believe whoever attended this festival, liked it a lot. Such festivals are crucial for our children’s future as they help in bringing out positive changes in them. The CLF brought awareness in our area pertaining to reading and learning.” (Parent-CLF Kabal)“I was spellbound by the number of students participating in the CLF Swat from different areas of Swat. Their participation was truly heartwarming….During the role playing session, I was very excited as it felt I was reliving my own childhood and thoroughly enjoyed myself.” (ADO-P&D Ed Official )


School Based CLF- Lahore

• Sanjan Nagar School Hima Campus, Lahore• Located in a minority area – host school inviting 5-6 schools

from the neighborhood • SNSS attended three CLFs: CLF Lahore 2011/2013, CLF

Islamabad 2013 – participated in making /rendering of the CLF anthem too

• CLF organized on January 31st 2014• Packed with interactive activities


Launch & Opening Ceremony of CLF


A Skit on Punjabi Literature by Primary School


Special Session on interpretation of “HEER” with Mr.Syed Waseem Alam


Puppet Show by Sanjan Nagar Students


A session on Understanding Ghalib the 19th Century Poet by Dr.Arfa Syada Zahra


Story-telling and Creative writing Sessions


Session on Power of New Media and its safety measures by Google Pakistan


A Beautiful Session on PEACE EDUCATION by Rabtt (LUMS Students)


Session by Misbah Rani on Inclusive Education


Glimpses of Art Work- Facilitated by Artist Sadaf Naeem


Certificates/Awards Distribution to students in best writer and Mural Art Category


Community Participation in the EVENT


Conclusion

CLF had a significant impact across all school

systems

Greater Impact on Public and Low-

Cost Private Schools

Willingness to replicate CLF

activities greater in Teachers with a

Bachelors or Masters Degree

CLF stands as a challenge to the

current education system in Pakistan


Questions?

Documents

Beyond Texts and Test for Promoting a Culture of Multiple Narratives and Critical Thinking