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My name is Adele Sanita, and I am a teacher at Afega Primary School and a participating teacher in the Phonics Samoa project. I have been fortunate to witness a transformational journey in the lives of our young students.
This initiative, aimed at improving literacy among early primary school students, not only improved their reading and phonics skills but has also left an indelible mark on our teaching practices and the future of education in Samoa.
The journey began with the baseline assessment, which allowed us to gauge the starting point of our students' phonics proficiency. It was an eye-opener, revealing the areas where our students needed support. Armed with this information, we embarked on a path of growth and improvement.
One of the project's early milestones was the comprehensive training we received. We learned about phonics instruction, innovative instructional strategies, classroom management techniques, and effective assessment approaches. The training equipped us with new tools and ignited our passion for teaching.
The most heartwarming aspect of this project has been the transformation in our students. Over time, we witnessed their phonics skills improve significantly, and they now approach reading with confidence, decode words effortlessly, and comprehend texts with greater ease. This has boosted their academic performance and ignited their love for reading.
The result is a classroom filled with enthusiastic learners eager to explore the world of phonics and literacy.
Collaboration has been at the heart of this project's success. We have worked closely with fellow teachers, administrators, and the Phonics Samoa team. This collaborative spirit has fostered an environment of continuous improvement, where we share best practices and collectively address challenges.
As the project moves towards its final phase, the end-line assessment, we are excited to measure the overall impact of the Phonics Programme. We are confident that the results will reflect our students' and educators' hard work, dedication, and commitment.
The journey is far from over, and the lessons we have learnt will continue to shape our classrooms. We are committed to providing our students with the essential literacy skills they need to thrive academically and beyond. Together, we are building a brighter future, one sound, one word, and one success story at a time.
About the programme:
The Samoa Systematic Synthetics Phonics programme involves ten pilot schools, six in Upolu and four in Savaii, and targeted students in Years 2, 3 and 4. The programme was designed through a collaboration between the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP), Samoa’s Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) and literacy experts from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), Educators International (EI) and experts from the region.
