TTE Provides Coaching Support to Literacy and Language Education Lecturers

Through its partnership with the University of Zambia (UNZA), the Transforming Teacher Education Activity (TTE) recently conducted a series of coaching visits to Chalimbana University, as well as Kasama, Kitwe, Malcolm Moffat, Mongu, and Solwezi Colleges of Education (COEs). With a focus on coaching for professional development in lesson planning and delivery, the TTE team, led by Ms. Kristina Solum, collaborated with Professor David Mwanza and Dr. Joseph Mwansa from UNZA to provide coaching guidance and support to 33 literacy and language education (LLE) lecturers in term 1. The team observed courses taught by the lecturers who were previously trained by TTE on literacy and language modules developed by the project.

Emphasizing the importance of using student-centered, creative teaching methods and materials, the TTE coaching sessions helped to enhance the lecturers’ abilities to effectively prepare their students for real-life classroom situations. The TTE team observed and coached each lecturer twice, observing their lessons and providing them with actionable feedback to improve their teaching methods. TTE used a coaching protocol that identified strengths and areas needing improvement in specific content areas including content knowledge, appropriate use of student activities, use of teaching and learning materials (TLM), and integrating mother tongue-based multilingual education into the class topic.

Edith Sikota, a senior lecturer at Chalimbana University, is one beneficiary of the TTE coaching sessions. With the coaches’ guidance, she has been able to identify areas for improvement in her teaching style and implement specific actions to enhance her teaching methodologies. The positive impact of the coaching sessions provided by TTE is now evident in Ms. Sikota’s teaching and coaching of student teachers. “When my student teachers underwent their school experience in term one, I observed and coached them more than the recommended number of times, because I experienced the importance of coaching myself. I employed the techniques learned from TTE and intensified coaching meetings with students where I saw them lagging. I feel better equipped to guide my students and deliver quality lessons thanks to the transformative coaching and support I received from TTE.” she shared.

Photo: Ms. Sikota facilitates a session during a TTE training on literacy and language modules to all LLE lecturers across partner universities and COEs.