A Visitor To Reading Class

Last year Dr. Eric Forman visited Zambia to help Tracy in ACTION Pastors College. This year he has returned, but not without his wife Deb. While the focus of their ministry this year is chiropractory, they've been able to squeeze in some teaching.

Yesterday at the ladies' reading class Deb assisted me, allowing the students to have more one-on-one time. After  a literacy lesson, she and I divided the

Betty, Catherin, Diana, Ida, and me with

class in half to tutor them in phonics. The problem with some of the pictures on the worksheets is that the women are unfamiliar with them. For instance, what does this picture of a girl standing under the sun tell us? She is getting a tan. What's a bib? Or, a sub? And, how about this blob with eight legs? It's an octopus. 

Deb then read the African tale, The Blind Man and the Bird. For the ladies to retell the story, I had them speak in Nyanja so that Deb could hear the language. The women are also better able to verbalize in their native tongue. Usually they narrate the story by drawing a picture or retelling in English. When they have to do the latter, I'm quite certain I hear groans!

The ladies then read a story for Deb from their readers~The Little Red Hen. It's exciting to me that they are improving in their ability. They are reading this story more quickly, with fewer mistakes. 

Before we finished for the day, Deb had something to give the class. Several of her friends in the US had sent necklaces and bracelets to share with the Zambian women. While she laid the jewelry on a table, the ladies sang a couple of songs for her. And, of course, there had to be dancing! The ladies went home rejoicing~and Deb's heart was full as well. A very satisfying day!