Lack of literacy skills a concern
to officially open the Literacy Diagnostic Assessment and Early Intervention Centre. Also pictured are
(on the right) Principal of Erdiston Teachers’ Training College, Dr. Patricia Saul; Chairman of the Board of
Management, Dr. Sylvia Henry; President of Rotary Club (Barbados) West, Trevor Williams; and Deputy
Chairman of the Board of Management, Chad Monerville; as well as (on the left) Deputy Principal (Ag.)
Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw; and Treasurer of the Rotary Club (Barbados) West, Marisa St. Mark.
PRINCIPAL of Erdiston Teachers’ Training College (ETTC) says there is a growing concern locally that the proportion of the population lacking functional reading and writing skills is far too high.
Dr. Patricia Saul noted this is so “in spite of the fact that we have universal access to education. This is a serious hindrance to the development of our people and our country”.
She also said as a College, there has “been concern about the number of students who have literacy problems that are not diagnosed and remediated, so that these students can overcome their deficits and achieve their full potential”. She therefore welcomes the establishment of the Literacy Diagnostic Assessment and Early Intervention Centre at ETTC.
This Centre was officially opened on Tuesday as part of the College’s International Literacy Day 2020 celebrations. Speaking more about it, Dr. Saul said, “We see this as a gift to our community.”
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Senator Dr. Romel Springer, said some of the objectives of the Centre will be to “provide diagnostic testing services for students who are experiencing literacy problems, create profiles for students based on the students’ literacy diagnosis, develop intervention programmes for students who have been tested and diagnosed, and improve teachers’ innovative skills in delivering intervention programmes for students to correct their literacy deficit”.
cheque to Chairman of the Board of Management, Dr. Sylvia Henry.
On the occasion, a monetary donation in the sum of $6,000 was presented to the College by President of Rotary Club (Barbados) West, Trevor Williams. It was shared that these funds will be used to train 20 teachers from special needs schools in sign language.
Dr. Saul thanked the Club for its generosity as well as said, “This donation will equip our teachers in special education classes to ensure that those students who are deaf or hearing impaired are able to develop their literacy skills.” She further stated, “The course will be of three months’ duration and will be conducted two days per week for two hours each day. The first ten weeks of the course will run from October 5th, 2020 to December 11th, 2020 and the final two weeks will run from January 11th, 2021 to January 22, 2021. All sessions will be conducted at Erdiston Teachers’ Training College. On successful completion of the course, participants will be awarded a certificate.” (MG)