The Radio Language Arts Project: adapting the radio mathematics model.

Kenyas Radio Language Arts Project directed by the Academy for Educational Development in cooperation with the Kenya Institute of Education in 1980-85 sought to teach English to rural school children in grades 1-3 through use of an intensive radio-based instructional system. Daily 1/2 hour lessons are broadcast throughout the school year and supported by teachers and print materials. The project further was aimed at testing the feasibility of adaptation of the successful Nicaraguan Radio Math Project to a new subject area. Difficulties were encountered in articulating a language curriculum with the precision required for a media-based instructional system. Also a challenge was defining the acceptable regional standard for pronunciation and grammar; British English was finally selected. An important modification of the Radio Math model concerned the role of the teacher. While Radio Math sought to reduce the teachers responsibilities during the broadcast Radio Language Arts teachers played an important instructional role during the English lesson broadcasts by providing translation and checks on work. Evaluations of the Radio language Arts Project suggest significant gains in speaking listening and reading skills as well as high levels of satisfaction on the part of parents and teachers.