Developing MLE teaching and learning materials.

 PRACTICAL ACTION: Develop reading, learning materials, and textbooks in learners’ languages, usually mother tongue or L1, to strengthen their literacy, reading and writing skills. Ensure materials are culturally relevant and contextually appropriate. 

Key actions for developing MLE teaching and learning materials include to:

 • Engage community members to develop culturally relevant, engaging materials that are clear, age-appropriate, engaging and resonate with local culture, including the use of illustrations that reflect local community traditions and knowledge and directly relate to the text.

 • Seek community consensus on the subject specific vocabulary needed to teach subjects like mathematics and science in learners’ L1, ensuring terms are both linguistically accurate and culturally meaningful. • Expand access to digital resources to reduce printing costs, while enhancing the availability of materials that can be easily updated and shared. 

• Integrate traditional and modern teaching methods, including combining Indigenous pedagogical practices like storytelling and experiential learning with contemporary approaches such as journaling and digital tools. 

• Facilitate the introduction of additional languages by creating materials and applying teaching techniques similar to those already familiar to learners in their L1, ensuring a smooth transition and reinforcing linguistic continuity.