Indigenous Language (Chichewa): Teaching Methodology and AssessmentModule Details

This module introduces student teachers to the methods of teaching and assessing indigenous languages (e.g., Chichewa) in primary school, noting that Malawi has more than twenty languages, with Chichewa as the national language used by the majority of Malawians, but which is also a second language for many students. The module prepares student teachers to better speak, understand, read and write in Chichewa so that they in turn can teach and examine Chichewa, which is also used in parts of Malawi’s neighbouring countries, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. 

Module Aim
This module aims to provide student teachers with an adequate understanding of the nature of African indigenous languages and associated pedagogy, with Chichewa as the focus, so they can teach it in primary schools and help their learners gain skills in speaking, listening, understanding, reading and writing in Chichewa. 

Module Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the module students should be able to:
1.    Debate the context of Malawian languages and their importance in Malawian life.
2.    Trace briefly, the history and politics of Chichewa as Malawi’s national language.
3.    Evaluate the impact of Chichewa in Malawi’s education system and policy formulation.
4.    Identify the principles and core components of indigenous language teaching.
5.    Apply the principles and theories of language acquisition.
6.    Apply the alphabetic principle, phonemic and phonological skills in teaching Chichewa.
7.    Assess learners’ grammar and language skills in Chichewa.
8.    Explore supplementary reading materials in Chichewa.