Daniel Tinina is a dynamic and enthusiastic English teacher at Entaretoi Primary School in Kajiado County, Kenya. Despite using the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodology for only two months, he has witnessed its positive impact on learners who were previously lagging behind. Daniel specifically focuses on teaching students at the Word and Letter levels, which are designed for those who have challenges recognising letters and phonemes (small, separate sounds that make up a word).
According to Daniel, the TaRL methodology is fun and has significantly increased his students’ interest in school. He shares a memorable incident where his students eagerly fetched him from the staff room when he arrived a few minutes late for class because they genuinely enjoy the activities associated with TaRL.
“TaRL has equipped me with creativity and the ability to tackle the challenges I face in my teaching career, particularly in helping students grasp challenging concepts that might otherwise discourage their enthusiasm for learning. I have developed new and effective techniques for simplifying and engaging these concepts,” expressed Daniel.
Daniel also emphasizes the value of TaRL training and refresher programs, as they provide opportunities for him to interact with fellow teachers, exchange ideas, and discuss the various challenges they encounter, as well as the mistakes they have made along the way.
The remarkable success that Daniel attributes to TaRL is evident in the consistent academic progress of his students and their improved comprehension of learning materials.
____________
Amou Athian is a GRiC Fellow. She assists in documentation and gathering impact stories from the field.