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Library Programme

Library Programme

What We Do

The library programme supports both government and private schools in setting up libraries and conducting regular library sessions withchildren through a library curriculum. We conduct library sessions featuring read-alouds, book talks, word games and theater activities in schools. The library sessions enable children to engage critically with text and communicate their thoughts during discussions and activities preceding and succeeding the read-alouds and book talks.

Library Program Goal was to:

  • To support schools in setting up libraries and conducting library sessions with children.
  •  Encourage children to develop expression through creative exercises and engage critically with text to communicate their thoughts.
  •  It provides school students access to age-specific, quality children’s literature and create opportunities for readers to access and       engage with these resources.
  •  Planned Library sessions are conducted to facilitate development of understanding about literacy and it’s connection with speaking, reading, writing and lived experience by providing an open, fear-fear environment.

Our Beneficiaries

Children and teachers of both government and private schools.

Chronicles of our Library Program:

Our flagship library programme in school was initiated in 2017 with the children of Class VI and VII of Kamrup Academy HS School. In 2018, we provided support in setting up a Community Library in Balikuchi Majalia Vidyalaya, a Government school in Nalbari. By 2019, the library programmes ran in Classes III to VIII of 5 Government schools, 4 in Kamrup and 1 in Nalbari district of Assam. By 2020, we set up 2 classroom libraries, in Latasil LP School and Uzan Bazar Govt. High School. In the same year, we extended this programme to 6 government schools but from our experiences of working with children we realised that they lack language skills and hence we converted the library programme to language learning programme. 

Language Learning Programme

Language Learning Programme

What We Do

Through the Language Learning programme, NEET is engaged with 18 government schools in 3 clusters of Kamrup (M), Assam.  We focus on improving children’s learning level in language, both English and Assamese by providing support to teachers on teaching the same.

 How We Approach:

  1. Assessment: We  assess children’s learning levels in Assamese and English. Depending on their performance we either teach them the English/Assamese Accelerated programme or through our teacher guiding documents created in alignment with school Assamese/English textbooks. We also conduct periodic assessments to document children’s progress.
  2. Conduct demonstration classes: We  conduct language classes in the presence of school teachers by using specially designed curricular materials that provide children with learning experiences to connect the process of language learning with their lived experiences. As curricular materials we use picture-books,storytelling, read-aloud, flashcards, storyboards, activities, discussions and worksheets
  3. Teacher support: We discuss with teachers the progress of their children and offer them support in teaching language according to our teacher guiding documents.

Our Beneficiaries

NEET’s Language Learning Programme benefits children and teachers of government schools or low income private schools

Our Goals for the Programme

To help children of Lower Primary and Upper Primary Schools learn the basic skills of Assamese and English respectively.

-Develop teachers’ proficiency in English so that they can provide exposure to oral English,create input-rich communicational environments by setting up a print rich classroom

-Discuss and develop effective teaching strategies with teachers and provide support in creating learner centric TLMs to enhance the process of language learning.

Chronicles of our Language Learning Programme

Based on our experiences of working with government school children who lack the basic skills of language, we initiated the language learning programme in 2019 with children of Class VI-VIII of Kamrup Academy HS School. By 2020, we expanded the programme to all the six schools where the library programme in schools was running. We taught Assamese to the children of 2 LP Schools and English to children of 4 High Schools by taking classes in Assamese through our specially designed curricular materials created in alignment with school textbooks.

In 2022, we changed this programme’s approach and began involving teachers in our processes. Rather than teaching language to children directly, we discuss with teachers the requirements and needs of the children and offer them support in teaching language. We signed an MoU SSA, Assam to extend our programme to 18 government schools in three clusters of Kamrup(m), Assam. 

ECCE Programme

Early Childhood Care and
Education

What we do

NEET’s ECCE programme is a school readiness programme for under-priviledged children between the ages of 3-6 years, it gives them an opportunity to develop their cognitive, creative, physical, language & socio-emotional skills. It is a child centered, balanced play and activity based program catering to individual children’s learning and emotional needs. Our pre-primary learning center is a safe and secure place equipped with numerous activities and play materials that are developmentally appropriate in terms of age, individual and socio-culturally appropriate to enable holistic development of children. In the centre, classes are held from 10 am-12 pm and hot nutritious meals are served after classes.

Our Beneficiaries

NEET’s Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme caters to a handful of underprivileged children between the ages of 3-6 years who are first generation learners.

 

 

Chronicles of our ECCE Programme

A handful of underprivileged  children between the ages of 3-6 years who are first generation learners visit the library regularly with their siblings. These are children of working mothers who work either as domestic workers or daily wage laborers, their parents send them to the  library as they consider it to be a safe space. Thus to address the lack of a holistic ECCE programme that takes into account the challenges faced by these children, from April 2021, we started a free ECCE programme for children from marginalized communities. Our Pre-Primary school started with 20 children in the first year of its operation but after re-opening of covid induced lockdown our regulars dropped down to 9 by April 2022. This year we have distributed books and uniforms to our children. Parents-teacher meetings are held every quarter to keep the parents updated about the children’s progress.

Our Goal for the Program

  • To provide equal access to free and qualitative education to underprivileged children 
  • To focus on holistic development of children: physical, linguistic, cognitive, socio-emotional and  creative development. 
  • To develop a good early childhood care and education programme that respects the different  pace of development of all children coming from different socio-economic backgrounds and ensures that children develop physically, socially, emotionally, morally and intellectually to their  full potential in an age appropriate manner.
  • To provide a nutritious hot meal everyday after classes 



Capacity Enhancement Programme

Capacity Enhancement
Programme

What we do

NEET designs and implements capacity enhancement programs for educators through workshops, exposure visits and mentorship programs on teaching language, setting up vibrant libraries and critical thinking.

We design and implement capacity enhancement programmes for teachers and employees of grassroot educators through:

  • Workshops: We offer workshops on teaching language: English/Assamese Accelerated learning Programme, Teaching English/ Assamese through SCERT Text-books and creating vibrant libraries. Click to learn more.
  • Exposure Visits:  We arrange exposure visits to our library to give educators a glimpse of the processes and functioning of a vibrant library. Click to learn more.
  • Mentorship Programme: We provide mentorship support after conducting workshops with grassroot organizations in the form of onsite support visits and online monthly meetings. In the onsite visits, we observe the implementation of their learning from the workshops, discuss their challenges in teaching and course correct their teaching methodologies. Click to learn more.

NEET designs and implements capacity enhancement programs for educators through workshops, exposure visits and mentorship programs on teaching language, setting up vibrant libraries and critical thinking.

APPROACHES-

I. Workshops-

. English Accelerated learning Programme: This programme helps teachers to teach children with exposure to English pick up the basic skills of speaking, reading, writing English within a span of 6 to 8 months. By providing participants with a package of activities, worksheets and curricular materials like flashcards, description cards and word charts, demonstrating its usages, enables them to teach basic English skills. 

. Assamese Accelerated Learning Programme: This programme helps teachers in teaching children the basics of Assamese in the form of a bridge course. By exploring the current theories of language learning, it enables the participants to create contextual curricular materials like stories, worksheets, flashcards based on the balanced approach of language learning. It helps them teach language as a process of meaning making that takes into account children’s immediate surroundings. 

.Teaching SCERT English Text-books at Primary level:  This programme focuses on three critical aspects of teaching English – objectives of English teaching and learning, pedagogy of English language and assessment of English language pedagogy. By demonstrating the usages of different curricular materials: picture-books, story-boards, flash cards and enabling participants to create curricular materials and detailed lesson plans on the chapters in English SCERT Text-books between Class I-VIII, it helps teachers teach in a child-friendly and learner centric manner.

. Teaching SCERT Assamese Text-books at Lower Primary Level:  This programme focuses on the objective of Assamese teaching and learning, pedagogy of Assamese language and assessment of Assamese language pedagogy. By demonstrating the usages of curricular materials like picture-books, description cards, charts, flash cards for SCERT Assamese textbooks of class I- V, it enables participants to create them and teach children in an effective manner.

.Creating Vibrant Libraries: This workshop provides participants with philosophical perspectives and pedagogical support to enable them to set up vibrant libraries that encourage meaningful engagement with books and reading practices. 

. Creative expressions and critical thinking: This workshop designed on the educational ideas of Paulo Freire, enables teachers to develop skills of creative self expression, confidence to express one’s ideas in a group and problem solving skills.

II. Exposure Visits: We arrange exposure visits to our library to give educators a glimpse of the processes and functioning of a vibrant library.

III. Mentorship Programme: We provide mentorship support after conducting workshops with  grassroot organizations in the form of onsite support visits and online monthly meetings. Through the onsite visits, we observe the implementation of their learning from the workshops, discuss their challenges in teaching and course correct their teaching methodologies. Through regular online monthly meetings we discuss the progress of their implementation and the forms in which we can support their language programme.

WORKHOP ON ENGLISH BRIDGE COURSE

With 33 teachers of IDeA’s ten partner organizations we conducted a 4 Day workshop on teaching English through a multi-lingual approach. The English Bridge course is a package of activities, worksheets and curricular materials like flashcards, description cards and word charts to enable learners to read and write basic English within a short period of time.

WORKSHOP ON LANGUAGE LEARNING (PHASE II) AND CREATING VIBRANT LIBRARIES

A four dayworkshop with 32 team members of Idea’s 10 partner organizations from 16th May to 19th May’ 2022 was conducted. In the language learning workshop, pedagogical methods on teachinglanguage through balanced methods were demonstrated. The workshop on creating vibrant libraries built the participants’ theoretical knowledge on the essential elements of a vibrant library and different pedagogical methods were demonstrated to give them the tools to encourage children to come to the library and engage in the act of reading .

Workshop on creating Vibrant Libraries

 In 2018, we conducted four workshops on creating Vibrant libraries. Its participants included teachers and educators from Shiksha Valley School Dibrugarh, local private school teachers, Snow Lion Foundation in Nepal and  Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration. In 2022, we conducted a three day workshop on the same with Idea the ANT’s 5 partner organisations, 35 participants participated in it.

Workshop on Assamese Accelerated learning programme

From 28 Feb – 2 March’’2022, we conducted a workshop  with the team members of Idea’s partners organisations on the Assamese Accelerated learning programme. 25 participants from 6 organizations participated in it.

Breaking Patterns and Creating Change

A 2 day interactive theatre workshop was conducted with primary school teachers of a private school, Mahahrishi Vidya Mandir on 29th and 31st July’2017.

Exposure visit

We arrange exposure visits to our library to give educators a glimpse of the processes and functioning of a vibrant library.

Team members from organisations like Pratham Books, Shishu Sarothi, Snehajori, Pathikrit, IDea Ant had visited NEET’s Community Library to observe our work with children and teachers and discuss avenues of future collaboration.

 

NEET organized a one-day exposure visit to the Community Library for 19 teachers of low fee-paying private schools from three districts of Morigaon, Darrang and Kamrup (Rural). The exposure visit gave the teachers an opportunity to observe the physical set-up of a vibrant library.

Mentorship programme

We provide mentorship support after conducting workshops with  grassroot organizations in the form of onsite support visits and online monthly meetings. Through the onsite visits, we observe the implementation of their learning from the workshops, discuss their challenges in teaching and course correct their teaching methodologies. Through regular online monthly meetings we discuss the progress of their implementation and the forms in which we can support their language programme.

We also offer mentorship support to 4 organisations who have gone

through the capacity enhancement workshops on Language learning and teaching and creating

vibrant libraries to support them in implementing the learnings from the workshops. In the course of

the mentorship programme we conduct on-site visits where we:

  • Observe the implementation of the learning from workshops and course correct wherever necessary on the basis of an observational checklist
  • Discuss different pedagogical strategies that can be used to teach English and Assamese, conduct library programme effectively and enable critical thinking and creative expression within children,
  • Focus on topics and concepts that need reinforcement.
  1. Mentorship Support to Eco System Protection Trust (ESPT): As part of the mentorship support extended to IDeA-the Ant’s partner organisations, our team had visited Eco System Protection Trust (ESPT) four times since December' 2021. On our first visit, our team observed their work in education, in the second visit our team observed the implementation of the learnings from the Accelerated language learning programme.  On our third visit, we conducted the Library Refresher course with them as per their needs. We also provided support on teaching English by conducting the first phase of the English Bridge Course and demonstrated activities on English Language teaching.

2. Mentorship Support to Pathikrit: As part of the mentorship support extended to IDeA-the Ant’s partner organisations, our team had visited Pathikrit four times since January’ 2022. On our first 2 visits, our team visited Pathikrit to gain an understanding about the organization and conducted school visit to understand their work in education. On our third visit, we conducted the Library Refresher course as per their needs and a day-long session was conducted with the Government school teachers they work with on Language Learning. We have also conducted the first phase of the English Bridge Course with them.

Community Library Cum Resource Center

Community Library Cum
Resource Center

What We Do

NEET’s community library cum resource center is an informal space for children, youth and community members to come together to engage and express through their heads, heart and hands. Stocked with an exciting range of age and interest-appropriate, contextual children’s literature, activity kits, art and craft supplies, it enables children to learn through experiential learning methods. We regularly conduct different activities, workshops, interactive sessions to encourage children to read and explore their abilities of critical thinking and expression. We provide daily academic support to children after school on language, math,science and social science through learner centric and child-friendly pedagogy. 

Our Beneficiaries

NEET’s Community Library cum Resource Center benefits children living in slum areas who go to government schools or low income private schools. These are children of domestic workers and daily wage earners who are from economically weak sections and lack home support in their academics.

Beneficiaries for community library cum resource center

Our Goals for the Programme

  • To provide academic support to children by teaching them school subjects through child-friendly pedagogy free of cost.

  • To develop their abilities of analytical and critical thinking by engaging them in various activities so that they can explore their multiple identities, and understand, question and reflect on them.

  • To provide equal access to quality educational materials like books, magazines, art and craft materials to marginalized children.

  • To organize workshops, interactive sessions on art, theater, dance and provide children, youth and community members with a space where they can explore and relate their inner world of imagination to their external physical world

Chronicles of our Community Library Programme

NEET’s Community Library was established in 2018, featuring a wide range of children’s literature, activity kits, art and craft supplies. In the first year, about 150 students from the  immediate vicinity enrolled in the library, though there were around 70 who were regulars. To attract children to the library space,  numerous activities like planned library sessions featuring read alouds, book talks, library activities alongwith discussions with young writers, theatre personalities and local artists are conducted. Exposure visits to museums, book fairs, festivals showcasing the children’s talents in theatre,mime and music are arranged. Workshops and classes on mime, crafts, theatre, singing, and dancing are conducted regularly to encourage children to develop their critical thinking and expressive skills. 

By 2020, around 200 children were enrolled but due to the lockdown period, our library regulars dropped down to 100. From November 2020, we started providing academic support to children as their academics suffered due to the covid induced lockdown period. Along with conducting Library activities, we started teaching Language, Mathematics and Science to our children. The library regulars are divided into three groups according to their learning level and they are taught  Accelerated English/Assamese learning programme, maths and science.