Today was one of the most fulfilling days I’ve had in...well, a very long time.  I sat and observed the beginner literacy class, which up until today was the alphabet class. But today as I watched, they started reading!  They’ve been doing ‘word building’ exercises where they add one letter to another until it forms a word, but the teacher has been leading them and basically doing it for them on the board.  Today, he let them try their hand at it.  He’d write a simple word minus a key vowel in the center, then see if they could figure out which vowel to write.  

The class is in Somali, but for example in English he might have written d__g.  Then he’d ask the class what the first letter is, the last letter, and then they’d guess the vowel.  They’d laugh and laugh when someone would guess a letter that wouldn’t make a word, like dag instead of dog!  Eventually, they became more familiar with which vowels represent which sound, and could guess right the first time.  Luckily for them, letters of the alphabet represent one set sound except in rare exceptions, so they’re learning very quickly now that they have the alphabet to work with,

  I watched as one lady squinted at the board, her mouth forming the letters silently, face all concentration, then suddenly light up with understanding! It’s d-o-g....DOG!!!!  This huge grin was stretched across her face and she clapped in excitement!  I can imagine her thoughts...”I just read a word.  For the first time in my life, I know what those symbols mean and I can tell you what it says!  I’m reading!”

That’s the thing with teaching adults, the words are all there in their minds because they aren’t children hearing them for the first time.  They don’t need to learn vocabulary, they just need to learn what letters are used to represent the language they already know.  So when these students connect this sound they’ve known since they were a child with the mysterious letters no one ever taught them-lightbulbs flash all over the place!  It’s incredible to watch actual learning take place before my very eyes!  I’m so excited for these women to have the gift of literacy, to no longer be on the outside, to have access to information, to have a measure of independence, and to be able to sign their own names with pride.  I sat in the back of the classroom trying not to cry in my joy and amazement, very content and glad to be where I am. :)

Our beautiful classroom where the magic happens-check out the baby pink and blue details! ;)