Resources
Our goal is to provide teachers with workshops and resources to incorporate culturally responsive teaching strategies in building foundational English literacy.
Our Learning Goals
1. Foundational English Literacy
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Reading in a known language (French/local language) alongside English
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Studies in Africa find students taught in a familiar language are about 30% more likely to comprehend texts
2. Celebrate students’ cultures
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Include Senegalese and other African settings.
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Introduce stories from other cultures (global folktales, environmental themes)
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This aligns with the “RAB” mission of promoting international understanding through literature.
3. Multilingual
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Highlight students’ strengths in French and local languages
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Use bilingual word banks or let student discuss in Wolof/French when needed
Our Primary Methods
1. Storytelling and oral tradition
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Honors the African local storytelling culture. Invite the local community and/or share tales (in the local language). Then read a parallel text in English.
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See evidence of the effectiveness here
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2. Read-Alouds
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Read picture books in English. Explain new words in French or Wolof. Ask a predictive question. Encourage echo reading.
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See usefulness here
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3. Identity-affirming texts.
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Books where characters look like the students or share their experiences.
4. Bilingual Support
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Example: provide key vocabulary in English and French side by side.
Sample Workshop
Useful Resources and Links
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RELO – Regional English Language Office (U.S. Embassy in Senegal)
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British Council – Teaching English Africa
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Teaching Strategies – "More Than Translation"
Links in French:
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Module de Formation Anglais – DPFC‑CND (2024) A PDF training module for private school English teachers in francophone Africa
Bilingual Book List (English and French) (For Beginners)
Title (English) | Title (French) | Type | Why It Works for A1 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
My Family / Ma Famille | Ma Famille | Fiction | Simple vocabulary, large pictures, relatable topic | Often available as teacher-made booklets |
Handa’s Surprise (Eileen Browne) | La surprise de Handa | Fiction / Folktale | African setting, fruit names, bright illustrations | Available in bilingual editions |
From Head to Toe (Eric Carle) | De la tête aux pieds | Fiction / Action | Repetition, body parts vocabulary, actions students can do | Great for movement activities |
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle) | La chenille qui fait des trous | Fiction | Food, days of the week, counting, beautiful visuals | Widely translated and recognized |
Fatou, Fetch the Water (Sophie Lagun) | Fatou, va chercher de l’eau | Fiction / Realistic | African village setting, daily life vocabulary, simple sentences | Available from African publishers |
Mama Panya’s Pancakes (Mary Chamberlin) | Les crêpes de Mama Panya | Fiction | Family, community, food culture, Senegal-relevant setting | French-English editions exist |
My Village: Rhymes from Around the World | Mon village: Comptines du monde | Poetry / Folktale | Includes African songs and rhymes with illustrations | Multilingual book including French-English versions |
African Animals ABC | Alphabet des animaux africains | Non-fiction | Letters, animals, large pictures | Can be teacher-created with flashcards or posters |
My Clothes / Mes vêtements | Mes vêtements | Non-fiction / Vocabulary | Simple clothing vocabulary, illustrated with local dress styles | Available in classroom printable format |
I See a Song (Eric Carle) | Je vois une chanson | Art / Music | Minimal text, focus on colors, music-related visuals | Useful for integrating art and music lessons |
African Cultural Readings
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters (John Steptoe)
An African folktale (Zimbabwe) about kindness and sisterhood. French: Les belles filles de Mufaro.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (Verna Aardema)
A folktale (Kenya) explaining drought and the power of gratitude. French: La pluie sur la plaine de Kapiti.
Tacko Fall (Bally Akgül & Justin Haynes)
Picture-book biography of a Senegalese NBA player, emphasizing hard work.
Fatuma and the Talking Drum (by Shoshana Levin)
Story inspired by West African history. French: Fatuma et le tambour qui parle.
Aya of Yop City (Marguerite Abouet)
Graphic novel set in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; offers bright visuals and simple dialogue. French: Aya de Yopougon
Sankofa Village (Abena Busia, Ghanaian folklorist)
Collection of African folk tales. (Teachers can pair stories with French folktale anthologies.)
African Animals Illustrated Dictionary
A picture dictionary with English–French entries on fauna of Africa.
African Myths and Legends
Any dual-language anthology of African myths.
Atlas or World Book: Senegal
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Simple nonfiction in English about Senegal (culture, geography), and a French version (Le Sénégal: géographie et culture). This grounds students in their own country’s story in both languages.