Reading Instruction in the Primary Grades
The academic year consists of three 13‑week terms that run from September to early July. The number of school days ranges from 185 to 195 per year. At the primary level, approximately 25 percent of instructional time per week is allocated to reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing instruction in English language arts. Teachers devote 15 percent to 20 percent of this time to the mandatory skill components of reading, phonological awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency.
An average class session at the upper primary level (Grades 5 to 6; Standards 4 to 5) lasts 40 to 50 minutes. At the start of Infant Year 1 (kindergarten), however, a lesson may last 15 minutes. Students in Infant Year 1 receive approximately 10 to 15 lessons per week in language instruction, and those in Grades 2 to 6 (Standards 1 to 5) receive 15 to 20 lessons per week in language instruction.
Instructional Materials
While Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Education has not mandated specific materials for reading instruction at the primary level, it provides instructional materials including texts and manipulatives such as puzzles, games, globes, stickers, and Reading Rods kits (color‑coded cubes with interlocking letters). The Ministry of Education supplies textbooks to schools based on the school’s request. In 2016, the Ministry established the Learning Materials Evaluation Committee to review the country’s national textbook policy.
Schools may select other reading materials to supplement their reading programs; however, official approval of other textbooks must be obtained from experts at the Ministry of Education. In some schools, computer use related to reading complements daily reading instruction. Libraries continue to play an important role in reading education in Trinidad and Tobago, with many schools and individual classrooms having their own collections from which students may select and borrow books.
Use of Technology
The national primary school curriculum of Trinidad and Tobago, implemented in 2013, highlights the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools in schools to support teaching and learning. Teachers are expected to use appropriate technology to enhance the reading experience of young children. Although some teachers use videos, computer software, and interactive whiteboards, the use of ICT tools in primary schools—including during reading instruction—still is limited. While secondary schools usually have computer laboratories and classrooms containing computers, few primary schools are sufficiently equipped to offer efficient electronic learning environments. Teacher training, availability of ICT tools, and Internet access are major factors affecting the use of technology in reading instruction. Use of traditional print media remains popular.
Role of Reading Specialists
Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Education does not assign reading specialists to primary schools; rather, classroom teachers are responsible for teaching reading throughout the seven years of primary education. Teachers also are responsible for assisting students who experience reading difficulties. However, literacy coaches worked with teachers in selected primary schools that were on academic watch in support of implementation of the new English language arts curriculum from 2014 to 2016, by building teachers’ pedagogical skills and content knowledge in reading instruction. The literacy coaches diagnosed and planned interventions for students experiencing reading difficulties. This program may be expanded.
Second Language Instruction
The national English language arts curriculum for the primary level in Trinidad and Tobago is designed to support students throughout the process of acquiring, developing, and mastering requisite skills and knowledge for effective communication. The coexistence of two major linguistic systems in the country—English Creole and Standard English—poses problems for some learners. The English language arts curriculum explicitly recognizes this challenge and seeks to address it through a student centered learning approach that respects students’ linguistic experiences. The language students bring to the classroom—their first language—is a tool for building their awareness of the English language. The English language arts program reflects awareness of both English Creole and Standard English as major linguistic systems. The teaching of grammar is central to students’ understanding of the structures of the languages and the relationship between them.
Accommodation Policies for Instruction and Testing
The use of differentiated instruction is another foundational pillar in Trinidad and Tobago’s new primary curricula, implemented in 2013. Teachers are encouraged to differentiate in terms of content, process, product, and the learning environment to accommodate students’ diverse interests, abilities, and learning styles. Primary schools may additionally be supported by the Ministry of Education’s Student Support Services division, which offers professional assistance to students with special needs through a referral system. Through this department, students may obtain accommodations for assessments (e.g., extra time, Braille and large print test materials, testing in separate rooms with a test administrator) during national written examinations at the primary level.