BACKGROUND
The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of natural disaster, oppression and violent conflict in 42 countries. The IRC has worked in Sierra Leone since 1999. The IRC currently programs across three core sectors 1) Health 2) Women and Girls’ Protection and Empowerment (WGPE), and 3) Education. The IRC is committed to supporting the Government of Sierra Leone in the strengthening of the country. We seek to build upon our programming experience and introduce new programs that are adaptive, collaborative and evidence-driven, leading to a more educated, safe, healthy and empowered Sierra Leone.
SCOPE OF WORK
Building on this work over the years, the IRC in Sierra Leone has developed a new program framework, strategy and vision for 2016 – 2020. The country program has committed to ensuring that children, both in and out of school, have appropriate literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, and will work towards the reduction and elimination of barriers to ensure that girls are as equally skilled and safe as boys. In line with this commitment, and in partnership with Concern International, Restless Development and BBC Media Action, the IRC will implement the four-year long DfID-funded Girls Education Challenge Leave No Girl Behind (LNGB) project which targets 32,500 highly marginalised out-of-school girls (aged 13-17) and aims to ensure they have significantly improved learning outcomes and transition to education, training or employment.
The IRC is recruiting a Literacy Specialist with expertise in curriculum development for functional literacy who will be responsible for working with the Government of Sierra Leone’s (GoSL) Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and the LNGB team in developing a Functional Literacy for Youth program for this project. The overall objective is that learners completing the program are skilled at the practical, applied literacy needed for their daily lives and income generating activities. The literacy component of the program will be 9 months long (36 weeks with 3 hours of literacy content per week) totalling 108 learning hours.
The consultancy will include the following specific services:
Functional Numeracy Framework Development and Approval
•Identify key learning objectives in alignment with MBSSE’s primary school Literacy curriculum
•Analyse the results of the needs analysis to identify youth’s daily life themes
•Develop a 9-month scope and sequence (108 one-hour lessons) linking youth daily life themes to learning objectives and fundamental components of reading
•Draft 2 example lesson plans to illustrate the pedagogical approach in alignment with IRC’s approach to Functional Literacy for Youth
•Pilot the 2 lesson plans in Sierra Leone, working closely with IRC staff, and revise lesson format and level accordingly.
•Develop a clear presentation of the scope and sequence, student learning objectives and pedagogical approach for government partners and other relevant stakeholders for approval
Content Development
•Draft, revise and finalise 108 lesson plans in collaboration with IRC’s Education Technical Advisor and Literacy expert, the country team and with feedback from partners and other relevant stakeholders
•Draft, revise and finalise a teacher training guide
•Develop Literacy Content for BLN Facilitator Guide
Level of Effort/Deliverables and Timing
The work will be conducted at the level of effort as follows:
Due DateActivity/Deliverables: PHASE 1# of working days
Part 1 (In country) : Framework Development and Approval
January (Week 1 &2)
•Review the MBSSE primary school Literacy curriculum
•Meet with the Literacy Technical Advisor to understand IRC’s approach to Functional Literacy for Youth
•Identify daily life themes and sub-themes from results of needs analysis and additional interviews of field staff
•Identify key learning objectives in alignment with MBSSE primary school literacy curriculum that is feasible for a 9-month basic literacy program for youth
Link themes/sub-themes to learning objectives
•Identify key teaching strategies incorporated in these lessons for use in teacher training
•Develop student learning objectives aligned with components of reading
•Draft 2 sample lesson plans pilot, and revise
•Develop a clear presentation of the scope and sequence and pedagogical approach for government partners and other relevant stakeholders for approval
Deliverables:
1.Scope and Sequence linked to themes/sub-themes for a 9-month long Functional Literacy youth program
2.Outline of student learning competencies by level
3.PowerPoint presentation of the approach
4.Drafting, piloting and revision of 2 lesson plans 14 days
Part 2 (remote) – Content Development of Lessons 1-12
January 2019 (week 3-4)•Draft version 1 of Lessons 1-12
•Make a descriptive list of required illustrations
•Identify key teaching strategies incorporated in these lessons for use in teacher training
•Finalize version 2 of lessons post review
•Finalize lesson content with place holders for illustrations
Deliverables:
5. Content-ready Lessons 1-12 for copy editing and finalization by designer4 days
Part 3 (Remote) – Content Development of Lessons 13-48
February 2019•Draft version 1 of Lessons 13-48
•Identify key teaching strategies incorporated in these lessons for use in teacher training
•Finalize version 2 of lessons post review
•Finalize lesson content with place holders for illustrations
Deliverables:
6. Content-ready Lessons 13-48 for copy editing and finalization by designer
15 days
Total number of days for Phase 1, Part 1-3: 33 days
Part 4: (Remote) Content Development for Facilitator Guide and Teacher Training Guide
March 2019
•Draft version 1 of Facilitator Guide incorporating key teaching strategies and pedagogical approach
•Finalize version 2 post review (Literacy)
•Draft version 1 of Training Manual for a 2.5 day training
•Finalize version 2 post review
Deliverables:
7. Facilitator Guide
8. Teacher Training Guide 10 days
Part 5 (In country): Training of Trainers
April 2019
•Facilitate Training of trainers on Functional Literacy for Youth (in country)5 days
Total number of days for Phase 1, Part 4-5: 15 days
Due DateActivity/Deliverables: PHASE 2# of working days
Part 1: Phase 1 – Content Development of Lessons 49-108
May & June 2019•Draft version 1 of Lessons 49-108
•Make a descriptive list of required illustrations
•Identify key teaching strategies incorporated in these lessons for use in teacher training
•Finalize version 2 of lessons post review
•Finalize lesson content with place holders for illustrations
Deliverables:
9.Content-ready Lessons 49-108 for copy editing and finalization by designer
23 days
Part 2: Content Development for Updated Facilitator Guide and Teacher Training Manual
June 2019
•Draft version 1 of additions to the Facilitator Guide incorporating key teaching strategies and pedagogical approaches used in lessons 49-108
•Finalize version 2 post review (Literacy)
•Draft version 1 of Training Manual for a 1 day training
•Finalize version 2 post review
Deliverables:
10. Updated Facilitator Guide
11. Teacher Training Manual for Phase 22 days
Total number of days for Phase 2: 25 days
Length of Work: Phase 1, Part 1-3: 33 days
Phase 1, Part 4-5: 15 days
Phase 2: 25 days
Experience and Qualifications Requirements
To effectively deliver this engagement, the consultant should meet the following requirements:
•Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in Literacy, Education or related field
•Minimum 3 years of literacy teaching experience at the primary or secondary level
•Strong knowledge and technical experience in the areas of teacher professional development, literacy education and adult/youth education
•Strong knowledge of teacher experience and needs in low-resource, low-capacity and/or in conflict/crises contexts
•Experience with curriculum materials development (youth/adult literacy content development preferred)
•Experience in the operation and challenges of education systems in Africa, particularly in West Africa
•Strong communication skills, cultural awareness of West Africa and fluency in English
•Flexible to work as part of a remote team across many time zones
•Strong Microsoft Office suite skills to produce user friendly, readable, professionally formatted training materials
Duty Station: Remote and Sierra Leone with travel Involved
IRC will be responsible for all accommodation and transportation associated with work conducted in Sierra Leone and will cover the Consultant’s round trip ticket. IRC is not responsible for medical insurance, medevac, etc.
