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Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography pp 279–309Cite as

Language-Focused Instruction for Literacy Acquisition in Akshara-based Languages: Pedagogical Considerations and Challenges

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Part of the book series: Literacy Studies ((LITS,volume 17))

Abstract

In this chapter we explore the role of language- and meaning-focused instruction for supporting literacy acquisition in akshara-based languages, drawing upon examples from Hindi and the Devanagari script. Instruction of lower- and higher-level literacy skills typically targeted in pre- and primary school years are examined with a particular focus on the phonological, orthographic and morpho-syntactic domains. The role of affective-motivational aspects in learning and a strong cultural embedding of teaching-learning materials and pedagogical strategies are highlighted, with implications for native speakers and second language learners, in contexts of diglossia, and with demographically diverse groups. Such a multi-component curriculum is dependent on the perceptiveness and sensibilities of teachers, their attitudes towards teaching and learning, specific pedagogical skills and concrete knowledge-bases. We discuss the challenges this holds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rishi Valley Institute of Teacher Education, Rishi Valley Education Centre, Krishnamurti Foundation India (KFI), Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India

    Chandrika Mathur

  2. Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Sonali Nag

  3. The Promise Foundation, Bangalore, India

    Sonali Nag

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  1. Chandrika Mathur
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  2. Sonali Nag
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Correspondence to Sonali Nag .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture, College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

    R. Malatesha Joshi

  2. Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Catherine McBride

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Mathur, C., Nag, S. (2019). Language-Focused Instruction for Literacy Acquisition in Akshara-based Languages: Pedagogical Considerations and Challenges. In: Joshi, R.M., McBride, C. (eds) Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography. Literacy Studies, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05977-4_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05977-4_15

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