Table 5 Overview of the educational methods that can be used within the sub-Saharan African context, the appropriate age groups, their strengths and weaknesses

Song

x

x

x

Easy to motivate children; Enables memorization

Passive way of receiving information; Possible lack of knowledge or understanding of the lyrics

Quiz

x

x

x

Interactive; Engages all children at the same time

Language and comprehension may be a challenge, particularly for non-first language speakers

Should be adapted to the language spoken by and environment of the children; Local contextually appropriate questions should be created

Colouring

x

Enables practical rehearsal of the content; Active learning

Children may not have the necessary hand motor skills

8–12-year-olds could colour, whereas 9–12-year-olds can draw themselves

Poem

x

x

x

Allows for repetition, which enables memorization

Difficult wording might interfere with understanding; Can only be used for key messages

5–8-year-olds can recite a poem taught to them, whereas at a later age, children may be able to write their own poems

Puppetry

x

Very visual; Can be engaging, particularly with younger age groups

Difficult to pin content to it; Trainers should be confident with it (time-consuming)

Drawing

x

Some children might not succeed in drawing; Can be time-consuming

The act of drawing should not interfere with learning

Case study

x

x

x

Can come from the learners themselves; Easy to adapt according to age

Not easy to find a case study that fits the content and the context; When analyzing a case study from a learner, must include and manage children’s emotional reactions to the case; Trainers should be taught to run a case study

5–8-year-olds: incorporate visual elements such as photos 9–12-year-olds: work with a story

Group work

x

x

x

Peer to peer narration and active involvement; Children can speak in their own language

Some children are quiet when in groups and might not say anything

The social aspect of group work can be initiated at 5–8 years, but group work can only really occur from 9 years of age onwards

Storytelling

x

x

x

Engaging and entertaining; A story can be adapted to the content and age of the child

If the content is not adjusted to the age group, children may listen without understanding

Self-discovery

x

x

x

Experiential learning; May include take-home exercises

Need for clear guidelines before and after activity to ensure that the right lessons are learnt

Drama and simulation

x

x

x

Engaging and entertaining

Challenges with group work and holding attention

Demonstration

x

x

x

Focus on practical skills (key for First Aid training)

Depending on the size of the group, teachers may not be able to engage everyone; Demonstration needs to be done properly, so teachers need training; Skills may need to be broken down into components, to ensure that learners are able to understand and gain the practical skill

Quotes

x

x

Can be used for big groups; − Children have to think independently whether or not they agree with the quote, and will have to take a position