Elementary Teachers of Cameroon and Children’s Literacy Achievement

The book is an examination of the importance of linguistic knowledge of teacher and the implication for teaching children at the primary or elementary levels. Teaching reading is definitely rocket science as they are critical foundational knowledge teachers need to know to enhance children’s mastery of skills and learning strategies. An understanding of how language is similar or differs from dialects is important to know to cope with many children who come from diverse backgrounds where English is not a first language. Consequently, teachers’ knowledge to understand and be able to assess discrepancies in language structure, syntax, phonology, semantics, and morphology are critical elements for literacy acquisition. Teachers need to be confident in teaching the fundamental or basics concepts as a bridge to producing effective and strategic readers of tomorrow. Based on this study although these were English teachers most did not possess the basic knowledge to teach early language and literacy skills to the children. A sort of wake up call for teacher education curriculum to be re- examined and emphasis placed on what is important for early literacy acquisition.