A teacher who permits learners to consistently speak in the classroom will encourage their confidence- Titilola Osho,teacher, elucotionist, & trainer

In this insightful interview, Temitope Kareem speaks with Titilola Osho, an accomplished educator with a rich background in early childhood education and a passion for improving literacy among young learners in Osun State, Nigeria. With over a decade of experience both in Nigeria and abroad, Titilola has dedicated her career to empowering students through the teaching of phonics, diction, and effective communication skills. Her journey from a teaching assistant in the UK to a respected diction coach and education entrepreneur in Nigeria highlights her commitment to addressing the challenges of early literacy, particularly in Osun State, where she has made significant strides in enhancing education quality. Excerpts

Can you tell us a little about your background?

My name is Titilola Osho, and I hail from Oyo State, Nigeria. I am a graduate of early childhood education from the National Open University in Nigeria. I also have a Diploma in Estate Management from Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke. I have always worked with children right from my secondary school education. I was also privileged to teach outside the country as a teaching assistant at Tipton, United Kingdom. I have always been teaching for a number of years in Nigeria, especially in the early years, until I ventured into training on phonetics and diction and also began the entrepreneurial journey to where I am today.

What inspired you to become a diction coach or phonics tutor?

When I returned to the country from the UK in 2009 and started teaching in my community, back then in Lagos, Ikorodu, I found out that many schools have the challenge of having their learners read at the appropriate time. As of then, many primary school pupils find it very difficult to read, and this has become an eyesore for most schools. It was something that bothered them, and at that time, they did not have the best practice to approach that challenge, which is helping children to read. I believe that if a child is able to read, then speaking will not be a problem. Most schools where I worked back then had that problem, and they just kept on promoting the children to the next class. That was a burden to me, and I sat down to note the difference between how we teach our children to read here in Nigeria and how it’s done overseas. I compared notes, and I found out that it’s an approach that is used over there right from when a child is registered in school. This made me further search, and I found out that the best reading method is to use phonics to teach children to read right from when they are registered to school. That is the proven phonics montessori approach to teaching children to read, correlating sound with symbols; that was my inspiration.

How do you view education and literacy levels in Osun State, and how do you plan to contribute to their improvement through your teaching?

I must say that education in Osun State is gradually taking a better shape. I have spent 9 years here in Osun State, and I must say that it is becoming better by the day through the state government and private sectors’ efforts in ensuring that there is an enviable level of literacy in the state. Of course, there are also stakeholders like me contributing to that development in the state via the teaching of phoenics,, English, good communication skills, and diction. In the past few years of being here, I have been approaching many schools and providing the services of diction, phonetics, and phonetics at an affordable rate. The teaching of phonics and diction was seen to be something being taught in big cities and states in Nigeria. However, through my effort and that of many other coaches in this land, this state is beginning to be saturated with knowledge of literacy as well. I have also trained over 100 teachers in this state alone. I have worked in over 50 schools, teaching phonics, helping students to read earlier, easier, and communicating in an impeccable manner. We are doing this, and we hope to do more in the future.

What challenges did you face when you first started teaching, and how did you overcome them?

At first, coming into this land to teach, I faced the challenge of acceptability. There are two groups of parents. I say parents because most schools want to bring the teaching of phonics into their curriculum because they’ve heard about it and the results it produces for learners. However, the challenge was funding because they see Osun State as a low-income state, and many of the parents have the challenge of meeting the financial demands of their children’s education. As much as schools desire it, the constraints of parents being able to pay for the service were a task for them. However, many of them went the extra mile to ensure that they were able to take care of the bills with whatever the parents were able to support them with. Some applauded it and subscribed to the service.

On the part of the parents, some of them are still laid back about it. Some of them think that once the child can read ABC, it’s okay, and the child will catch up later. The parents didn’t do their part in reinforcing the teacher’s effort in helping the children read and communicate well. However, that challenge was overcome by orientation. We visited PTA meetings to educate parents about the importance of children speaking early with good diction, pronunciation, and enunciation. Another challenge was with the teachers; sometimes they are complacent and lazy, and they see it as an additional work description for them. But that is changing as school owners are enforcing the teachers to cooperate with us, and some of them are already seeing it as an added value to them without even paying for it since they are learning from us to reteach the learners.

How do you make teaching fun and interesting for students?

Making teaching interesting and fun is one of our core areas and a unique selling point. As a matter of fact, as a diction and phonics outfit, when our instructors get into the school, students are ready to see them. Our teaching approaches are learner centred. It’s not about us, it’s about how they want to learn. We use practical life approaches, story telling, rhymes, visuals, and things they can relate to when teaching. We use empathy, we don’t beat, however, we use denial and some forms of discipline for them. We ensure they have a lovely time in the assembly and interactive section while teaching, among many other strategies to make teaching fun and exciting.

Do you have any tips for learners struggling with English pronunciation and grammar?

The first is to identify a need and admit that you have a challenge. Also, be open to learning. You can learn everywhere, in schools, and on social media. You can follow people who teach for free. Then you put what you’ve learnt into practice, and you keep practicing. Be consistent.

What role do you believe early education plays in mastering a second language?

Yes, I do. I believe early education plays a vital role in language mastery since the English language is not our mother tongue. For literacy, it will do the child a lot of good to be in an environment where he or she can begin to acquire the second language earlier. Early childhood education is key as it prepares the child to read and also in other areas necessary to their development in all areas. Early education has a great impact on the mastery of a second language. I believe a learner’s level of vocabulary equals the teacher’s level of vocabulary. If a teacher speaks bad English and has issues with their tenses, the students are more likely to emulate that, especially at an early age. Language is more acquired through the environment than through what you teach deliberately.

What impact do you think a tutor or education coach can have on a student’s confidence?

An educator can have a great impact on a student’s confidence. For instance, a teacher who permits learners to consistently speak in the classroom will encourage their confidence. If a teacher is very confident, it will rub on that child; if a tutor is also a timid communicator, it will also rub on the learner within that teacher’s jurisdiction. Teachers should permit students to be expressive, to talk, to communicate, and to correct them without tampering with their self-esteem. How this plays out is how the tutor corrects the learners when they make mistakes.

What has been your most rewarding experience as an English tutor and education coach?

It has been so rewarding. I see parents appreciating me from time to time, telling me how their child has changed and is now able to speak correctly. Some reward with cash gifts, opportunities, and many more. I have worked at the radio station for over 8 years and being a TV presenter eventually is also a reward for doing what I do. The most valuable of all these rewards is the fulfilment that I have in providing a fun and effective solution to a learner’s inability to read or difficulty in reading. This keeps me going, even in the face of challenges. Trust me, this is something I still want to do in my next life.