MISSION AND BELIEFS

ALE kindergarten teacher introducing the alphabet

Mission

The mission of the ALE is to promote national literacy by strengthening the pedagogical, methodological, and content knowledge of ECE (early child education) and primary grade teachers and administrators.

Beliefs

We believe that learning to read well is the most important academic skill a child can acquire and serves as the foundation for all other learning. Instruction should focus on the basic reading pillars of phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.

We believe that for children to learn to read well, they must be taught by teachers who know how to teach reading well --that is, who have been trained in appropriate pedagogy, been given the necessary instructional materials to succeed, and have had opportunities to apply what they have learned in a supportive and mentoring environment.

We believe in promoting cooperation and networking opportunities among educators from different ALE schools as well as forming links to the international community by being an affiliate of the International Literacy Association (ILA).

We believe that in order for ALE's mission to be sustained, organizational leadership and the sharing of literacy pedagogy must be in the hands of Liberians.