Teaching in Two Languages: Bilingual Reading Instruction under MOHEBS and French Competency (TNEF)

Rationale

Senegal's Modele Harmonise de l'Enseignement Bilingue au Senegal (MOHEBS) has been operational since 2023 across nine or more regions, making bilingual reading instruction in Wolof, Sereer, Pulaar, Mandinka, Soninke, and Joola alongside French a current classroom reality for a growing number of elementary teachers. The research brief confirms that the ministry simultaneously runs the TNEF national French-competency test and improvement pathway on SENPROF because teacher French proficiency is a recognized quality bottleneck. This course addresses both priorities: it equips teachers with the specific methods for first-language decoding, the bridge to French literacy, and the bilingual vocabulary and comprehension strategies required by MOHEBS, while also preparing them for the TNEF's three domains. The course maps directly to the language provisions of Loi 91-22, the CEB/APC curriculum, and the MOHEBS rollout, and it serves teachers preparing for the CEAP/CAP exam, participating in CAP-cell professional learning, or using SENPROF for self-paced upgrading. No other course in the catalog covers bilingual reading instruction or the TNEF, making this the essential fifth course for any teacher working in or entering Senegal's bilingual education system.

Part I: Foundations (Lessons 1-4)

Lesson 1. Why Senegal teaches in national languages

This lesson establishes the evidence base and policy rationale for MOHEBS. Participants examine the research on mother-tongue literacy as a foundation for second-language learning, the historical shift from French-only instruction to bilingual models, and the specific evidence from Senegal's own pilot programs that informed the 2019 rollout and 2023 operationalization. The lesson reviews the six national languages designated as media of early-grade instruction: Wolof, Sereer, Pulaar, Mandinka, Soninke, and Joola. Participants analyze the Gates Foundation and allAfrica corroboration of the rollout timeline and discuss the implications for their own classrooms. After this lesson, participants can articulate the policy rationale for bilingual instruction to colleagues and parents, cite the rollout timeline, and identify which of the six languages applies to their school context.

Lesson 2. The MOHEBS model and the six languages

This lesson provides a detailed structural overview of the MOHEBS bilingual sequence. Participants learn the model's progression: initial literacy in the national language, gradual introduction of French as a subject, and the systematic transfer of reading skills from L1 to French across the early grades. The lesson maps the six national languages to their geographic regions and school populations, noting that Wolof has the widest reach while Sereer, Pulaar, Mandinka, Soninke, and Joola serve specific zones. Participants examine sample MOHEBS timetables showing the allocation of instructional time between languages at each grade level. After this lesson, participants can describe the MOHEBS bilingual sequence, identify which national language their school uses or should use, and explain how instructional time is distributed between languages across grades.

Lesson 3. The legal basis for language of instruction

This lesson grounds bilingual instruction in Senegal's legal framework. Participants examine the language provisions of Loi 91-22 portant orientation de l'Education nationale, which establishes French as the official language of instruction while recognizing national languages as media of education. The lesson notes that the exact article wording of these provisions is drawn from secondary summaries because the primary PDFs are binary-locked, and this caveat is preserved. Participants also review the relationship between Loi 91-22 and the 2004-37 amendment, and how MOHEBS operationalizes the law's recognition of national languages. The lesson connects the legal framework to the teacher's duty to deliver the curriculum as prescribed. After this lesson, participants can cite the legal basis for bilingual instruction, explain the relationship between the orientation law and MOHEBS, and understand the limits of current verifiability regarding specific article numbers.

Lesson 4. Codified alphabets and orthography of national languages

This lesson addresses the technical foundation of bilingual reading instruction: the writing systems teachers must use correctly. Participants learn the codified alphabets for each of the six national languages, the orthographic conventions that govern spelling and punctuation, and the relationship between the Latin-based scripts used for these languages and the French alphabet. The lesson reviews the national-language codification decrees that established these writing systems and provides practice in reading and writing common classroom words in Wolof, Sereer, Pulaar, Mandinka, Soninke, and Joola. Participants identify the specific orthographic features that differ from French, such as vowel length markers and consonant clusters. After this lesson, participants can correctly write and read basic instructional texts in their school's national language, recognize orthographic differences from French, and locate the codification decrees for reference.

Part II: Core Practice (Lessons 5-10)

Lesson 5. First-language literacy: decoding in the national language

This lesson teaches the specific methods for teaching initial reading in the child's mother tongue, as required by the MOHEBS sequence. Participants learn the stages of decoding instruction: phonemic awareness in the national language, letter-sound correspondence using the codified alphabet, blending and segmenting syllables, and reading simple words and sentences. The lesson emphasizes that these methods mirror effective early-literacy instruction in any language but must be adapted to the phonological and orthographic features of Wolof, Sereer, Pulaar, Mandinka, Soninke, or Joola. Participants practice delivering a decoding lesson in their national language using locally relevant materials. After this lesson, participants can plan and deliver a first-language decoding lesson, assess a child's phonemic awareness in the national language, and select appropriate texts for initial reading instruction.

Lesson 6. The bridge to French: transfer of reading skills

This lesson addresses the critical transition from first-language literacy to French reading. Participants learn the MOHEBS transfer model, which builds on the reading skills already acquired in the national language rather than starting from zero in French. The lesson covers transferable skills: phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, decoding strategies, and comprehension monitoring. Participants examine specific transfer challenges, such as French graphemes that differ from the national language's orthography, and practice bridge lessons that explicitly teach these differences. The lesson also addresses the timing of French introduction within the MOHEBS sequence. After this lesson, participants can design bridge lessons that transfer decoding and comprehension skills from the national language to French, identify transfer challenges specific to their language pair, and sequence French reading instruction appropriately.

Lesson 7. Oral-language development in both languages

This lesson focuses on the oral-language foundation that supports reading in both the national language and French. Participants learn structured approaches to building speaking and listening skills before and alongside reading instruction, including vocabulary development, sentence structure, narrative skills, and academic language. The lesson covers oral-language activities appropriate for each grade level in the MOHEBS sequence, such as storytelling circles, question-and-answer routines, and descriptive language games. Participants practice designing oral-language lessons that alternate between the national language and French, building the vocabulary and syntactic knowledge needed for reading comprehension in both languages. After this lesson, participants can plan and deliver oral-language development activities in both languages, assess a child's oral-language proficiency, and integrate oral-language goals into daily instruction.

Lesson 8. Bilingual vocabulary and comprehension strategies

This lesson teaches specific strategies for building vocabulary and reading comprehension across two languages. Participants learn cross-language vocabulary-building techniques, such as cognate awareness, bilingual word walls, and semantic mapping that connects words in the national language and French. The lesson covers comprehension strategies that transfer between languages: predicting, questioning, summarizing, and monitoring understanding. Participants practice designing lessons that explicitly teach these strategies in the national language first, then apply them to French texts. The lesson also addresses the challenge of academic vocabulary that may exist in French but not in the national language, and strategies for introducing such terms. After this lesson, participants can teach vocabulary and comprehension strategies bilingually, help students transfer comprehension skills between languages, and address gaps in academic vocabulary.

Lesson 9. Assessing early reading in two languages

This lesson provides practical assessment tools for monitoring reading progress in both the national language and French. Participants learn to administer and interpret fluency and comprehension checks in the L1 and French, using the assessment principles of the CEB/APC. The lesson covers oral reading fluency measures, retell comprehension checks, and running records adapted for each language. Participants practice scoring and analyzing assessment results to identify students who need additional support in decoding, fluency, or comprehension in either language. The lesson also addresses how to use assessment data to differentiate instruction within the MOHEBS framework. After this lesson, participants can assess early reading in two languages, interpret results to guide instruction, and communicate progress to parents and the CAP cell.

Lesson 10. The teacher's own French: preparing for the TNEF

This lesson introduces the national French-competency test and improvement pathway that the ministry runs on SENPROF. Participants learn the TNEF's three domains: oral comprehension and expression, reading comprehension, and written-structure competency. The lesson provides a self-assessment tool aligned to the TNEF domains, allowing participants to identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Participants explore the SENPROF platform's TNEF preparation resources and develop a personal study plan. The lesson emphasizes that the TNEF is not a punitive test but a diagnostic and improvement pathway designed to address the recognized quality bottleneck of teacher French proficiency. After this lesson, participants can describe the TNEF's three domains, self-assess their French competency against the test's framework, and access SENPROF resources for self-paced improvement.

Part III: Application and Mastery (Lessons 11-15)

Lesson 11. Improving oral and language comprehension in French

This lesson targets the first two TNEF domains: oral comprehension and expression, and reading comprehension. Participants learn specific strategies for improving their own French oral skills, including listening to authentic French audio materials, practicing oral summaries, and engaging in structured discussion. The lesson also covers reading comprehension improvement: active reading strategies, vocabulary expansion, and analysis of academic and professional texts relevant to teaching. Participants practice with sample TNEF-style tasks and use SENPROF self-paced modules to track progress. The lesson connects improved teacher French to better classroom instruction, as teachers who are more confident in French model language use more effectively for their students. After this lesson, participants can apply strategies to improve their oral and reading comprehension in French, use SENPROF resources for practice, and identify their current level relative to TNEF expectations.

Lesson 12. Written-structure competency in French

This lesson addresses the third TNEF domain: written-structure competency. Participants learn the specific grammatical, syntactic, and organizational features that the TNEF assesses, including verb conjugation, sentence structure, paragraph organization, and formal writing conventions. The lesson provides practice in writing instructional texts, lesson plans, and professional correspondence in correct French. Participants analyze common errors made by French-as-a-second-language speakers and practice self-editing strategies. The lesson also covers how written French competency directly affects classroom instruction, from writing on the board to composing assessment items. After this lesson, participants can identify and correct common written French errors, produce clear written instructional materials, and use SENPROF resources to improve their written-structure competency.

Lesson 13. Teaching French as a second language, not a first

This lesson provides the methodological foundation for teaching French to learners whose home language is one of the six national languages. Participants learn the principles of Francais Langue Etrangere (FLE) adapted to the Senegalese bilingual classroom: the importance of oral input, the role of the first language as a resource, the sequencing of grammatical structures, and the use of authentic communicative tasks. The lesson contrasts FLE methods with the assumption that French is a first language, which has historically led to ineffective instruction. Participants practice designing FLE-informed lessons that build on the oral and literacy skills students already have in their national language. After this lesson, participants can apply FLE principles to their French instruction, design communicative tasks appropriate for early-grade learners, and use students' first language as a resource rather than a barrier.

Lesson 14. Locally relevant bilingual materials

This lesson addresses the practical challenge of finding and creating appropriate reading materials in the six national languages and French. Participants learn criteria for selecting texts: linguistic appropriateness, cultural relevance, alignment with the CEB/APC curriculum, and suitability for the MOHEBS sequence. The lesson covers strategies for adapting existing French-language materials into bilingual versions, creating original texts in the national language, and using community resources such as oral stories and local knowledge. Participants practice evaluating sample materials and adapting a French text into a bilingual lesson. The lesson also introduces the SENPROF and PROMET platforms as sources of digital materials. After this lesson, participants can select and evaluate bilingual reading materials, adapt existing texts for bilingual instruction, and create simple original texts in their school's national language.

Lesson 15. Planning a bilingual literacy program for a school

This culminating lesson integrates all previous learning into a practical planning exercise. Participants work individually or in school teams to design a bilingual literacy program for the early grades, sequencing L1 and French instruction across the school year according to the MOHEBS model. The plan includes: a language allocation timetable, a scope and sequence for reading instruction in both languages, assessment checkpoints, materials needed, and professional development needs for the teaching team. Participants present their plans for peer feedback, with attention to feasibility given the resources available in their specific school context. The lesson also addresses how the plan connects to the CAP cell's continuous professional development work and to the teacher's own TNEF preparation. After this lesson, participants can produce a complete bilingual literacy program plan for their school, justify their instructional sequence using MOHEBS and CEB/APC principles, and identify next steps for implementation.

This syllabus was designed from primary-source research of this nation's official teacher requirements and passed independent verification. The full course, its lessons, assistant, and materials are live for enrolled educators.