By Mal Keenan
Countdown.
I’ll be back in Zambia, Africa in less than one month.
How am I feeling?
Excited.
Nervous.
Happy.
The A to Z teacher team has been carefully planning lessons to bring to Zambian classrooms, and as a group of four, we will share our unique talents to assist teachers and students while promoting the love of reading.
For me as a literacy coach, I plan on creating identity texts with students. An identity text is any short story written in two languages. Yes, the national language is English in Zambia, but Nyanja is also spoken in the area we serve. As bilingual students, it’s essential to lift both languages in their literacy development. Creating a story with Nyanja and English honors the culture and the home language. An identity text encourages parental involvement and students take great pride in capturing both languages in print. As we teach these amazing English Language Learners, it’s important to make sure their identities are celebrated in authentic and meaningful writing.
The team will arrive in Zambia on June 13th and will begin teaching on Monday, June 16th. Be sure to follow the blog for stories of our work and service.
A to Z Literacy Movement Blog 
I am so excited for you and also for the teachers and students in Zambia who are anxiously awaiting your return. And to be perfectly honest, I’m jealous that I’m not going with you. Blessings on a safe and productive trip!
Ann, A to Z is so grateful for all of your hard work and commitment to the organization. We will miss you on this trip to Zambia, but hope you will join the team in coming years because of your dedication to serving the amazing teachers and students in Zambia.