Teaching Youths English Literacy Through Football

A 3 days workshop of coaches participating in the Double Club program was conducted in Kiambiu slums. The workshop focused on teaching techniques and tactics of basic football as well combination of Science, Technology, English, and Mathematics (STEM). The coaches were trained on simple but powerful football drills that suit their age categories of players which included: shooting, passing, dribbling and scoring. Additionally, coaches were trained on goalkeeping techniques and how to generally handle youth players on matters on and off the field.

Each day there was a session on Double Club, the combination of football and education. Coaches were taught how to use football and instill education and literacy aspects to their respective football trainings using double club manuals, booklets that address football, education and literacy. All the participating coaches were awarded with certificates as a confirmation to certifying them as Double club coaches.

Located in the slums of Korogocho with no adequate school equipment and books, children at Wings academy school were happy to be introduced to Double Club program. With an additional challenge of lack of enough teachers, due to financial constraints of hiring more teachers, the program which is normally conducted by Double Club volunteer coaches, added a supplementary role towards the efforts of teachers at Wings academy.

Teachings from Double Club booklets provided them with additional lessons of learning english literacy as well as football skills. The Double Club teachers/coaches play a double role of being english teachers and football coaches which is an added advantage to these schools. “We are so excited of the Double Club program because it supplements English lessons and football coaching. For our school to have these services, we would be required to hire people and pay them alot of money, so having Double Club program is a great gift. ”Said Mr. Nelson head teacher of Wings academy school.