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This contribution compares literacy instruction in three different scripts in Eritrea. It uses data stemming from classroom observations of beginning readers of Tigrinya (Ge'ez script), Arabic (Arabic script) and Saho (Roman alphabet), the examination of teaching materials, and teacher interviews. Our analysis focuses on literacy events. We examine and compare the introduction of the written code in classrooms in the context of a single national curriculum and a national language policy that gives equal rights to all the languages involved. The practices that we observed in this study involved concentrated effort on teaching the children how to learn the letters of the specific orthography. In mostly phonics based lessons, teachers used chanting, games, reciting letters or syllable symbols and repeated exercises in the writing of letters that emphasized graphic form. These instructional practices differed for each language and were deeply embedded in the languages' historical and cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examines the attitudes and preferences with respect to literacy and scripts in multilingual and multiscriptal Eritrea. According to the author, only an assessment of people's attitudes in Eritrea regarding literacy and scripts can make it possible to understand their opinions on the country's mother tongue education policy. A brief description of the language and literacy landscape is provided. The study shows that in multilingual and multiscriptal contexts the selection of a script for unwritten languages should assess the prevailing script and literacy attitudes of its users.