Barbara Louise Trudell, Ph.D.

Senior Literacy and Education Consultant

Degrees

  • Ph.D., International Education, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, 2004
  • M.A., Interdisciplinary Studies (applied linguistics and education), University of Texas at Arlington, 1991
  • B.Sc. (magna cum laude), Chemistry, Houghton College, New York, 1979

Current positions

  • Certified Senior Literacy and Education Consultant, SIL International, 2012–2016, 2017–2021, 2022–
  • Director of SIL Africa Learning & Development, 2020–

Other professional experience and service

  • Director of Research and Advocacy, SIL Africa, 2010–2020
  • SIL International Literacy and Education Consultant, 2005–2012
  • SIL International Board of Directors, 1996–2012
  • Director of Academic Affairs, SIL Africa Area, 2004–2010
  • Instructor, International Perspectives on Education and Training, University of Edinburgh, 2003–2004
  • Director, Women Organized for Reading and Development (WORD), 2000–2001
  • Literacy programs coordinator, SIL Africa Area, 1993–2000
  • Literacy programs coordinator, SIL Peru Branch, 1991–1992
  • Instructor, English Composition for International Students, University of Texas at Arlington, 1989–1991
  • Literacy programs administrator, SIL Peru Branch, 1986–1989
  • Instructor, Literacy and applied linguistics, University of Texas at Arlington, 1985–1986
  • Literacy facilitator, Huanca Quechua language community, SIL Peru Branch, 1982–1984

Professional memberships

  • Comparative and International Education Society, 2010–
  • Multilingual Education Network of Eastern Africa, Steering Group, 2006–2017

Language proficiencies

  • English (eng): ILR 5
  • Spanish (spa): ILR 4

Research projects

  • 2019. Study of SDG-focused reading-and-action programs using the local language, Kenya
  • 2018. Study of soft-skills acquisition among youth in a digital reading community, South Africa.
  • 2014. Study of the impact of the local development and use of Kamba-language supplementary reading materials, Kenya
  • 2013. Study of orthography reform and local-language reading instruction among Maasai communities of Kenya
  • 2012. Collaboration with RTI and SIL researchers in Kenya, studying the outcomes and implications of early grade reading assessment in Kenyan primary schools
  • 2010. Study of seven primary education alternative programs being implemented by government and non-government sponsors in Burkina Faso
  • 2008. Study of the context, processes and outcomes of local-language adult literacy programs in five language communities of Senegal
  • 2002–2003. Study of primary education and language maintenance in three language communities of Northwest Cameroon, Ph.D. work
  • 1988–1989. Evaluation of the SIL/Ministry of Education bilingual education program in the Peruvian rainforest, M.A. work

Consultant work

  • Consultant on education project proposal writing: Angola, Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Uganda, 2012–present
  • Technical consultant on the Language of Instruction Transition in Educational Systems (LITES) research study for Supporting Holistic and Actionable Research in Education (SHARE), University of Notre Dame, 2021–2023.
  • Project design and coordination for Read@Home book development projects in 5 languages of Cameroon and 7 languages of Kenya, World Bank, 2021.
  • Management of a consultancy group in the development of instructional design and lesson plans for Hausa and Zarma languages, Niger, World Bank, 2021.
  • Consultant and co-author on a series of two language of instruction guides in the Science of Teaching series, RTI and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2020–2021.
  • Consultant and co-author on an early grade reading program strategy for Amudat District, Uganda, ZOA Uganda, 2020.
  • Manager of a scope/sequence development project in Hausa and Igbo languages of Nigeria, Creative Associates, 2020.
  • Consultant on a language of instruction position paper, World Bank, 2020.
  • Research director and authored on a report on the use of open educational resources for basic education in low-resource contexts of Africa, GIZ and Burda Education, 2019.
  • Lead researcher on an investigation into language-appropriate education options for refugee learners in Uganda, Save the Children and the Education in Emergencies Working Group, 2019.
  • Member of an expert panel on language and literacy, UNESCO, Paris, 2019.
  • Lead researcher and author of a review of language policy and education practice; oversight of production of a language development inventory for Nigeria, British Council Nigeria, 2018–2019.
  • Judge on the Global Learning XPRIZE, 2017–2018.
  • Consultant on national language policy development and reading instructional materials development in 11 languages, Ghana Learning Program, 2015–2018.
  • UNICEF-commissioned study of language policy and student learning outcomes in 21 countries of Eastern and Southern Africa, 2014–2015.
  • Project manager, Opportunity Schools project, Women Educational Researchers of Kenya, 2012–2013
  • Program consultant/manager, Uganda School Health and Reading project, 2012–2013
  • Development of an education project evaluation tool for the Hewlett Foundation, 2011–2012
  • UNESCO technical working group on effective practices in literacy, 2011
  • UNESCO Knowledge and Innovations Network for Literacy, 2011
  • Fast Track Initiative expert panel on reading indicators, January 2011
  • Author and editor of evidence-based advocacy materials on language and education, for ADEA and UNESCO, 2007, 2008, 2010
South Africa
Publications: 

Selected publications

Selected recent publications

Trudell, Barbara. 2021. Globalisation and curriculum in African classrooms: Is there space for the local? In Philip Harding–Esch, and Hywel Coleman (eds.), Language and the sustainable development goals: Selected proceedings of the 12th Language and Development Conference, Dakar, Senegal, 2017, 31–36. London: British Council.  https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/L024_EnglishforEducationSystems_DakarConferenceProceedings_Web_FINAL_April2021.pdf.

Trudell, Barbara. 2021. The mythic and the authentic value of English in the African classroom: A policy perspective. In Kashif Raza, Christine Coombe, and Dudley Reynolds (eds.), Policy development in TESOL and multilingualism: Past, present and the way forward, 77–88. Springer Singapore.  https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-3603-5.

Trudell, Barbara, Wendi Ralaingita, Margaret Dubeck, and Benjamin Piper. 2021. Language of instruction in foundational literacy & numeracy programs: The basics. The Science of Teaching. RTI International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  https://scienceofteaching.site/language-of-instruction/#how-to;  https://shared.rti.org/content/language-instruction-why-should-we-care.

Wekundah, Manasseh, and Barbara Trudell. 2021. Measuring thematic indicator 4.5.2: Challenges and alternatives. Background paper for the UNESCO Global education monitoring report: Non-state actors in education 2021(2). UNESCO, UNESDOC Digital Library.  https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000380098.

Trudell, Barbara, Henk Prenger, and Angela Becker. 2019. Supply and demand for open educational resources (OER) for basic education in Africa: Report and recommendations. Bonn: GIZ.  https://www.sil.org/resources/archives/84953.

Trudell, Barbara, Joel Trudell, Elisabeth Gerger, Gary Cowman, and Angela Becker. 2019.  Literacy, language and foundational skills in Africa: Learning in unexpected places. Dallas: SIL International.  https://www.sil.org/resources/archives/79530.

Trudell, Barbara. 2019. Reading in the classroom and society: An examination of “reading culture” in African contexts. International Review of Education 65:427–442.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-019-09780-7.

Trudell, Barbara. 2018. Language and education in Nigeria: A review of policy and practice. Abuja: British Council and UNICEF.  https://www.britishcouncil.org.ng/sites/default/files/j149_language_and_education_nigeria_final_web.pdf.

Trudell, Barbara, and Catherine Young (eds.). 2016. Good answers to tough questions in mother tongue-based multilingual education. Dallas:  SIL International.  https://www.sil.org/sites/default/files/files/sil_2016_good_answers_to_tough_questions_0.pdf.

Trudell, Barbara. 2016. The impact of language policy and practice on children’s learning: Evidence from eastern and southern Africa. Nairobi: UNICEF.  https://www.unicef.org/esa/reports/language-and-childrens-learning.

Selected recent presentations

Trudell, Barbara. 2021. Reading lessons: Balancing orthography and reading methodology. Keynote address at the Nilo-Saharan Linguistics Conference, 4 August 2021.

Trudell, Barbara. 2021. Learning to read African languages: The impact of sociolinguistic, linguistic and orthographic factors upon pedagogy. Virtual presentation at the 65th Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (vCIES), 28 April 2021.

Trudell, Barbara. 2021. “You’re not white, you’re pink!” Three short lessons on international development and racism. Society for International Development, 14 April 2021.

Trudell, Barbara. 2020. Achieving national learning goals in the Global South: The role of language of instruction. World Bank Education Managers’ Retreat, 27 February 2020.

Trudell, Barbara. 2019. Language of instruction: Policy, practice and truly inclusive education. USAID Bureau for Africa, 15 November 2019.

Trudell, Barbara. 2019. STILL talking about language of instruction: Policy, practice and the myth of inclusive education. UKFIET Oxford Conference on Education and Development, Oxford, 17–19 September 2019.

 

Works by this author in SIL Language & Culture Archives