Establishing the CREDIBLE Approach: Applying the HEART Model to Revitalize Khoekhoegowab Children's Literature for Upper Primary Learners

This project, developed within the CREDIBLE framework, aims to enhance children's literature in Khoekhoegowab by creating an engaging, culturally relevant story, aligned with the local social studies curriculum for Grades 4 and 5. Despite Namibia's multilingual policy, Khoekhoegowab remains under-resourced, resulting in low literacy rates and limited contemporary reading materials for young learners. The dominance of English and Afrikaans in education, coupled with an English-only policy from Grade 4 onwards, hinders literacy development and the maintenance of Indigenous languages. To address these challenges, the project produced a new story and related activities that integrate Indigenous knowledge, map-reading, and translanguaging pedagogy, guided by the HEART model of biliteracy as the pedagogical framework for activity design. The initiative involved a preliminary survey of local teachers to identify their needs and expectations, ensuring the materials are relevant and practical for classroom use. The story was disseminated through multiple channels—printed copies, audio broadcasts on local radio, and community library workshops—to engage learners with diverse learning preferences and promote community involvement. Pilot activities, including a radio broadcast and a library workshop, provided initial feedback from teachers, learners, and community members, informing further refinement of the resources before school-wide implementation. The project also emphasizes collaboration with teachers, librarians, and community media to raise awareness and support sustainability. By grounding its approach in the participatory and ethical principles of the CREDIBLE framework, and operationalizing these through the HEART model, the project seeks not only to improve Khoekhoegowab literacy outcomes but also to foster community pride and intergenerational learning. Ultimately, the project calls for education that is sensitive to Indigenous knowledge systems and languages, advocating for curricula that integrate local perspectives. By prioritizing these elements, future teacher development can foster richer, more inclusive learning and strengthen Khoekhoegowab's role as a living language in both classroom and community contexts.