Who is Aboko Richard?
Aboko Richard is a teacher born and raised in Paya Sub-county Tororo District, Eastern Uganda. Went through Nawire Primary School, Iganga Municipal (by then Town Council) Primary school, Namalemba Boarding Primary School and St. Peters Primary School, Nsambya. For secondary education, I studied at Luzira Secondary School for both O and A levels.Trained as a secondary school teacher of English and Literature in English from Uganda Christian University, Mukono and Kyambogo University.
What inspired you to pursue a career in teaching and writing Literature Study Guides?
I was inspired into teaching by my secondary school teachers: Mr. Kyewusa James (now retired), Mr. Buyera Moses and Mr. Mugalanzi Emmanuel. I love the way they mastered their content and how they delivered it in a manner that impacted not only on me but my classmates as well. When my uncle, with whom I stayed, Mr. Onyango Osuna Damascus discovered my love for literature in English, he encouraged me to consider a teaching career and be a teacher of literature.
It was my dream right from secondary school to make a mark on the big literature stage because I have always had a huge passion for literature since then.I would write poems and play scripts for inter-house competitions for my house (Panther House) and we always emerged winners in the poetry and drama categories.
The first literary prize I won from BBC Network Africa, a programme about news from the African continent, The Wisdom of Africa: a collection of proverbs and wise sayings inspired me the more to take literature to greater horizons. At that time I was in senior 5 in 2001 when there was a competition dubbed, My Street Competition on BBC (British Broadcast Corporation) radio station. Listeners of BBC Network Africa were required to write a short description of a street, real or imaginary. I put my literature to use and write a poem entitled, Down King’s Street which can be accessed in my book, The Essential Guide to Prose and Poetry (it’s among the poems by the author).
I began teaching in 2005 when there were hardly any literature reference materials on the market. I was posted to teach in a rural area and had no teaching materials. The option was to make the materials available by writing them. When I shared them with my students and fellow teachers, they liked them and encouraged me to put them on the open market and get some cash. That is the journey of my writing career.
Can you tell us about your educational background and how it shaped your career?
I began with a Diploma in Secondary Education obtained from National Teachers’ College, Ngetta, Lira District under Kyambogo University. I moved on to pursue a Bachelors’ degree in Education from Uganda Christian University, Mukono. I then went to Kyambogo University for a Masters Degree in Literature. At all these levels, I got rare insights into literature which further sharpened my appetite for literature as a subject and teaching in general.
What teaching methods do you use to engage students in English Language and Literature?
My philosophy is, “Have to Give”. This was the motto of National Teachers College, Ngetta. As a teacher, to be impactful, one must have what to deliver, prepare adequately before delivery and use a learner-centred approach of content delivery. Every learner has something to say about any content. Involving them as much as possible ignites their participation and love for the lessons. Motivating them to be part of the process the the game changer.
How do you approach teaching complex literary texts to secondary school students?
I research extensively about a literary text before I take it to class to students. I employ all they theories of literary criticism learnt from training to analyse a text and get reasoned opinions from various sources about the same text and make a personal view to guide my analysis which I then share with students during class lessons and the general public through my writings.
What motivated you to start writing Literature Study Guides for secondary schools?
The Motivation to write date way back from my secondary school days as a student. There were no refence materials yet I needed them to supplement what we got from class. I vowed to change that scarcity once I qualified as a teacher. To date, I have the following titles in my name:
The Essential Guide to O level literature
Solutions to O level literature
Solutions to English Language
The Essential Guide to Prose and Poetry
The Essential Guide to Advanced Level Plays
The Essential Guide to A level Novels
The Essential Guide to General Paper
New Lower Secondary text book for Literature Book 3 and 4 combined (Published by New Vision)
Read about the New A Level Curriculum
How do you measure the success of your study guides in helping students understand literature?
They have immensely contributed to making the various subjects simplified to the learners, enjoyable and passable in the national examinations.
What are some of your proudest moments as both a teacher and author?
When I get reports from different students and teachers across the country testifying to having greatly benefitted from my services as a teacher and author. I give thanks to God the Almighty for the all the success achieved.
What challenges have you faced in both teaching and writing?
In teaching the major challenge I have faced is parents thinking that I must do all it takes to transform their children and make them the best students in my teaching subjects. There are individual differences some parents do not wish to admit. With writing the biggest challenge I face is negativity from people who have not even written a paragraph on any text and shared it on any platform or published and book. This, however, motivates me to prove them wrong by coming up with another product even much better.
How do you overcome difficulties in helping students who struggle with literature?
Being patient with students and continuously engaging them helps to change their attitude and eventually improve on the performance.
Are you working on any new books or projects related to literature or education?
Yes, I’m working on two books at the moment’ one for O level literature and another for English language. Both books are intended to give further insights into the new curriculum.
What are your aspirations for the future in terms of both teaching and writing?
I plan to teach until I retire from the profession at the mandatory retirement age and will write as long as there is content to write about7
What advice do you have for students studying literature or those aspiring to become writers?
It all starts with discovering oneself; what do you want to be? That will guide one on what to do and taking the right steps to getting there. Not much can be achieved without a dream.
How can students improve their reading and analytical skills in literature?
Paying attention to the text and reading it with intention to get thorough knowledge can help a student to read purposefully. Students nowadays want short cuts to almost everything; watching a video on a text instead of reading the original text, checking on the internet and now AI instead of checking for correct information from the text. Nothing can replace the original text.
All my books are can be accessed from all leading bookshops across the country. For direct contact with me on any information about literature, English and General Paper teaching and leaning materials, call on 0782879395 or 0751517167 (Whatsapp).
Watch one of Mr Aboko Richard’s Facilitation at Rubongi Army SS below:
