The study addressed policy adaptations for inclusive literacy pedagogy for internally displaced children camps in Benue and Plateau States, Nigeria. Employing qualitative interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of the educational challenges faced by internally displaced children, explanatory sequential design was adopted. The target population for the study consisted of headmasters for FGD (= 36) residing in selected IDP camps in Benue and Plateau States, Nigeria. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and interviews were used for data collection. The reliability of the FGD guides was obtained by trial testing it on a small group and multiple moderators was used to check consistency. The reliability index was found to be 0.78. The FGD discussions were recorded (with participants’ consent) and transcribed for analysis. The focus of the FGD was on effective implementation of responsive pedagogy in literacy education for internally displaced children (for teachers) and educational policy that support responsive teaching methods in crisis-affected areas (for teachers and school managers). It was found that the effective implementation of Responsive Pedagogy for Internally Displaced (IDP) children is capable of bridging the gap between basic academic skills and the practical, psychosocial, and socio-economic needs of displaced populations. This finding highlights that education for displaced children must serve as a holistic survival and stabilization tool rather than just academic instruction. It means that classroom strategies must adapt to prioritize mental health, life skills, and community resilience alongside reading and solving problems using mathematics to foster successful reintegration.
Keywords: Functional literacy, inclusive literacy education, internally displaced children, policy adaptation, responsive pedagogy
