New EAL Arrivals OR

Let’s turn the tables शुभ दिवस You and your partner have decided to move to India, as he has been offered a seriously good promotion and all of you as a family will benefit from the move What do you expect from the school to do for you and your child/ children?

Welcoming the new EAL arrival Explain to the class what the new pupil will bring with them: Their language Their culture Their personality In order to be secure and confident learners, EAL pupils need to feel accepted for who they are.

Support your class to: Learn how to pronounce the new arrival’s name correctly Learn a few words in the new arrival’s language Prepare a PowerPoint presentation about their country and culture Make a small display featuring keywords and pictures Arrange for buddies

Seat the pupil near the front of the class, but not on the first desk, so that they can see how other pupils respond to instructions and copy them. Select working groups carefully, always 1 EAL pupil to 2+ native English speakers, who are positive language models.

School rules Explain carefully to parents and pupil – British school rules may be very different to what they are used to Make explicit what is expected in terms of: behaviour, attendance/ absence, dress code, equipment, forbidden items Give parents simple communication cards to convey messages to school if they are unable to write in English

Include the new child in lessons Give the pupil simple jobs to do Make it clear that doing absolutely nothing is not an option Make it clear that the pupil will not be expected to do exactly the same homework tasks as the rest of the class Make it clear that behaviour rules apply to everybody Prompt the pupil to answer questions wherever appropriate Praise every attempt at speaking

A number of factors will have an impact on the development of pupils' language skills and their ability to apply these skills to their learning across the curriculum. The whole child Previous experience of schooling Confidence Experience of authority Level of literacy in first language Proximity of first language to English Circumstances of family Support and welcome at new school It is important to look at how pupils learn to learn in a second language. 8

First day at school- a child’s perspective I am shy: I don’t want to speak in front of everybody , they might laugh at me. I am angry: I was happy before. I miss my family and friends. I am confused: Am I allowed to play all the time? Can I eat this? Where do I have to sit? I am worried: everyone else knows where to go and what to do next. I am tired: all this new language around me. I can’t concentrate for very long. I am lonely: I can’t join in with the others. I want to have some friends. I am frustrated: I don’t know if I am doing my work right.

Importance of the first language Language 1 Language 2 At the start we need to be aware of two important theories of bilingual learning. 1) Although pupils are learning two languages this does not mean that two parts of the brain are involved. What is important is the common underlying language proficiency. Experiences with both languages, according to Cummins, promote the development of the proficiency underlying both languages. 2) What has been learned and understood in one language can be transferred to another language . (Zone of proximal development: Vygotsky.) “Scaffolding” is a term associated with Vygotsky’s notion of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The ZPD is the difference between what a child can accomplish alone and what she/he can accomplish with the assistance of a more experienced individual. In the classroom, teachers scaffold instruction when they provide a substantial amount of support and assistance in the earliest stages of teaching a new concept or strategy and then decrease the amount of support as the learners acquire experience through multiple practice opportunities. The objective is to help learners towards increasing autonomy, this aim may be achieved in different ways using different techniques, Previous learning → New understanding “Fluency in one language often helps in learning another, so schools should encourage parents to continue using the home language at home.” Professor Catherine Wallace EAL expert, University of London 10

Encourage learners to use and maintain their L1 skills Encourage the use of a bilingual dictionary for pupils who are literate in their first language Send home a list of key words/ concepts for topics (preferably with pictures) for pupils to discuss with their parents in the first language before these are taught in class. Use dual language story books whenever possible Use audio books in L1 for the pupils to listen to and an English text to look at

Cognitive and Academic How long does it take? BICS Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skill 1-3 years to acquire CALP Cognitive and Academic Language Proficiency 5 + years to acquire I think we are all aware of the different levels of language which we all use, changing register according to the situation or the person to whom we are speaking. Cummins sees this difference as the key to understanding how EAL pupils develop. First they learn the everyday language needed to cope socially, much of this they will pick up through everyday interaction with their peers. It is known as BICS – Basic Intercommunication Skills and researchers tend to agree that this normally takes a very short time to acquire. ( show diagram) Often pupils are assessed on their ability to interact and even speak with a local accent. This however is only the beginning of the process of learning in mainstream. The language of learning is very different. Cummins calls this CALP – Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. Experts differ in how long this takes to develop but it can take up to ten years depending on how well the pupil is supported.   12

Do you understand…?

Withdrawal or Immersion? The research shows that the two different approaches can be equally unsuccessful if they don’t suit the individual child and the school set up. Too long withdrawals can disengage the pupils rather than to integrate them Short sessions every day can prove successful Effective use of bilingual Teaching staff The absolute key to success is that the withdrawal teaching is linked to the curriculum, the tasks have to be based on what is being taught in the classroom, otherwise it becomes a completely different subject.

6 Steps to New Language When learning new words, EAL pupils need to : See them Hear them Link them to meaning(put them in a sentence) Practise (read/write) Revise them Use them in another context

Lesson in Polish

Instant Support Strategies Draw pictures Listen attentively to the child. Use the internet Label diagrams Translate Home language Use a bilingual or picture dictionary. Use visual aids Pre-teach key words and give them emphasis through voice tone. Explain, model language Develop bi-lingual key vocabulary lists. Provide opportunities to practise key words in different contexts. Simplify text and focus on key words. Highlight key parts of sentence structure.

Further Classroom Strategies Filling in gaps in sentences (cloze activities). Labelling: diagrams, sketches and pictures in English and/or first language. Sorting: listing key words in alphabetical order; writing ‘true’ or ‘false’ about a sentence. Sequencing: sketches/drawings and key words/sentences. Copying key sentences that contain the main ideas of the lesson. For example, the five key points of the lesson. Dictionary exercises using both English and dual language dictionaries. Matching activities: sentence halves; sketches/drawings with words and phrases; key words and definitions. Copying key words from the board or a prepared sheet of key words and phrases to translate and refer to. Re-ordering sentences based on topic. Compiling a picture glossary of vocabulary related to the subject. Use key visuals, organisers which enable learners to use their prior knowledge, as well as show their learning

Do or Don’t

Key Points To Remember: Bilingualism is an asset. The first language is key to an EAL pupil’s identity, learning and acquiring an additional language. Cognitive challenge can and should be kept appropriately high through the provision of linguistic and contextual support. Language acquisition goes hand in hand with cognitive and academic development with an inclusive curriculum as the context. Thank You!