1. Embedding English

2. Callipygous Call my Bluff
Being capable of eating large amounts in one sitting
Professionally incompetent on a grand scale
Having beautiful buttocks

3. Call my Bluff
Write down 1 specialist term/word from your vocation/specialism (as alienating/difficult as possible!)
Write down 3 plausible definitions and read them out to your group.
Your team needs to find the correct definition.

5. SHARING EXPERIENCES
Work in pairs & share your own personal experiences of English learning – both positive & negative.
Make a note of them in the relevant column on the padlet:

6. EMBEDDED ENGLISH Work in pairs.
Create a spidergram, listing what vocational tasks your allocated picture suggests.
In different colours, list the English skills anybody carrying out each task might use or might need to learn.

7. NRDC Research A positive association between embedded approaches and …
Higher retention & achievement rates on vocational courses
Higher achievement rates for LLN qualifications
Learners stating that they felt better prepared for work in the future
NRDC (2006) Embedding literacy, language and numeracy in post-16 vocational programmes – the impact on teaching and learning

8. What is the difference between embedding & contextualising?
Embedded learning
Start with vocational/other subject context
Find the maths and English
Contextualised learning
Start with maths and English
Find context

9. Triad of barriers to maths & ENGLISH engagement
Previous negative experiences at school
Lack or perceived relevance to employment & real-life contexts
Low learner self-confidence
ETF (2014) Effective Practices in Post-16 Vocational Maths
Education & Training Foundation

10. Why English is difficult:
As students progress through school the focus…
(shifts) from learning to read and write to reading and writing to learn.
Sentences become much more complex... and contain a much wider range of vocabulary.
The focus shifts so that reading and writing are instrumental to other learning and this impacts on those who haven’t easily developed fluency in these skills.

11. Texts get longer and more difficult.
As students progress, text stuctures which they have to read and to produce become more complex, e.g.
compare and contrast
problem and solution
cause and effect
idea development.
Texts get longer and more difficult.
These structures are a challenge to all students.
Make link to Functional Skills and reading/writing required for vocational qualifications. Learners may be doing FS at L2 but actually taking L3 vocational qualifications which presuppose more advanced research, analytical and expressive skills.

12. English anxiety
‘Anxiety is frequently and clearly recognised …failing to acquire literacy is associated with searing anxiety all round.’
(Everatt & Brannan, 1996 and others)
‘We always describe anxiety as the cart, but it could just as easily be the horse. Anxiety could just as easily be a primary cause of failure rather than its result.’
Clarify the meaning here. Ask the questions: are learners anxious first and then this stops them learning, or do they try and then become anxious in the face of difficulty?

13. English AND MATHS Teaching
A.L.I.V.E.
Accessible
Linked
Inclusive
Valuable
Engaging
(Adapted from Johnston-Wilder et al, 2015)
T.I.R.E.D.
Tedious
Isolated
Repeated
Elitist
De-personalised
(adapted from Nardi & Steward, 2003)
Education & Training Foundation

14. Creating Embedded Activities for English
In pairs…
Pick a VOCATIONAL task from one of your specialisms
Briefly – list the key aspects of the task that you would want students to know
Briefly – list some of the English skills students would need to use
Devise a VOCATIONAL activity that includes consideration of the underpinning English needed.

15. Plenary DISCUSSION
Were you surprised how much English was needed for your tasks? Why is this?
How would the English skills used here differ from those developed in a dedicated English session?
What aspects of the English you have listed would you expect learners to struggle with?
What activities could you develop to target these key English skills?

16. Top tips for promoting the development of English skills
Work on specialist vocabulary. Provide a glossary- or even better have the students create their own glossary!
Incorporate English skills into peer assessment criteria.
Assess SPAG formatively wherever possible e.g. homework, class work. Provide feedback.
Consider the interdependent skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Incorporate in lesson planning- BUT be clear about how this will be assessed!

17. Anagrams
1. Coconut minima. - communication 2. His glen - English 3. City rave it - creativity 4. Worm pee - empower 5. Van coat oil - vocational 6. Carbon oil alto - collaboration 7. Shiny sets - synthesis 8. Ferrets an lab - transferable 9. Gnu algae - language 10. Dusts net - students