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Working with EAL Students

Louise Prior, SCL (English Whole School) Induction Week Date: 22/08/ 2013 2

Educator and author, George Sampson's words from 1922 remain so relevant today: “Every

teacher in English is a teacher of English, and all our pupils will benefit from a consistent approach.”

(Geoff Barton)

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Aims

To consider second language acquisition by: • • • Exploring barriers Looking at how we can support the learning and understanding of EAL students Using strategies and tools to ensure students’ needs are being met 4

Task: Exploring Barriers to Learning

Family Community

Young Person

School Educational Setting 5

Family School or Education setting Community

• • • • Many parents do not have proficient language skills themselves Lack of spoken English in home Cultural expectations of boys and girls Aspirations of different ethnic groups • • • • Low self esteem Lack of Bi-lingual resources Prior education Lack of motivation • Limited access to activities and facilities

SRS Students are not a homogenous (same) group

   Many students born in UAE and other Arabic countries but enter school having limited experience of literacy in their own mother tongue and in English as their second language Their school careers, life experiences and family backgrounds are wide and varied - many do not speak English in the home. Within secondary classroom there is a tremendous diversity in students’ ability and oracy and literacy skills. 7

Some things SRS students say

 “You want me to open/close the light?” Missing out the auxiliary verb ‘Do’? And using ‘open’ in wrong context.   “We go now?” instead of ‘Will we’ or ‘we will’.

Translating literally from Arabic instead of using English skills.

You will find students punctuate their sentences with Arabic phrases such as ‘Yani’ and ‘Wallah’ … encourage students at all times to talk English in BC classes. 8

Specific information about students in your classroom enables you to support them better • • • • • • Most of this student data is available either on SIMS or on your class sets/lists Country of origin First language Education History Current Working Levels Ethnicity IEPs You should use this to inform your planning and differentiation. It is expected that you keep records and use this in your formal Lesson Observations. 9

Multi-sensory learning within the Classroom

When learning new vocabulary students need to See them Use them in another context Write them Hear them Read them Put them in a sentence Revise them 10

Instant Support Strategies Listen attentively to student Simplify texts & focus on key words Translate Use visual aids

Use bilingual or picture dictionary glossaries mindmap

Explain , model language

Use the internet Label diagrams Draw pictures

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Using Point, Quote, Explain (PQE) Modelling Answers & Paragraphs • Emilie and her Grandfather show great kindness to Joey and Topthorn. They tend to their wounds and make sure that the horses have food, warmth and shelter bed.” reminds us of how ….. Point Quote . “It was little Emilie and her Grandfather who insisted they should look after us. They rubbed us down and saw to our sores and bruises. They fed us, watered us, and groomed us and somehow always found enough straw for a nice warm Expressions such as “look after”, “rubbed us down”, “saw to” tell us how gently the horses were treated. Other evidence is the “fed us, watered us”, “groomed us” and “warm bed”. This shows how Emilie and her Grandfather welcomed the horses and made them comfortable. This and Explanation

SYNONYM STARTERS FOR KEY WORDS blissful treats hurtful established gleamed enjoyed simple clothing stinging kindly delightful basic developed weird appreciated warm-hearted exhausted traumatised luxuries garments shattered shone humble strange How to SUMMARISE S elect key words in the question and circle them U nderline the key features from the passage that relate to the question M ake sure that you find at least 8 points M ark each of them with a number A nswer in a paragraph using a topic sentence relating to the question R eword (where possible) the main point from the chosen features I n your OWN words S equence using Firstly, Secondly, Moreover, Finally or other suitable link phrase E xpress yourself using third person, present tense, formal tone and accurate spelling & punctuation. NO introduction or conclusion required

Further support strategies

       Learning Objectives need to be clear, concise and specifically linked to the success criteria and skills eg: L/O To be able to solve a linear equation with unknowns on both sides using the balancing method.

Highlight key parts of sentence structure – verbs, nouns, subject Pre-teach words and given them emphasis through voice tone Provide opportunities to practise words through different contexts Use visual organisers, tables, charts, writing frames and diagrams Provide word banks or clouds to support language Use Learning Mentors or colleagues (if team teaching) to visually harvest learning 13

Classroom Strategies Give time to plan and to talk Abdullah

Cue them in – know their names

Create opportunities for groupwork

Make eye contact

Check understanding

Encourage oracy

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firstly Some useful linking connectives Above all alternatively secondly furthermore initially moreover alternatively likewise As well of as otherwise whereas Instead similarly finally For instance Additionally 15

In his text,

Don’t call it Literacy

, “ Our most effective teachers will, as well as knowing their subject, have used the specialised vocabulary of their subject: its one way that we will have identified them as experts. Yet this in itself isn’t enough. Great teachers don’t just use big words. Its about teaching – not just using – the specialist vocabulary of our subject.”

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“Its about knowing the key vocabulary, the nouns, verbs and connectives, that help us to express our knowledge in the language of the expert or enthusiast.”

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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. “If they speak in broken English, it’s because they know another language.” Mental challenge can and should be kept appropriately high through the provision of linguistic tools and contextual support.

Language acquisition goes hand in hand with cognitive skills (perception, reasoning, rationalising, evaluating … higher order thinking) and academic development with an inclusive curriculum as the context. 18

Useful Links/Websites

• • • • http://tmenglish.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=181:5-ways-to-give positive-feedback&catid=12&Itemid=134 http://www.creativeeducation.co.uk/blog/index.php/2012/02/developing-the-writing-skills of-eal-students/ http://www.languageswithoutlimits.co.uk/eal.html#ESOL http://worditout.com/ 19

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