Notes from EAL Coordinators meetings Spring 2009

Please tell us what you think about our website, we welcome your feedback.

Customer notice

Due to essential maintenance some of our web services will be unavailable between these times 7pm Friday 25 May and 5pm Sunday 27 May 2012.

In case of any emergencies please see our Facebook or Twitter pages.

The Magic of Merlin – Steve Donohue

Merlin is an online ‘learning platform’ allowing users to share a variety of information. By March 2010 all schools are expected to be using a learning platform which integrates with a management information system. By 2012 all primary schools will need to offer parents real-time access to information on their child covering achievement, progress, attendance, behaviour and special needs wherever they are and whenever they want.

All pupils and staff will have an on-line portfolio which they can share with staff, parents and selected classmates. In addition Merlin will enable every school in SW England (excluding Somerset) to share information and there will be a more visual and age appropriate version called My First Place for younger pupils.

Uses for pupils learning EAL were discussed e.g.

• putting isolated bilingual learners in touch with others who speak the same first language.

Concerns were raised e.g.

• who would moderate the input? It is the responsibility of the person who sets up a shared space to monitor what goes on?
• access for those without computers at home? The government has said that everyone is to have access to broadband in the future. Access may be more difficult for those who have English as an additional language.

Steve plans to create a shared space for EMAS teams in the South West and then to roll this out to school staff. He also hopes to create a pilot space for bilingual students based on a specific first language.

For more information please contact Steve on steven.donoue@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Black Achievement and Cultural Diversity – Pam Carroll

Pam introduced the new pack from the Excellence and Enjoyment materials: Learning and teaching for Black children in the primary years. She emphasised that the pack is supportive for all pupils, not just those who are Black or from a minority ethnic background and can be used by schools to develop cultural diversity across the curriculum.

Pam highlighted messages from the materials e.g.

• the importance of being aware of pupils’ backgrounds
• understanding parents’ sensitivities and barriers to understanding

The pack includes a DVD with clips of interviews with Black parents and a pack of fabulous photos which can be used in conjunction with the SEAL photos and in displays to reflect the cultural diversity of Britain today.

To obtain a pack for your school or for more information please contact Pam Carroll on pam.carroll@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Transition for pupils learning EAL – Steve Donohue and Elspeth Taylor

Steve and Elspeth outlined plans for alerting secondary schools to the needs of the pupils who will be joining them in Y7 in Sept. 2009. Steve has drawn up a poster format which schools can help pupils learning EAL to complete. This will give secondary schools information about the pupils’ previous education, their skill levels in English and other languages and strategies that will help them to access the curriculum. Schools can then send the posters plus other information about the pupils to EMAS who will ensure that the information is passed to the relevant staff in secondary schools. For further information please contact Steve (see address above) or Elspeth on elspeth.taylor@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Learning Advocates at Holbrook School – Roger Wightwick

Roger gave a highly entertaining talk on the importance of seeing things from different perspectives. At Holbrook the staff analyse data on achievement and especially that of vulnerable groups. In order to ensure that all individuals are remembered in every situation each member of staff becomes an advocate for a particular group (e.g. BME, EAL, disabled, autistic, gay/lesbian, girls, boys etc.) This means that in any discussion that member of staff always puts forward the aspects relevant to their group. This concept has been extended so that the school council is now more representative of the school population and the school governors are also considering allocating advocates.

The school’s Anti-Racist Policy was written by the pupils as was the Anti-Bullying Policy which includes issues such as homophobic language.

Roger feels that this has helped to give all pupils a voice and makes all pupils feel valued. He emphasised that the advocate role does not entail additional paperwork, it is more an attitude of mind and awareness, it is about seeing individuals not pigeon holing people.

Raising Achievement – Jeannie MacMeekin and Elspeth Taylor

Jeannie and Elspeth discussed the expected rates of progress of pupils learning EAL using graphs which illustrated the length of time it takes for bilingual pupils to acquire the academic language needed to succeed in school. This can take from 5 to 7 years and even up to 10 years for some pupils. They also looked at some of the common errors seen in the writing of pupils with more advanced levels of English and drew attention to the course that EMAS will be running on raising achievement for more advanced learners:

Could they do even better? This will take place on 09 June 2009 at the PDC, Melksham.

Please apply via the CPD website.

Last updated: 2 December 2010