Ethnic Minority Achievement
New Arrivals Excellence Programme
At the end of the summer term, St. Peter's hosted the launch of the recent National Strategy for New Arrivals. Head Teachers, consultants and Strategy Managers were invited to hear about the programme and see the work produced following an eight week programme based at St. Peter's High School.
In line with recommendations, we adapted a given example to suit the needs of our bilingual pupils in Gloucestershire. A proposal was presented to the school, where there are a significant number of new arrivals. With the support of the Head and the school EAL coordinators, READS staff prepared and delivered an intensive support programme to a targeted group of pupils. We asked the English, Maths and Science departments to let us know what specific aspects of their subject they would like us to teach to these pupils with minimal English skills. The group ranged from year 7 to 6th form and were from different countries, with varying levels of ability and mixed levels of English. It was therefore important that the lessons taught would need to be generic rather than year group based.
Each day, these students received an hour's teaching. The first two weeks were based on specific EAL needs i.e. Survival English. In the following weeks we delivered 2 weeks English, 2 weeks Maths and 2 weeks Science. At the end of each fortnight we presented a display of all the differentiated materials used along with the pupils work. These presentations gave an opportunity for the mainstream staff to view the strategies, note the various differentiated material and see the pupil outcomes.
We also incorporated a visit to Gloucester to allow students to put the acquired language into practice. Throughout the programme we assessed pupil knowledge and encouraged the use of first language. We evaluated the results and students completed questionnaires to ensure that their opinions were also taken into account.
Alongside this teaching, READS staff worked in the classroom supporting subject teachers and the bilingual pupils. We also provided whole school training on working with bilingual students. We are very aware that we cannot be with all pupils in all classes all of the time but we can support staff and share our resources and expertise.
At the launch, we discussed the process, rationale and outcomes with our audience and presented examples of all the materials we had made alongside the individual pupil folders. Some of these pupils were also on hand to discuss their feelings about the programme.
The key to working with any young people for whom English is not a first language is differentiation. This is what personalised learning is all about. Our EAL pupils need to be able to access the curriculum as soon as possible. Many arrive with advanced cognitive skills. They may be high fliers in Maths, Science etc. It is their English that is restricted NOT their ability. Others may arrive with little formal schooling behind them and may not be literate in their first language. That is why differentiation is so important. Visuals are imperative as are scaffolding, speaking and writing frames, bilingual dictionaries, charts, diagrams etc. Differentiation can take many forms. It does not have to be too time consuming and it also help others in the class!
We hope we have shown this to be so and were delighted to see a diverse audience and such a keen interest shown.
Our thanks to St. Peter's School for agreeing to pilot this work, to the coordinators for helping in the organisation, to the departments for their suggestions and to the pupils for their commitment.
Special thanks to READS staff Sheilagh, Kate and Zdravie for their tireless enthusiasm and total commitment.
We are now running a similar programme at Central Technology College, but with some adjustments. We will share the outcomes when this finishes in December.
Any school interested in this programme please contact Dee Russell-Thomas at READS.
Dee Russell-Thomas
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