Theme: Gypy, Roma, Traveller
Support for the Czech and Slovak Roma Community
I have worked with the Gloucestershire Czech and Slovak Roma Community since 2000, within schools and in the community, assisting with interpreting and translations. For the past two years I have worked for READS as a part -time Bilingual Teaching Assistant, operating across the county supporting primary and secondary school pupils in class and providing a vital link between school and family. I work closely with Amanda Barns in order to target the children and families who require the most support at a given time.
My main objectives in class are to help new pupils settle in, help in assessment of their individual abilities and requirements, teach them English language and monitor their well being in the school environment. This role involves visits to schools throughout the county, working with small pupil groups or occasionally one to one, and liaising closely with the relevant school staff.
Working outside class, my aim is to provide effective communication between school personnel and the family, generally liaising over issues of learning ability, attendance or discipline. This can involve visits to the family home, but more often means being available as an interpreter when parents attend school appointments, and making contact with families over the phone. Schools also often require translation support to produce mailings, flyers, or personal letters.
The various aspects of the job are coordinated through my line management supervisor and discussed at regular READS team meetings. Matching priorities to available resources is a crucial success factor for this role.
There can be no doubt that the integration of Eastern European Roma children from a very wide range of social backgrounds and with often very limited school experience into mainstream full-time education provides some huge challenges for all concerned, and I feel that I really do make a difference, in helping the school, the pupil and the family meet these challenges.
Eva Goodhead
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