[eal-bilingual] 14 - 17 year old EAL students, low literacy, not placed

Dear Colleagues

I sent the following reply to Una but didn't copy it to the whole network and so am sending now in case is useful

Best wishes

Sara

Dear Una

I am not sure where you are located but in Kensington and Chelsea we have been undertaking extensive work on developing an EAL curriculum for students 14-19. One course that is already published is a 1 or 2 (or could be 3) year GCSE option course for students who enter school mid-phase with little
or no previous schooling. We are teaching it in years 10 and 11 and also as a one year double option in year 12. The course targets students at 3 language and literacy levels (Entry levels 1,2,3 through to level 1 in Nat qualification terms) and is accredited through ASDAN Certificate of Personal
Effectiveness a skills based qualification - last year 14 students passed, 7 at level 1 (GNVQ equiv) and 7 at Level 2 (GCSE Grade B equiv). For more information on this and other curriculum initiatives please see our website www.rbkc.gov.uk/eal14to19

Do get back to me if you need more information

Best wishes

Sara 

Sara Green
Head of Language Development Service
Family and Children's Services Kensington and Chelsea Isaac Newton PDC 108a Lancaster Road London W11 1QS

Tel: 020 7598 4817
Fax: 020 7598 4808

Email: sara.green at rbkc.gov.uk
www.rbkc.gov.uk/eal14to19

Sara Green
Head of Language Development Service
Family and Children's Services Kensington and Chelsea
Isaac Newton PDC
108a Lancaster Road
London W11 1QS

Tel: 020 7598 4817
Fax: 020 7598 4808

Email: sara.green at rbkc.gov.uk
www.rbkc.gov.uk/eal14to19

-----Original Message-----
From: eal-bilingual-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk [mailto:eal-bilingual-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Sanghita Sen
Sent: 03 May 2007 18:56
To: For practitioners involved in teaching pupils from ethnic and linguisticminorities
Subject: Re: [eal-bilingual] 14 - 17 year old EAL students, low literacy,not placed

Dear Diana
What is the debate - whether or not to have EAL at this level? I didn't
understand the mail point.  What is the background of these students? What
is their entry point? Have they all done their GCSE? or they have a
different educational background from a different country?

Looking forward to hear more on this
Regards
Sanghita
(Sanghita Sen)

On 5/3/07, Diana Gray <digray4000 at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
>   We are having the same debate here.  In the local College they are
> offering Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills in addition to the EDexcel
> driving test.  The student has something to aim for in addition to an ICT
> skill.  However, they are not as high as GCSE but they are suitable for late
> entrants (into Year 11 for example) who are not able to access the
> curriculum through gaps in their education plus EAL needs.
>
>   Regards,
>
>   EAL Teacher
>
> sambadead at aol.com wrote:
>   Hi,
> Visit www.disguiseddevil.com and contact me. I will see how I can help
> you.
> Viv
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Murphyandjazz at aol.com
> To: eal-bilingual at lists.becta.org.uk
> Sent: Tue, 1 May 2007 11.54PM
> Subject: [eal-bilingual] 14 - 17 year old EAL students, low literacy, not
> placed
>
>
> I am a cluster based EAL teacher supporting c. 50 schools over all key
> stages (and some nurseries) alongside two support assistants. We are very
> limited
> as to the amount of direct support we can offer schools and so I try to
> get
> projects set up which can build capacity within the school and within the
> cluster.
>
> We have a large intake of Eastern European Roma students. Many come with
> minimal or no literacy skills in a written language. This is especially
> problematic in KS3 and KS4. There have also been some cases of young
> people
> not
> having a chance to access education due to lack of places available (esp
> for
> Year 10 and 11). These children do not fit into the category of being
> eligible
>
> for Adult education either as they are too young.
>
> I am concerned that these young people are not getting the chance to
> acquire
> any skills in English, or other subject areas, and are therefore heading
> rapidly towards a massive poverty trap. I am at a loss as to what to
> suggest
> next.
>
> Is this a problem that has been addressed successfully (or even partially)
> in any other area?
>
> Any suggestions gratefully received, many thanks
>
> Una
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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> for your freeaccount today.
>

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