[eal-bilingual] Opening a discussion

Joining in the discussion Alison started, as a comparatively new EAL

I recently took on the role of EAL coordinator and feel that our
priorities will necessarily be reshaped as circumstances change. I am
stepping into the role (which is new in our school) with a great deal of
support from the LEA (Nottinghamshire) EAL Support Team whose counsel is
key to the way we map our provision. 

At present we have reasonably good support systems in place for
integrating new arrivals, so this is no longer our priority for
development. However, we are also aware that as our priority shifts
towards developing other aspects of EAL provision within school the
existing systems will need monitoring. 

Common sense seems to exhort the training of colleagues (be it peer
coaching or by other means) within school so that there is some degree
of consistency across the team; but perhaps more significantly, to
increase confidence among teachers and support staff who often feel they
lack the skills or knowledge they need. I'm fortunate to be part of a
team where staff have very positive attitudes, but confidence is at
varying levels.

I plan to get together with colleagues on a regular basis to ask where
they feel our needs are greatest, as I am certain that this will vary
from term to term.  

Brian

Brian Huxley
Mobile: 07870 430047
Email: bhuxley at littlelearner.eu
Web: www.littlelearner.eu

-----Original Message-----
From: eal-bilingual-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:eal-bilingual-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Jill
Elliott
Sent: 29 April 2008 20:05
To: aehorton123 at yahoo.com; For practitioners involved in teaching pupils
from ethnic andlinguistic minorities
Subject: Re: [eal-bilingual] Opening a discussion

Couldn't agree with you more Ann-I'm in same position!
Jill
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ann Horton" <aehorton123 at yahoo.com>
To: "For practitioners involved in teaching pupils from ethnic and 
linguisticminorities" <eal-bilingual at lists.becta.org.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: [eal-bilingual] Opening a discussion

> Joining in the discussion Alison started, as a comparatively new EAL 
> coordinator, I'd just like to say that I've already discovered that
there 
> aren't enough hours (or people!) to do all that I would like to do for
the 
> whole range of EAL pupils. I think that there is no hard and fast
rule, 
> because priorities constantly change, as do staff and their attitudes
to 
> EAL issues. It sounds like you've done an amazing job, Alison, in your
9 
> years. I've no magic answer to your dilemma - you can only prioritise
what 
> seems best to you at the time, I think.
>
> Ann
>
>
> --- On Mon, 4/28/08, Alison Mott <ash-mott at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> From: Alison Mott <ash-mott at tiscali.co.uk>
>> Subject: [eal-bilingual] Opening a discussion
>> To: "'For practitioners involved in teaching pupils from ethnic 
>> andlinguistic minorities'" <eal-bilingual at lists.becta.org.uk>
>> Date: Monday, April 28, 2008, 10:48 PM
>> I wonder if I could open a discussion on the way EMASS staff
>> work across
>> the country?  It sort of follows on from previous threads
>> on partnership
>> teaching and job descriptions.
>>
>> My question is this, what's the current, generally
>> accepted view on how
>> a school based EMASS specialist should work?  Which way of
>> working would
>> have the most impact for EAL pupils across the school?
>> Should I be
>> working with groups of children or should I focus all my
>> energies on
>> peer coaching and training mainstream staff to support the
>> EAL pupils in
>> their classes?  Or should it be a balance between the two?
>> I've been a
>> school based coordinator for almost 9 years now and have
>> worked in a
>> variety of ways which have shifted to such an extent that
>> I'm no longer
>> sure of what's best, what's the most valid use of
>> my time.
>>
>> Originally I worked almost solely supporting new arrivals,
>> promoting
>> collaborative and speaking and listening activities, doing
>> some
>> partnership teaching with those mainstream teachers who
>> were comfortable
>> with it, working more like a 'good TA' with those
>> who weren't.  I
>> volunteered to take on planning for literacy and for whole
>> curriculum
>> areas, figuring that the best way to encourage busy
>> teachers to provide
>> for EAL learners and include multicultural elements to
>> their lessons was
>> to hand over lesson plans ready made.  I've made
>> resources till they
>> come out my ears and some are well used and still in the
>> planning, and
>> some were dropped the next time a new teacher came into
>> school and
>> planned something new.  I've lead training - for
>> mainstream teachers and
>> TAs, at staff meetings and dedicated sessions in and out of
>> school.  My
>> emphasis has shifted away from new arrivals, who are now
>> more or less
>> left to fend for themselves or, where lucky, to muddle
>> along with the
>> special needs group, whilst I work with advanced bilingual
>> learners.
>> Who have justified language needs too, of course, but who,
>> let's face
>> it, are judged more likely to achieve a better result for
>> the school.
>>
>> It's not a case of not feeling appreciated - for the
>> most part I DO feel
>> useful and appreciated, by the children and by the staff I
>> work
>> alongside, (and if I didn't, I'd give up tomorrow).
>>  It's about focus.
>> I'm part time, my small and dwindling team are part
>> time, and I'd be
>> interested to hear how other professionals in a similar
>> situation use
>> their time in school to best effect for ALL the EAL pupils
>> who come
>> under their care.
>>
>> Alison
>
>
> 
>
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