Accessing English as an additional language (EAL) support
The way to access support for Ukrainian children is now the same as for any other EAL child and language, so we thought we would take this opportunity to highlight some key links:
Welcoming Vivek Sulochana
We are pleased to welcome Vivek into our team. Vivek is one of our bilingual support workers and can support children and families with Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi.
Vivek has a wide range of expertise and has started supporting in schools already.
To request bilingual or interpreter support please complete our Interpreter and bilingual support booking form
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If you are new to the EAL coordinator role, please get in touch and we will advise you on courses and support we can provide! We also offer advice and ongoing support to existing EAL coordinators through EAL clinics, training, and advisory visits.
Welcoming children with EAL in secondary schools
Children with EAL come from a rich diversity of cultures and backgrounds. Some children represent second or third generation of bilingual families that have settled in Devon while others have arrived more recently.
All EAL children have a right to a broad and balanced access to the curriculum. This can be achieved by individual planning that considers their linguistic, cultural, and educational background.
When a newly arrived child with EAL joins a secondary school, they bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience, acquired from previous education.
Before deciding on the most appropriate educational support, schools should:
- create an individual pupil profile containing the child’s background, including academic background and subjects previously studied
- gather information about the child’s academic and linguistic proficiency in L1, including literacy in L1
- establish competence in L2 (English) on a social level and for academic purposes.
Children learn a great deal of language from each other and EAL children are no different. They will learn from their peers by listening and observing them. Therefore, withdrawing children with EAL from their classes for a long period is not recommended.
For EAL children to feel an integral part of school, they must feel that their home language is valued. You can encourage children to make notes or complete writing activities in their home language. You can also encourage them to use a bilingual dictionary and research information in their home language.
Parental involvement is also crucial. Parents can be invited and encouraged to become involved in school activities or cultural celebration days!
Although it is important to be aware of their immediate short-term EAL needs, it is crucial that schools also adopt a more holistic view, which involves a whole-school approach.
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The Healing classrooms programme aims to support schools/settings and educators to develop inclusive and nurturing learning spaces where refugee and asylum-seeking students can gain the necessary academic, social and emotional skills to develop their full potential.
The IRC offer free training sessions and resources to educators and schools supporting refugee and asylum-seeking students in the UK.
Their basics training covers the three steps to the Healing Classrooms approach – a trauma-informed approach to welcoming and teaching refugee students. Their CPD course covers two sessions on trauma in refugee communities, followed by the three steps. This course has slightly more interaction and different case studies and activities so staff are welcome to attend both.
All participants will receive a free accompanying handbook for whichever course you choose.
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Our conference will bring together experts to share their insights in supporting ethnically diverse children. The conference will include stimulating presentations on a combination of research-based best practices and approaches, as well as opportunities for discussions and networking.
Training objectives
- Hear from expert keynote speakers and network with colleagues
- Be inspired to take an active role in your school/setting in improving outcomes and the well-being of ethnically diverse children
- Understand a whole school approach towards inclusive education
Every June since 2008, people from across the UK have celebrated Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month. Through celebration, education and raising awareness, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month helps to tackle prejudice, challenge myths and to amplify the voices of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers in wider society.
Put the date in your diary and start planning activities for your school now. Previous resources can be found on our website and will be updated shortly.
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Do you have children from a GRTS background who would benefit from discussing their future aspirations and be inspired to stay in education?
Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller children are more likely to be not accessing education, in employment, or training at 16 years of age. One in five Traveller children felt they had to leave school due to bullying and two thirds of those surveyed felt they experience bullying from their teachers (Traveller Movement, 2020). Forty-one percent of Traveller children wanted to stay in school for longer but were taken out because of bullying, family reasons, or because of a lack of support from their school (SEN) (Traveller Movement ,2020). Gypsies and Travellers are ten times less likely to go to university than their peers (Kings College, 2017)
Aimed at KS2 and KS3, this fully funded 1 hour workshop will help children think about how they can use their skills in the future and encourage them to continue with their education:
- What are our future opportunities?
- How can we overcome barriers to our future opportunities?
- Inspirational people and the barriers they overcame.
- What skills we might need for our future.
- How to prepare for the future.
- Routes into careers.
Subject to availability and the workshop must include at least one child from the Traveller communities.
Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Showmen - raising awareness - this interactive online course has been developed to raise awareness of the travelling communities and how their culture can impact on education and learning outcomes.
The course is designed to increase awareness and develop respect and understanding of these communities. It not only focuses on legislation, but also looks at common misconceptions, stigma, stereotyping and myths. We look at effective ways of communicating with the families as well as improving understanding of what areas within the curriculum require special consideration (for example PSHE/RSE).
Audience: SENCOs, safeguarding leads, pastoral leads, behaviour leads, teachers, teaching assistants and support staff.
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Richard O’Neill was born and brought up in a large traditional, fully nomadic Romani Gypsy family, travelling throughout the North of England and Scotland. His roots are also to be found in the coal mining communities of the Northeast having family members who worked down the pits. This co-cultural upbringing is reflected in his creative work. As Richard says, ’Gypsy in my heart and coal dust in my veins’.
Storytelling has been a constant in Richard’s life for as long as he can remember. Learning his craft sat round campfires at the feet of some of the best Travelling and North Country storytellers, he developed a passion for story.
Richard has had several children’s storybooks published, winning literary, cultural and diversity awards in the UK, Europe and USA, including being awarded National Literacy Hero status for his work with excluded communities.
Please see link to a list of Richard’s titles (some of these have been co-written with others, please see individual books for further details).
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