New Arrivals in Secondary Schools: Induction Pack …

1 Supporting the education in school of children who are looked after who have English as an additional language New Arrivals in Secondary Schools: Induction pack Part 1 Guidance on Admission, Induction and Teaching Strategies Children s Services Tel: 01992 556915 Fax: 01992 588512 1 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION New Arrivals in context: a range of experiences .. 3 Self esteem .. 3 New Arrivals in school : practical considerations .. 4 Being valued: comments from newly-arrived students .. 5 ADMISSION TO school The Admission meeting .. 6 After the meeting .. 7 Actions before the first day .. 7 On the first day .. 7 During the next few days .. 8 Evaluation and review of the settling-in phase .. 8 Ongoing support .. 8 Ongoing monitoring of the child's social and emotional needs.

2 9 The buddy team: organisation, reporting and monitoring .. 9 Support from the pupil s peers .. 10 Support from the Form Teacher .. 10 CLASSROOM STRATEGIES Becoming part of a learning community .. 11 The impact of cultural differences .. 11 Strategies to support newly-arrived students in class .. 12 Classroom strategies for use with beginners in EAL .. 13 Top teaching tips for use with EAL beginners .. 15 USEFUL MATERIALS Books and photocopiables .. 16 Resources on the internet .. 17 Educational suppliers: multicultural resources .. 18 APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL NOTES Notes for the Form Teacher .. 20 Notes for all staff: protocols relating to sensitive and confidential information .. 22 Notes for the Senior Leadership Team: Admission and Induction procedures .. 23 Notes for Governors.

3 25 2 3 INTRODUCTION New Arrivals in context: a range of experiences Every young person s situation is unique and it is important not to make assumptions. Some young people may never have been inside a school before coming to the UK. They may have had little or no education, or they may have been educated at home by family members or by tutors. Some children may have had their education severely disrupted by war or violence and displacement; this may have resulted in very little coherent understanding. Others may have been victims of discrimination and they may have been denied education altogether. Considerable patience and understanding may be needed while such children adjust to being members of the school community.

4 Others may have had experience of styles of teaching that are highly formal in content and presentation; they may be unprepared for group work, class discussion and the informality of UK classrooms. They may be used to a formal setting with methods of punishment which would not be found in UK schools. Independent research skills may have to be taught because pedagogical methods in schools in some countries depend to a great extent on transmissive methods and learning by rote. They may have a good knowledge in some areas of the curriculum (maths, for example) but they may be completely unfamiliar with other subjects. Many possess considerable ability and they are highly motivated to learn. Language skills may not be uniformly developed: some students find conversation difficult but their understanding of written text may be more advanced.

5 Such students may have difficulty with imaginative tasks, group discussion and informal work. There may be considerable frustration because of the difficulty in expressing views and opinions in an unfamiliar language. Other new Arrivals may speak volubly but inaccurately and they may have little or no experience of reading or writing. A small number of children from other countries are not functionally literate in any language. They may lack fundamental knowledge of curriculum subjects. These children may need extra time to acquire basic proficiency in oral English before they are ready to start on reading and writing. For them, inclusion in the mainstream may not be enough; they may need additional individual tuition ideally on a daily basis in order to master the essentials of language.

6 Praise, encouragement and confidence-building experiences are needed to maintain the pupil s commitment to learning. Careful differentiation in lessons plus withdrawal from specific subjects (for example, modern languages) may be needed in order to assist the student s progress. Self esteem Nurturing young people s self esteem is critical in order to promote a positive attitude to learning and to encourage them to believe that they can succeed. Researchers recommend that strategies are planned specifically to raise the pupil s self-esteem; research projects have shown that healthy self-belief reduces the risk of anger and aggression developing in young people who struggle with the difficulties and frustrations of their situation. Art and drama therapy have also been shown to be beneficial in such circumstances.

7 4 Some young people have abilities and talents in practical, expressive or artistic areas and staff are encouraged to be watchful for signs of any ability which may be acknowledged and celebrated. If the student is happy for attention to be drawn to his or her ability, their confidence and self-esteem may be boosted by giving them the opportunity to share it in some way with others. Assemblies provide a natural focus for celebrating talents and for marking special cultural events. Some schools make approaches to community and religious leaders and involve them in celebrations, and these events help new Arrivals to feel valued by the school community. New Arrivals in school : practical considerations Even for pupils who have had regular schooling previously in their country of origin there will be much that is unfamiliar in a UK Secondary school .

8 The size and layout of school buildings as well as established school systems and expectations may be bewildering. There may be anxieties about changing into PE kit in front of others. There may be a reluctance to be around members of the opposite sex in close or crowded situations. It may be necessary to explain about the school s expectations of pupil behaviour particularly in subjects such as design and technology, science, drama and practical subjects. Unaccompanied minors may have had traumatic experiences; they may have lost close relatives as well as losing their homes and belongings; they may have experienced war and violence; there may be religious and cultural sensitivities to be taken into account; they may appear silent, reserved and uncomfortable. Most of these young people present as exceptionally polite, respectful and well behaved.

9 They may not feel safe; they may be reluctant to move between lessons for fear of getting lost; they may show a preference for being by themselves in an attempt to feel secure. Patience, kindness, good humour and sensitivity are needed in these situations. These young people may need legal advice and they may need to visit advisors and attend interviews in school hours. They will need extra support to access these visits, which may be stressful for them. Other new Arrivals may show a maturity beyond their years and may be highly motivated to learn and to acquire proficiency in English. These children may need gentle encouragement to relax and to play as they may impose unreasonably demanding study routines upon themselves. Newly arrived unaccompanied minors display a very wide range of behaviours.

10 They come from widely differing circumstances. There may be fears and problems which are concealed by the student, and it is important for staff to liaise with the form tutor or designated member of staff if information comes to light about the young person s concerns. It may take time for the student to learn to trust people, both staff and pupils. Names are linked with identity: efforts must be made to pronounce the young person s name correctly in order to be welcoming and to show that the school respects and values the new pupil. The young person s needs may take time to emerge and staff need to be watchful in order to form a complete picture of any difficulties as well as skills, abilities and ambitions. Subsequent discussions with the carer and social worker may reveal additional difficulties including some of the following: 5 o Poor health, including visual or hearing difficulties o Trauma connected with family separation and bereavement o Experience of war and displacement o Special educational needs (as distinct from the difficulties caused by language) o Problems settling with a carer, including cultural or religious differences o Experience of racism or bullying o Experience of prejudice in the wider community.