Guest blog by Lukasz Mlodziniak, EAL Coordinator, Lipson Co-operative Academy
Hello, I am Lukasz Mlodziniak, and I work with English as an Additional Language (EAL) students at Lipson Co-operative Academy. I want to share some tips about how you can support and include your EAL learners both in and outside of the classroom.
Expand vocabulary in students’ home languages
Even EAL students with stronger English skills can benefit from using FlashAcademy® to broaden their vocabulary in their home language. Encouraging students to use their home language alongside their English helps them to feel confident about their background and help them identify with their home language and culture. I’ve found that this is so valuable, especially for helping with family and community engagement.
Using FlashAcademy® as a starter activity
FlashAcademy®’s learning app can be used as a fantastic starter activity for students who are beginners in English. A quick 10-minute session at the start of the lesson can help students focus, while introducing them to vocabulary relevant to the topic being covered. This prepares them for the lesson ahead and also builds their confidence in using English in context.
Motivate students with challenges and competitions
I find that incorporating some friendly competition by challenging your students to achieve the highest number of points on FlashAcademy® every couple of weeks really motivates them to progress. I like to reward the students with a “golden ticket” when they win to help drive engagement and encourage consistent participation, ultimately making their language learning journey enjoyable and goal-oriented. Similar prizes could include house points or extra golden time.
I also love getting students sitting next to each other to compete to see who can score the most points in a single session. This creates a sense of camaraderie, healthy competition and focused engagement during the lesson.
Share FlashAcademy® assessment reports and learner profiles with all teachers
When onboarding a new EAL student, sharing their FlashAcademy® assessment report and learner profile with all their class teachers can provide invaluable insight into the student’s current proficiency. The report, which includes tailored strategies for supporting the student, ensures a smoother transition and better planning for their needs.
The FlashAcademy® learner profiles help teachers establish an understanding of the most common challenges an EAL student might face based upon their home language. With helpful facts, such as, number of native speakers worldwide and tips on pronunciation, familiarising class teachers with this information can help to build an inclusive environment, school wide.
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