As part of our campaign on the connection between EAL and wellbeing, we’re curating insights from educators worldwide with the aim to spark a discussion around EAL and belonging, social integration and assessment. Find out more about our work on EAL and wellbeing.
In this guest blog, Chris Woodhams, former Assistant Headteacher at St Joseph’s International School Malaysia, Consultant and Trainer for EAL Inclusive, discusses the school’s commitment to multiculturalism, inclusive education, and effective assessment practices that recognise each student’s unique progress and achievements.
FlashAcademy®: How does your school embrace multiculturalism and diverse cultural backgrounds? What effect do you think this has on your students?
Chris: We have a school ethos and policies that outline the school’s positive view of multiculturalism and diverse cultural backgrounds as an asset. Our curriculum promotes this view, with curriculum content, learning opportunities, special events and educational visits to promote and maximise student experience and understanding of multiculturalism.
The effect it has on children is to create a culture where diversity and multiculturalism is valued and perceived as an asset that maximises student learning and personal development. Having this culture means all students feel included and proud of their cultural backgrounds.
FlashAcademy®: Why do you think it’s important for parents to get involved in their child’s education?
Chris: Children’s education develops best where there is alignment and positive interaction between school, parent and child. When parents are actively involved in their child’s learning they can support, motivate and help make external real life links to learning that help embed concepts and connect up learning.
FlashAcademy®: Why do you think clear goals have a positive impact on a student’s learning journey?
Chris: Learning is best when the learning intention is explicit and fully understood by all learners. When the goal is clear, teachers (and students) can plan and scaffold the appropriate steps towards it, know when and what they have achieved and also reflect on how well they have achieved it, or what they need to do in order to get there.
With clear, achievable goals, students are more motivated and should know and be able to articulate what they have achieved.
FlashAcademy®: Can you give an example of how your students have reacted to poor test results?
Chris: I have seen many students become unmotivated and disappointed when the results of tests have been shared with them. This is true of students who have attained low results as well as those who have been one or two marks off 100%.
When measured in purely quantitative, summative ways, students do not see their individual progress or successes, they unfortunately just see a number or grade that can be compared against other numbers or grades.
FlashAcademy®: Why do you think it’s important for EAL assessments to include qualitative measures like teacher observations and student self-assessments?
Chris: It is important for EAL and all learners to be assessed in ways which account for and explicitly highlight individual successes and progress.
More holistic measures of assessment will allow students (and teachers) to gain a more holistic view of their attainment and progress, including, but not limited to, character development traits, service to others, effort, morality and so on.
It is particularly important for EAL learners to be assessed in ways that include progress in their language development, alongside their subject understanding and to plan in ways in which a child’s stage of English language acquisition is not a barrier to achievement.
For more information on the link between EAL and wellbeing, visit our webpage.
