Guest blog by Hasmik Tshagharyan, EAL Coordinator, Pace Modern British School
As the EAL team at Pace Modern British School, we are proud to support students from over 54 countries, each bringing a rich variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds to our school community. Over the past year, we’ve worked with learners of all ages and English proficiency levels, helping them build language skills, confidence and communication.
A key element of our teaching is the use of FlashAcademy®, an engaging and versatile online platform. We use FlashAcademy® for regular assessments, interactive games, printable worksheets and group activities that encourage collaboration. What makes FlashAcademy® so valuable is its multilingual support and diverse range of resources – including videos, games, and exercises – that develop all four essential language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Our teaching philosophy focuses on understanding each student’s unique background and personality. We believe that to truly connect with students, teachers must speak their “language”- not just in words but in tone and approach. This means knowing when to encourage, when to share a light moment and when to set firm boundaries. We also strongly believe that learning through mistakes is vital; students become more confident and motivated when they know it’s okay to try, make errors and learn from them.
Throughout the year, we have closely monitored students’ progress, comparing each learner’s development to their own starting point. This personalised approach has allowed us to celebrate impressive growth across all age groups. We’ve observed improvements not only in students’ academic work but also in their everyday conversations and social interactions.
One of our favourite moments that highlights this progress was a playful exchange with a student:
Student: “Bye Miss, see you tomorrow.”
Teacher: “See you.”
Student: “See you tomorrow!”
Teacher: “See you.”
Student (smiling): “But when? You should say ‘see you tomorrow’!” 😊
We actively encourage students to support and learn from each other, creating a positive and collaborative classroom community. One touching example was when a student said:
Student: “I want my friend to do well on this exercise.”
Teacher: “Why is that?”
Student: “Because if she does well, I’ll feel good too.”
This simple conversation captures the joy and comfort our students are gaining with English. It also reminds us why we are so passionate about what we do – helping students grow in language and confidence every day.
EAL team highlights – Pace Modern British School
- Introduced FlashAcademy® for assessments, games, and group work
- Improved tracking and personalised student support
- Supported curriculum access through teacher collaboration
- Focused on everyday speaking and fluency
- Built a welcoming, inclusive environment for EAL learners
These changes have boosted student progress, confidence, and engagement across the school.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue expanding our use of digital resources like FlashAcademy® and to strengthen collaboration with classroom teachers to ensure EAL students receive consistent support across all subjects.
We also actively involve parents by guiding them on how to help their children use FlashAcademy® at home, creating a strong home-school connection. Together with teachers, parents and carers and the community, we are building an inclusive environment where every student can thrive.
Want to feature in our sharing best practice series?
We want to share more stories and practical tips about how you implement FlashAcademy® with your students. If you’d like to share your story, please email our marketing team.