“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savour their songs.” Nelson Mandela
All students at Orchard Mead have full and equal access to the Curriculum, whatever their religion, ethnicity, first language, special educational needs and gender.
We aim to ensure that:
- all ethnic groups recognise standard English and use it confidently and competently
- pupils are able and encouraged to use their first language where appropriate to improve access to the curriculum
- good relationships exist between the school, parents/carers and community, to promote community cohesion.
Our curriculum is designed for learners, whose native language is not English and who live in the UK. These learners have different language needs arising from their diverse language and educational backgrounds. Our program is established to provide students with the vocabulary and grammatical structures needed for both, school performance and everyday living. It develops language acquisition and cognitive academic language skills that require constant, intensive, guided practice. The program provides the EAL students (English as an Additional Language) the opportunity to grasp the academic, social, and cultural aspects of the English language through the teaching of reading, writing, spelling, speaking and listening.
The goal of the program is to help students develop language skills necessary to be successful students, future employees and members of society.
Our Big Ideas
The major themes that run through our subject:
The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) education program is designed to provide equal educational opportunity and is recommended for students of limited English proficiency. The program offers instruction in English for speakers of other languages, so that they will develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and comprehension.
Students will learn:
- to pronounce the letter sounds;
- to use greetings and every day vocabulary;
- to understand English grammar;
- to read, understand and obtain information from short texts on familiar topics, common signs and symbols;
- to respond to simple written narratives, statements, questions, instructions;
- to listen to other people and speak to convey information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics, including when in discussion with others;
- to write simple sentences correctly and complete simple forms;
- to write to convey information with some adaptation for the intended audience, using correct punctuation, grammar and spelling;
- about English life, culture and customs;
- about the world, other cultures and customs.
In KS3 – EAL students with no English skills and / or illiterate in their native language receive ESOL structured intervention during their French lessons (2 hours a week). They are provided with an intensive structured programme of English literacy (Phonics / Racing to English / Cambridge Starters-Movers-Flyers etc.) and for the remainder of their timetable EAL students join the mainstream classes. The progress of EAL students is closely monitored and students are moved up to higher sets as they make a good progress.
| Year 7 (Cambridge Starters-Movers-Flyers) | Year 8 (Cambridge ‘More’) | |||
| Term | Vocabulary Used | Grammar | Vocabulary Used | Grammar |
| 1 | Let’s start! Phonics Classroom language Greetings Colours / Numbers Months Days of week
| Phonics / AlphabetDemonstrative Pronouns (This, that, Those, these) There is / There are ‘To be’ Prepositions Possessive adjectives
| My Community Greetings England and English Culture Countries / Nationalities School / Classroom My house / My bedroom
| PunctuationSimple Present To be Singular-Plural Nouns Possessive Adjectives Adjectives Questions Prepositions of Place |
| 2 | Introducing Myself Family Body Parts Pets / Animals Like / dislike
| Plural / SingularArticles Have got / Has got Adjectives + Previous topics re-visit e.g. Articles | People around me Re-cap Body parts Re-cap Countries / Nationalities Friends / Family members Jobs / Feelings | PunctuationSimple Present Have got / has got Articles Questions Imperatives |
| 3 | World around me! Subjects/Teachers School objects Food and drinks House rooms Bedroom furniture Daily routines Shops | QuestionsPresent Simple Tense Can / can’t Countable / Uncountable Nouns Some / any Verbs
| My day Re-cap Food and drinks Daily Routines Hobbies and Interests
| Present SimpleAdverbs frequency Questions Imperatives Re-cap Articles Object Pronouns
|
In KS4, students with limited English skills study the ESOL course as one of their option subjects. Edexcel ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) qualifications support learners whose first language isn’t English, helping them gain the communication skills needed to progress in education and transfer skills across other subjects. During the course, the students develop their English listening, speaking, reading and writing skills and improve vocabulary and grammar. At the end of Year 11, they have an opportunity to achieve nationally recognised qualification – Pearson Edexcel Entry Level Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life. (Entry Level 1, 2 or 3).
EAL students who don’t require intensive EAL intervention join mainstream classes and are subject to normal monitoring systems.
| Term | Year 9 (Cambridge ‘More’) | Year 10 (Pearson ‘Cutting Edge’) | Year 11 (Pearson ‘Cutting Edge’) | |||
| Vocabulary Used | Grammar | Vocabulary Used | Grammar | Vocabulary Used | Grammar | |
| 1 | Free time Shopping Re-cap Food and drink Family Abilities Hobbies / Interests | Demonstrative adjectives Pronouns Countable / Uncountable Ability can / can’t Re-cap Adjectives Verbs How much / How many Some / Any | Leisure and Work Leisure activities Sports and Games Re-cap Feelings Re-cap Daily Routines Re-cap Jobs | Revision of Simple Past Questions Frequency phrases Revision of Past Simple Modal Verbs | Old and New Modern equipment Adjectives for describing places Survival items Types of products | Modal verbs Used to ‘Like’ and ‘would like’ Conditional sentences with ‘would’ |
| 2 | Right Now! Holidays Re-cap Activities Re-cap Daily Routines Hobbies | Present Continuous (Affirmative / Negative / Questions) Forming words with –ing Re-cap Articles Present Simple vs. Present Continuous | Special Days and Holidays Descriptive adjectives Verb phrases for special days Re-cap Parts of the body Physical Appearance Holiday Phrases Transport Hotel / Accommodation | The Simple Future tense (will / going to) Present Continuous for future arrangements Comparative and superlative adjectives Plans and intentions | Take Care! Accidents and Injuries Illnesses Hospital Making an appointment Re-cap Body Parts | Past Continuous Present Simple passive Past Simple passive |
| 3 | Where were you? Countries / Nationalities Places in town Hobbies / Interests Free time activities | Past Simple (Affirmative / Negative / Questions) Was / were Regular / Irregular verbs Adverbs of time Past time expressions | Success and Plans Verb phrases about ambitions The Internet phrases | Present Perfect Tense Past Simple and other time words Prepositions of Time Re-cap Articles Quantifiers with countable and uncountable nouns | Revision / Past Papers Practice in preparation for the ESOL controlled assessment | Revision / Past Papers Practice in preparation for the ESOL controlled assessment |
Revision advice
Revision for ESOL means learning English vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. You have to be able to recognise parts of speech (verbs, adjectives, nouns etc.), write short messages, unscramble sentences, read short texts with understanding and fill in forms.
Ensure that you attend every day if possible. Even one lesson missed means that key information could be missing regarding course content and exam deadlines.
- Visit the library, borrow books and read in silence.
- Read fiction and non-fiction texts like newspapers and magazine articles which cover topical issues.
- Complete homework that will be given every week on Friday.
- Attend study support sessions.
- Visit English language websites (as above)
- Set yourself a revision timetable.
- Agree a balance between school work and social life. You need a break…
Contact us if you need any help!
This is a list of useful websites that provide resources appropriate for KS3 and KS4 students:
excellencegateway.org.uk/ESOL/
Co-curricular opportunities
Students are selected from years 7, 8 and 9 according to level of English and EAL needs to do an intensive intervention program with the aim to improve/teach reading and writing skills.
Selected students are also offered the opportunity to attend breakfast reading clubs twice a week to improve reading.
Year 10 and Year 11 students are given the opportunity to prepare and do a GCSE qualification in their home language.
Stretch and challenge opportunities
Students are stretched and challenged within all lessons of ESOL.
Starting at Entry Level 1 and working towards an Entry Level 2 qualification allows learners to gradually build up their knowledge and skills. However, more advanced learners have an opportunity to attempt Entry level 3 straight away (providing their knowledge of the English language is at that level).
Additional information
Induction:
All EAL students who join the Academy during the academic year start school on Thursdays and spend two days in an Induction programme group. The students complete an initial assessments which determine their curriculum setting. The students follow a series of induction activities to familiarise them with the college routines, for example, they are introduced to their tutor group, allocated a same first language buddy or taken on tours of the school. They are provided with a booklet containing survival language, key words and useful information regarding the school policy, requirements and routines.
- We celebrate our college diversity through organising events (Diwali), cultural displays and inclusive assemblies covering religious events throughout the year.
- Provide interpreters when and where they are needed, particularly in parents evenings and parents meetings with teachers and support staff.
- Provide translations of school letters and documents in communal languages (Gujarati, Slovak, Polish)
- Encourage parental attendance at parents’ evenings and participation in other school functions (celebration evenings, cultural events etc.)
- Organise workshops for parents before parents’ evenings.
Upload YouTube videos in Gujarati to provide most important information to parents
Together We Can Make a Positive Difference