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Notes from a small island: Teaching challenges on Isle of Wight

SESPM and Learning and Work Institute Supporting Resettled Refugees with Pre-Entry Level ESOL 12 th October 2018, London. Notes from a small island: Teaching challenges on Isle of Wight. Julie Watson Volunteer Teacher Refugee Resettlement Programme, IOW. The Isle of Wight context

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Notes from a small island: Teaching challenges on Isle of Wight

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  1. SESPM and Learning and Work Institute Supporting Resettled Refugees with Pre-Entry Level ESOL 12th October 2018, London Notes from a small island: Teaching challenges on Isle of Wight Julie Watson Volunteer Teacher Refugee Resettlement Programme, IOW

  2. The Isle of Wight context • Students’ educational profile • Teaching challenges • Teaching programme, syllabus,classroom strategies • Induction and support for volunteer teachers • Conclusions Overview

  3. Refugee intake: 5 families (13 adults, 13 children) • Arrival dates: between May 2017 and April 2018 • Resettlement team: 1 F/T project manager; 2 P/T Arabic speaking support workers; 1 P/T Arabic speaking child care worker • Pool of c. 20 volunteers with different roles i.e. teachers (currently 10 incl. 1:1) ; befrienders; school support teachers etc. The Isle of Wight context

  4. All students have Arabic literacy and min. Grade 6 educ. level • All pre-entry level ESOL on arrival • 50% had zero <->very basic Roman alphabet literacy on arrival • Island’s FE college only has one ESOL class - at Entry Level 2/3 (and it runs infrequently) Students’ educational profiles

  5. Students’ differing educational profiles • Impact of their general expectations and resettlement on learning • Specific needs that arise among students • Questions around placement and progress testing; homework - marks vs. comments • How to include/blend induction to UK life and culture with formal lessons • Managing volunteer teachers and team communication Teaching challenges

  6. Teaching programme with two main classes that accommodate several levels • Includes some 1:1 teaching • 4 x 2 hour lessons per week • A bespoke syllabus for each class, refreshed each term • Syllabus elements include a bi-weekly topic; 4 skills (S,L,R,W) + vocab and grammar; an ESOL book and authentic reading programme Our teaching

  7. Example teaching syllabus

  8. Use of oral rote, repetition and acting out to reinforce learning (e.g. chants, songs, roleplay) • Adaptation of early years alphabet, literacy and pronunciation aids • As language competence level increases, use of authentic reading material to familiarise with local life and culture • Complementary UK life/culture programme of accompanied local trips (e.g. library introduction , English Heritage sightseeing on island; shopping on mainland ) • Team teaching -where possible with extra in-class 1:1 support for those with lowest level of literacy • Some 1:1 teaching focussed on specific needs (e.g. driving test preparation; language for a volunteer work placement) Classroom strategies

  9. Recruitment and meeting with Project Manager; DBS checks and refs. • Informal contact with experienced teacher and/or lesson observation • Assigning appropriate roles ( group or 1:1 teacher; befriender etc) • Flexible teaching programme to facilitate sharing by teachers and accommodate student needs and those of volunteer teachers • Resource sharing • Communication channels that are not burdensome: lesson sharing by email; class file of lesson record sheets; team meetings c. once per term Induction and support for volunteer teachers

  10. Specific challenges: • geographical isolation • absence of Syrian/similar cultural community • lack of formal TESOL provision on island Silver linings: • pool of volunteers with wide-ranging and applicable skills • self-reliance, resourcefulness, flexibility • Pressing need to prepare our students for an uncertain future Conclusions

  11. Julie Watson (volunteer teacher) juliewatson487@gmail.com Thank you. Philippa Daley (Project Manager) PDaley@actioniow.org.uk

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