Inclusion is about removing barriers to participation and
learning so that all children can benefit from their education. In Scotland,
equalities legislation has been put in place and there is a duty to provide
additional support for learning when any child or young people need support for
whatever reason. Children may need additional support if they are young carers,
are from service families and traveling communities, are refugees and asylum
seekers or have a disability.
Scotland is a
country which is rich in diversity and schools should celebrate the cultural
and linguistic backgrounds of all learners. Children from immigrant and refugee
families are entitled to education in the United Kingdom so, when I am a
teacher I will be responsible for supporting children for whom English is not
their first language. Therefore, this post will focus upon bilingual learners
and the importance of including them in the classroom.
The Scottish Government indicates that school
establishments should ensure that all staff have both a common understanding
and knowledge of the barriers faced by pupils with English as an Additional
Language (EAL) and the strategies to overcome them. After the experience of
being a student in Spain with little knowledge of the Spanish language I feel
that I will be able to empathise with bilingual children and have gained an
understanding of how best to support them.
Research shows that co-operative learning approaches with
more able peers can be very effective in supporting EAL (English as an
additional language) pupils. For EAL pupils with additional support needs,
learning support assistants, bilingual support staff or family volunteers can
help to scaffold the child’s understanding and contribution to learning
activities. During my time in Cadiz I have worked with group one and I feel
that talking with them about the learning in this class has helped me to gain a
better understanding of the work.
Furthermore, technology in the classroom such as an
Interactive whiteboard can be used to accommodate different learning styles.
Teachers can use the whiteboard to show films, to use web-based resources and
students can use it to present their work. Using this technology promotes
inclusion as bilingual children can learn through pictures and videos. Recently
in this class we were shown a film about the link between school and family, I
found this easier to follow than someone talking about this as I could use the
pictures to understand the words.
In Conclusion, by completing the ERASMUS programme I feel
that I have developed my professional identity and will be better placed to
support and include bilingual children in my class.
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