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sheepscheeks · New kid Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 9

Hi,

As of September I will be working with 2 children from Hungary with no english. I have only been doing EAL since January and have not worked with any children with absolutely no english. The boy will be in year 2 and has not been to school in Hungary at all, as far as I know. His sister will be in year 4 and writes/reads beautifully in Hungarian. Nobody seems to know where to start with the younger child - he does not speak any english, do we start with trying to encourage him to speak? Where do I start? I have been on one EAL training session but I still do not feel very confident. Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated!

whosrose · Competition Guru Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 11109

How exciting for both of you! Imagine the pride you and he will feel as he starts learning english Razz

I expect he'll find it very scary to start with, maybe he and his older sister could have some shared time. Do the parents have much english knowledge?

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Good luck Sheepscheeks...let us know how you get on Razz

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Jack-of-all-Trades · prefect Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 9817 Location: england

We have had several children arrive with no English funnily all in the same class over two years and two brothers in other classes. I made a pictorial fan on a key ring and if possible added their language.The fan had things like I want to go to the toilet. I'm thirsty, I'm hungry.I'm upset.If I remember on Friday I will get a copy for you if you like.
Then just patience.Buddy up with another kind child.Expectations-encourage them to say good morning, answer the register, good afternoon.Teach them boy, girl, teacher, pencil, book that will be enough for the first week as they need to adjust to changing country, new school, new house,leaving family members behind.We then started with picture dictionaries and an exercise book and grouped things together for that week.A parent (2) came in and helped every morning. We had no help from the authority for about 4mths by which time they were coping.One child now has to be told to slow down as she speaks too fast in ENGLISH!

littlemiss · Class monitor Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 230

Bristol have just updated their site, there may be some useful items here;

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-Star- · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject:

A few months ago we got a Latvian child in Year 3 with no English, and no other Latvian-speakers in the school. We made her a word fan with pictures of a toilet, sad, happy, etc so she could at least tell us if she needed something. In no time at all she was picking up the language just from mixing with the other children.
The fan we made was far simpler than the one on the EMAS site. We just put a smily face, a sad face, a piece of toast, a toilet, etc on it.