Primary and Early Years > Interest > EAL

P1: Creating innovative learning resources for the interactive whiteboard for use with Year 1 English as an Additional Language (EAL) pupils
Author: Cynthia Pinner, Class Teacher, The Cape Primary School, Sandwell
Date: 2005

The teacher describes her approach to using the interactive whiteboard for teaching English as an Additional Language. She emphasises the importance of tailoring her materials to the particular needs of the students, demonstrating concepts within the realm of their own experience, introducing new concepts with a range of sensual stimuli, and addressing diverse learning styles.

Through observation, reflective discussion and lesson evaluations with peers, the teacher concluded that engagement, attendance, self-esteem and the production of homework were improved by the use of the interactive learning materials. She suggests that the approach has lead to increased attainment, with 92% of the class making measurable progress in language and communication, and 100% of the target group now reaching the national average levels of speaking and listening.

> Download this research: PDF - Microsoft Word

Primary and Early Years > Interest > EAL

P2: Innovative use of the interactive whiteboard with Year 1 English as an Additional Language (EAL) pupils in literacy
Author: Cynthia Pinner, Class Teacher, The Cape Primary School, Sandwell
Date: 2005

Summary

The creation and use of e-books led to a dramatic increase in the uptake of home reading books, and the production of homework based on reading done at home.

Action

The teacher created:

1) an interactive whiteboard presentation using virtual flash cards of phonemes for use as a 5-minute "warm up" at the beginning of each lesson

2) an e-book which enabled students to re-create stories read together previously. The e-book included resources such as words, pictures and recordings of the children reading the story that students could manipulate independently to re-create the story. The e-book was initially used as both a whole-class teaching tool, and for individual and group work at the PCs. The computer could check the accuracy of the student's re-creation of the story.

Impact

Through reflective discussion and lesson evaluation with peers, the teacher observed several impacts, including: a sharp increase in the uptake of home reading books' children producing homework based on reading done at home' increased student interaction and increased attainment. All students have made progress, with 68% attaining NC level 1 in reading and 24% exceeding their reading age.

> Download this research: PDF - Microsoft Word

Primary and Early Years > Interest > EAL

P3: Innovative use of the interactive whiteboard with Year 1 English as an Additional Language (EAL) pupils in numeracy
Author: Cynthia Pinner, Class Teacher, The Cape Primary School, Sandwell
Date: 2005

The teacher designed innovative learning resources for use on the interactive whiteboard in numeracy lessons for Year 1 EAL students.

She observed that the appearance of the materials stimulated learner engagement; the strong use of visual representations reduced the reliance on language to assimilate concepts, which was especially important for EAL students, and that the pace of the lesson was improved. She reflected that these benefits cannot be achieved without creating a supportive ethos which views mistakes as learning opportunities and meaningful interaction between students and the teacher.

> Download this research: PDF - Microsoft Word