Supporting Community Language Learners

1
Supporting Community Language Learners

• Naeema Hann
• Leeds Metropolitan University
• n.hann_at_leedsmet.ac.uk

2
Community Language Provision in Yorkshire

• 34 languages are currently in use in Yorkshire
  and the Humber, by at least 6,550 children
  (McPake,J.2006)
• Kirklees Council provides information in 15
  languages including Pahari and Albanian.
  (www.kirklees.gov.uk)
• Leeds libraries provide information in 10
  languages including Albanian. (www.leeds.gov.uk)
• According to LEA figures, in 2004, 146 school
  children in Leeds were entered for GCSE Urdu, 54
  for Punjabi, 23 for Bengali and 9 for Gujarati.
  Arabic and other Community Language classes are
  run independently of the authority
  (McPake,J.2006)
• Population in Wakefield has become more diverse
  over the last five years. Earlier there were
  around 1,000 Panjabi/Urdu speakers and fewer than
  10 Chinese speakers and no other language groups.
  Now there are increasing number of Portuguese and
  Polish Speakers (McPake,J.2006)
• Bradford had a 33 Asian population under 15 in
  1988 but did not provide figures for the 2006
  report by Scottish CILT (McPake,J.2006)

3
The Learners

• Children and young people in primary and
  secondary education who may be learning all four
  skills
• OR
• Improving their aural skills and beginning with
  literacy
• Adult learners who are not literate in their
  first language- need literacy and study skills in
  their first language to help them learn English
• Those who need support in Asian Languages for
  bilingual courses such as those offered by the
  Institute of Linguists
• Adult learners who would like to learn a heritage
  language
• Learners of Urdu as a Foreign Language

4
The Tutors

• Have at least a bachelors degree from their
  country of origin
• Have opportunities to develop skills in
• Fun and effective language teaching
• Developing materials to support the
  learners
• Have intercultural skills and work with tutors of
  other languages to share good practice and
  materials

5
The Venues

• Schools
• Colleges
• Community Centres
• Temples
• Gurdwaras

6
Learning Activities

• Exposure to target language outside the classroom
• Variety of activities
• Group, pair and individual work
• Whole class activity at least once during each
  session

7
Strategies for Successful Learning

• A diagnostic/ initial assessment of all students
• Regular review of learning
• Access to IT in the target language for tutors
  and students
• Tailor made learning materials
• Venues local to the learners

8
Supporting Community Language Learners

• Access to learning resources outside the
  classroom
• Opportunities for tutors to share good practice
  individually and in pairs
• Access to target language software
• Choice of accreditation
• Tutors with intercultural skills