At my college, we have now created a bespoke English syllabus for learners on our KS3 EAL pathway. This may increasingly not sound like an ‘superb’ mannequin of EAL provision to you – and truthful sufficient. Beliefs are subjective – provision is sure by context and constraints. This works okay for us and our learners in the meanwhile, however issues are at all times evolving.
A few of our basic ideas for the syllabus
Our syllabus goals to help learners in creating educational information, language and abilities throughout the curriculum. It’s not an EFL/ESL syllabus primarily based solely round enter on ‘language buildings’ and ‘the 4 abilities’ – the main target is on integrating content material and language with a relevance to varied topic areas.
We intention to align our items to basic content material from KS3 English, science, and humanities. These are key areas of want for our learners. Most of our syllabus entails educating from items of labor that we’ve produced in-house. These weave in subject-related content material/language and educational duties that characteristic throughout the curriculum, usually (however not at all times) with relevance to present curriculum matters. Both manner, our items not often simply mirror the precise content material taught in these areas.
That mentioned, about 25% of our syllabus is solely devoted to the overview of present topic content material. This, coupled with help slots and in-class help from our EAL help coaches, makes up our predominant curriculum help.
Important areas of pedagogical focus for our personal items
- Figuring out gaps in vocabulary and information throughout sure topic areas. We can’t assure that learners becoming a member of us have had the identical educational experiences. Our syllabus matters assist draw out gaps in prior information
- Familiarising learners with typical educational duties and abilities. We embed sure duties in our personal content material – this may very well be something from seen considering routines to writing PEEL paragraphs, citing sources to finishing rating duties, answering examination type inquiries to finishing peer evaluation duties. Learner coaching principally, however with extra related content material.
- Content material that could be a stepping stone to core English. Not simply differentiated items of labor for literature, however lang and lit-rich items which are accessible and fulfilling. Excessive but life like expectations.
Design ideas
- Main, the place potential, with duties. Our most profitable items are these resulting in real, real-world outcomes. Activity-supported largely, somewhat than extra deep-end tasky.
- Medium-CLIL. Sure, I do know that doesn’t exist. We’re definitely not brie-CLIL, a lot nearer to parmigiano-CLIL, however maybe gouda-CLIL. Or that nutty-tasting crumbly one which I overlook the identify of however had as soon as. We’re that sort of cheesy-metaphor CLIL.
- Content material that’s ‘internationally-minded’. Oh, right here we go….
I’ll refer again to Roberts (in Pearce 2013) for this one:
This actually does matter to me, and as a syllabus designer I really feel myself more and more drawn to those themes. Put it this fashion:
- I prefer it when our content material feels related to actual world points. The SDGs are a little bit of a go-to for me and I’ve formed content material round them rather a lot in our curriculum.
- I prefer it after we zoom in, however from a much less Eurocentric place to begin as a result of which may not be finest for our learners. Extra regional (Asia/ASEAN) to nationwide (Malaysia) to native (rural Sabah, I don’t know). That is on my radar once I plan.
- I prefer it when issues shift to our learners’ cultural heritage. I additionally like trying ahead to our learners as brokers of change (that’s the place the character training at our faculty sneaks in, however the ‘brokers of change’ bit does sound a bit ‘tut’ there, I do know)
- I’m extra ‘communication-led’ total – it’s about involvement, engagement, giving area, giving a voice, and so forth. I imply not solely, however I attempt to emphasise that. Collaborative and fluency-first I suppose – that’s how totally different views are prone to pop up IMO.
Walkthrough of an instance unit
Unit: ‘Inhabitants’
Curriculum hyperlinks: Humanities – learners are exploring the affect of overpopulation; English – persuasive language; Maths – statistics, graphs and charts
Overview
Half 1 (3 weeks):
- Framing ‘overpopulation’: 8 billion and counting, what are the problems and potential options? Prior information and vocab constructing
- Hone-in on a particular difficulty: the meals disaster. Stats, genuine texts (video)
- Fixing the meals disaster: a concentrate on insect-based protein, Reputation, advantages (semi-authentic listening)
- Situation: Your college have determined to promote insect-based dishes. Create an promoting marketing campaign (poster)
- Language focus: language of persuasion. Return and edit your marketing campaign poster to incorporate persuasive options. Mannequin textual content on persuasive speeches. Analyse it.
- TASK: Ship a persuasive discuss ‘throughout a KS3 Meeting’ persuading your fellow KS3 college students to attempt (imaginary) insect-based dishes offered in our faculty canteen.
- Peer evaluation and so forth
Half 2 (4 weeks)
- Framing ‘overconsumption‘: concentrate on ecological footprint (genuine video content material). Calculate your individual ecological footprint. What tweaks might you make to scale back this?
- Concentrate on overconsumption, regional: genuine textual content on China refusing to import (sure) plastic waste from different nations since 2018. Debate/discussion-based comply with up.
- Concentrate on overconsumption, nationwide: genuine textual content on whether or not Malaysia will meet their 40% recycling price goal this yr. Re-present statistics within the article as an infographic.
- Language focus: Making suggestions/recommendations for adjustments
- UNIT PROJECT – native focus: impartial analysis on overconsumption in our local people (college!). Learners analysis a facet of consumption within the college neighborhood (paper use, meals waste, power waste from our air cons being left on on a regular basis, and so forth). Devise a analysis query, plan analysis strategies, conduct analysis put together to current…
OUTCOME/FINAL ASSESSMENT
- Open door ‘poster presentation’ of analysis findings. Lecturers, SLT, college students all invited. Seemed like this on our huge boards:
If I might change something about our curriculum, I’d say some items might have extra of a real-world focus like this one does. That’s what brings issues to life and makes them really feel related. You do want confidence as a instructor although to attract out the cross-curricular components of this (language-wise), and work off-the-cuff with these as wants emerge (or don’t!).
Anyhow, what’s in your EAL syllabus proper now in the event you’ve acquired one happening? We’re at all times searching for new concepts and eager to collaborate!
Classes: Basic, reflections