Roadmap ECML > Promising practices

8 promising practices found

Reading buddies for paired reading

How can paired reading be part of a whole-school response to literacy improvement?

Primary stakeholder(s) targeted: students

Area: Role of language in learning Promoting informal language learning Orienting newcomer students and families Developing language knowledge and skills Attitudes towards languages Awareness of language dimension

Dimension(s): Promoting language development Valuing students' languages Tracking literacy development Being language models Improving speaking and writing skills Opportunities for informal language learning Making use of language resources at school Community resources for communication with parents/guardians Bridging languages for learning

View details

Paired reading is a tried and tested short-term reading intervention used in Post Primary schools in Ireland. Senior students (age 17 approx) are trained to be tutors to first-year students (age 12) who are new to the school. The older students are then paired with a younger student to support the younger student to engage with reading for pleasure (see links to videos below). Parents are informed and come to a meeting in the school. They, too can be a paired reader and work with their son/daughter to support each other in their literacy development and enjoyment of reading. The programme can take place during the first term from Sept to Dec. A rota is drawn up of other volunteers in case one volunteer is absent. It happens during lunchtime from 3 to 5 days a week for 10/15 mins a day.

Level(s) of implementation: school

Age group targeted: 12-18

Language(s) of the promising practice: English

Tools and resources necessary to implement the idea:

A wide range of books/reading material that is suitable to engage reluctant readers. Books for students whose first language is not the language of schooling should read graded readers which are at an accessible CEFR level – A1/A2. Books should be easy to follow without excessive use of a bilingual dictionary.
See below for a link to Guidelines, training materials, and certificates of participation.

Added value:

This practice develops a positive attitude to books and reading as well as improving language and literacy.

It gives the older student a sense of responsibility and achievement. They find it a worthwhile experience to commit regularly during their lunchtime to supporting a younger person. They bond and become friends. Where the younger reader is paired with an older peer from the school who shares the same first language, the literacy of both languages can be consolidated.

Where migrant parents and their teens work towards a common goal together, they also bond and make use of both their languages: the language of schooling and mother tongue. This initiative supports family learning – especially where migrant parents'' language skills may be weaker or stronger than their child’s. They learn the language of schooling (which is the host country language) together.

Tips to better implement the promising practice:

Confidentiality is an important condition of volunteering to be involved in the programme. It is important that the older peers be trained (see “How not to do paired reading” short video clip link below). See training materials online below.

When the programme finishes, students can continue to the Readalong initiative where students listen and read simultaneously to further improve language and literacy skills. This further builds confidence in and enjoyment of reading and is the next stage. It is important for migrant students to relate what they hear to how it is written.

Policy or theoretical background:

Paired reading is an example of Scaffolding. Scaffolding as a theory of learning is most effective when the support is matched to the needs of the learner. This puts the learner in a position to achieve success in an activity that they would previously not have been able to do alone.

Link: Link to extension initiative called “Readalong”

Parents, your languages are an opportunity!

How to help parents become aware of the advantages of bilingualism

Primary stakeholder(s) targeted: parents

Area: Promoting informal language learning

Dimension(s): Supporting students' language development at home

View details

Language learning in daily interactions with parents

How to use short films in 13 languages to promote language in daily life for parents/guardians

Primary stakeholder(s) targeted: parents

Area: Promoting informal language learning

Dimension(s): Supporting students' language development at home

View details

We are all the same! Celebration of the Roma Day and of Romani language

How can schools and the wider community benefit from minorities and how can cultural heritage and language be used in integration and understanding?

Primary stakeholder(s) targeted: teacher students parents non-teaching staff

Area: Promoting informal language learning Attitudes towards languages

Dimension(s): Valuing students' languages Opportunities for informal language learning Promoting plurilingualism Displaying plurilingualism in the school environment

View details

Roma students are among the most underprivileged and vulnerable population of Montenegrin society. They face many challenges, including poor living standards, low educational motivation and graduating rates as well as difficulties integrating into society. Although the data show that the number of students finishing primary school is increasing, there is small progress in accepting them. Roma pupils are afraid of prejudices and stereotypes which are following them wherever they go. They are excluded because of their origin, cultural diversity and social background.
So our main goal was to make the wider local community aware of the fact that diversity, different cultures, languages and origin is great and very valuable to all of us. Inexperience leads to making prejudice. Prejudice leaves out many students without real reasons. The idea is to work on empowering our students who belong to marginalised groups. A school performance is prepared including telling poetry, acting in short drama plays and singing songs in Romani language; the food and the folk dances are presented to the audience.

Level(s) of implementation: school wider community

Age group targeted: 6-15

Language(s) of the promising practice: Romani

Tools and resources necessary to implement the idea:

Books about Roma culture and books written by Roma authors (poets and drama writers), the most famous Roma songs, recipe books about Roma cuisine.

Added value:

Present audience respond positively to the diversity; native speaker students start to question their prejudice and stereotypes; minority students develop their self- esteem and self-confidence and become motivated to develop better academic skills; teachers and parents achieve better understanding and work together on improving integration

Tips to better implement the promising practice:

Team which works on the preparation of these events must start working several months before to do the research and prepare everything. The team must have representatives from minority families, school and students.

Download: Download document

L1 supporting the language of schooling

How can L1 support language development in the language(s) of schooling?

Primary stakeholder(s) targeted: students teacher

Area: Role of language in learning Promoting informal language learning Metalinguistic awareness Developing language knowledge and skills Attitudes towards languages Awareness of language dimension

Dimension(s): Valuing students' languages Language-related concepts Improving speaking and writing skills Opportunities for informal language learning Promoting plurilingualism Plurilingualism during lessons Displaying plurilingualism in the school environment Importance of challenging activities Building upon previous knowledge and experience

View details

This video shows examples of activities and projects which underline how a school values and promotes L1 to support literacy development in the language of schooling. The school has embarked on a number of activities involving students whose first language is not the language of schooling.
The video gives voice to the students who describe the role their L1 plays in supporting the language of schooling. The activities presented include a survey of all the languages spoken in the school, a multilingual school magazine in which students translate a literary text in their L1 into English, which is in this case the language of schooling. Students also describe a peer language teaching project and how this has benefitted them. And a project in which they have to give a presentation about a cultural aspect of their home culture in English.

Level(s) of implementation: classroom school

Age group targeted: 12-18

Language(s) of the promising practice: English

Tools and resources necessary to implement the idea:

English language dictionaries, computer

Added value:

Students work collaboratively; students feel their heritage is valued by the school community; students engage and learn about their own cultural background; promote well-being and a positive sense of identity; can involve the whole of the school community.

Tips to better implement the promising practice:

Parents could support students in exploring a text in the home language or a cultural aspect for the presentation. Teachers of other subjects can be involved by guiding students in the research for the presentation, history, geography, music etc. Presentations can be delivered at assembly etc. to involve the school community. Magazine is distributed to the whole of the school community and other stakeholders.

Policy or theoretical background:

Migrant students’ linguistic and cultural background is an important part of their identity and their sense of belonging to a community. If they, and others, accept diversity, it will lead to better wellbeing.
(https://www.ncca.ie/media/2487/wellbeingguidelines_forjunior_cycle.pdf)
Literacy and Numeracy for learning and life: The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020.
(https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/lit_num_strategy_full.pdf)

Link: (Also available on ECML website) St Mark’s