New Eal Child - No English At All

[Guest]

hi there,

 

Just discovered I am getting a Polish child in my reception class. met her today.

 

She is really sweet, seems sensible and happy. She speaks no english (she only arrived from Poland 2 days ago) Mum and dad speak nil english either. I had to use a dictionary to try to explain things and my acting is not that great! God knows how she will complete the entry form. I couldn't explain that she had to write her name etc. I think the husbands employer will help with that.

 

i don't have a problem teaching the child (I am happy that she will learn english quickly, I have taught children with EAL (no english) before)

 

I am just concerned as she will be the only Polish child in the school and will be very isolated. The children i've taught before have had someone to translate (ie a child in another class or a parent who has a little english. This child has no-one (there's no polish people in the area) I'm just panicking that I won't be able to help her if I can't understand her (when she's frightened/upset/missing friends/needs something)

 

I've began searching for resources, learning Polish words etc, and have been taking photographs to provide pictorial clues for her. (I've got an ASD child, so I can adapt a lot of his social stories.)

 

Anyone in a similar situation with an isolated child? Would appreciate any practical tips!!!!!!!!!! We are all looking forward to her joining us.

 

Thanks in anticipation (just realised this post is more like thinking out loud. Sorry!)

 

moo

[Guest]

hi there,

 

Just discovered I am getting a Polish child in my reception class. met her today.

 

She is really sweet, seems sensible and happy. She speaks no english (she only arrived from Poland 2 days ago) Mum and dad speak nil english either. I had to use a dictionary to try to explain things and my acting is not that great! God knows how she will complete the entry form. I couldn't explain that she had to write her name etc. I think the husbands employer will help with that.

 

i don't have a problem teaching the child (I am happy that she will learn english quickly, I have taught children with EAL (no english) before)

 

I am just concerned as she will be the only Polish child in the school and will be very isolated. The children i've taught before have had someone to translate (ie a child in another class or a parent who has a little english. This child has no-one (there's no polish people in the area) I'm just panicking that I won't be able to help her if I can't understand her (when she's frightened/upset/missing friends/needs something)

 

I've began searching for resources, learning Polish words etc, and have been taking photographs to provide pictorial clues for her. (I've got an ASD child, so I can adapt a lot of his social stories.)

 

Anyone in a similar situation with an isolated child? Would appreciate any practical tips!!!!!!!!!! We are all looking forward to her joining us.

 

Thanks in anticipation (just realised this post is more like thinking out loud. Sorry!)

 

moo

y hev

we don't have any non-english speaking children at the moment but would welcome them as we already have policies and procedures in place to include them.

it might be a good idea for your setting to put into place eventualities that may not occur - but in the foreseable future may occur - as you may do - good practice for your QA!!!

[mundia]

hi there moo, this happens often to us, a child with another language from the 14 we already had. Its amazing how quickly they learn though, following their friends, and using your pictorial or visual cues. We went through this on the other side as parents of a 4 year old who didn't speak the local language, and she just absorbed everything and became fluent inside 6 months.

I think lots of smiles and reassurances will help, perhaps team her her with a sensible and helpful child, who will 'look after her'. Im sure you will find she will have a few words of English or some other way of making herself understood before you know it.

[Guest]

Please could someone explain how to make a social story. Is it a photographic book with captions or words?

[Guest]

A small rural primary school in our area had a Polish child with no English. They found the English child who became her friend picked up Polish rather than the other way round!

[Guest]

Thanx for your replies!

 

She's settled in really well and is desperate to learn. I initially thot id let her settle before i started with letters and numbers, but she's forced me into teaching her sounds and numbers. She's even going to her first party on Friday!

Thanx again

xxx

[Guest]

Please could someone explain how to make a social story. Is it a photographic book with captions or words?

 

Hi kermit

 

A social story is a pictorial and words story showing a child what to do eg at playtime, lunchtime etc. I use it lots for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, but they've proved to be useful for the little girl who speaks no english. Hope this is useful!

[HappyMaz]

Hi kermit

 

A social story is a pictorial and words story showing a child what to do eg at playtime, lunchtime etc. I use it lots for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, but they've proved to be useful for the little girl who speaks no english. Hope this is useful!

Have you had trainaing to write social stories moo? In our Borough we were told only one person has been trained to write them... also I haven't seen any that have pictures - the ones we have been using have words only.

 

Maz

[hali]

we had a chinese child a few years ago with no english and i just used picture cards to explain things and activities, only took one term for child to understand us and two terms for her english to be understandable

[Marion]

I know this is an old post but I found out on Friday I'm getting a little Polish boy starting in my class and I found this site which looks useful