Raising Attainment in Writing for EFL Pupils

Raising Attainment in Writing for EFL Pupils in Primary Schools

Kaleem Raja 1

Contents

Introduction The Structure of Language Acquisition and Writing Phonics Effective Teaching of EFL pupils Spelling Speaking and Listening and Drama Resources and Activity Ideas Conclusion

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Introduction I have compiled this paper using the knowledge I have attained through the formal study of advanced linguistics and language acquisition at university, 10 years experience of teaching EFL pupils, intervention programmes like First Steps, regular CPD in delivering the curriculum to EFL pupils and training in teaching spellings, reading and writing to children from the ages of 5 to 11.

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The Structure of Language Acquisition and Writing First and foremost those teaching EFL pupils should be aware of the process of acquiring language and that this takes a precise and systematic structure.

As infants, we first learn the simple sounds that make any language. We internalise these and when physically able to, we begin to imitate these sounds.

We learn to combine these sounds to make small units of language called words. At the same time we begin to understand that these units of sounds have meaning.

We collect increasingly more words and develop our vocabulary to be able to communicate a range of things to meet our needs.

Words are combined to make simple phrases like ‘give me’ or ‘open this’.

Phrases are then combined to make simple sentences.

Simple sentences are developed into more complex sentences.

Sentences are combined to make longer discourse like small paragraphs, which are strung together to make longer pieces of writing.

The final and fully evolved stage is one in which we have mastered the conventions of different styles of writing and are able to write a range of different texts in a diverse variety of genres for different audiences and different purposes.

In graph form, speech and writing development is as follows:

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Phonics Listening to and imitating the sounds that make up the language

Graphics Learning the most common graphemes that make the phonemes and forming letters to begin writing these graphemes

Word level Forming words, learning the meaning of words and developing vocabulary

Sentence level Combining words to make phrases and combining phrases to make sentences.

Simple sentences give way to complex ones

Text level Sentences are combined to make longer pieces of writing with increasing complexity and stylistic range

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Phonics The foundations of language is phonics. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in all languages and it is from this linguistic germ that all language grows.

The bank of phonics, therefore, that a child acquires in the first 3 years of its life is absolutely critical.

This phonics knowledge should take formal guidance from 3 onwards with nursery, reception and then into year 1 within the formal setting and structure of a class room when the child is 5.

Those teaching EFL should have a sound grounding in phonetics or at least its rudimentary basics such an awareness that the English language is made up of 44 sounds and what these sounds are.

There must be some understanding of simple phonemes, vowel sounds and dipthongs.

This must be accompanied by a firm grasp of the variety of graphemes that make these sounds. For instance that -ch can make a ‘ch’ sound but also a ‘k’ sound. That the ‘ee’ sound can be made by –ee, -y, -ea, -ey. Etc. In order for EFL children to understand the subtle but huge differences between sounds, EFL teachers need to be fluent speakers of the language and good language models of English speakers.

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Effective Teaching of EFL Pupils The fact that for Nada pupils English is an additional language has significant implications for teaching and learning in the school.

Staff could be made aware of the issues regarding the teaching of EFL pupils. Much research has been done into such matters and intervention programmes for the teaching of EFL pupils such as the First Steps initiative, to name but one, have outlined how to best raise attainment of EFL pupils.

These recommendations include: 1. Multi-lingualism. Multi-lingual pupils learn best when links are made between the languages they speak and the additional language they are learning. A multi-lingual approach should therefore be taken with resources used in lessons activities, reading and library books, display boards and speaking and listening activities.

2. A visual approach to teaching. Posters, graphs, pictures, animations, etc should be deployed as much as possible as visual cues. Text heavy resources should be kept to a minimum. Drama and the arts should be used to deliver the curriculum.

3. Scaffolding. Activities should be aided with writing frames, modelling of tasks by teachers and illustrated texts.

4. Have spelling and vocabulary log books to broaden their banks of sight words, phonics and vocabulary.

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Reading Speech comes before literacy.

We learn to speak before we learn to read and write.

To help EFL pupils to develop their reading skills, use visual aids to encourage them to speak first.

Picture books can be used to develop verbal discussion.

This can then be followed by simple texts which are made up of sight words and simple CVC words (consonant-vowelconsonant words. For instance c-a-t. Cat.) Sight word knowledge can be developed by using flash cards and worksheets.

Board and flashcard games can also be used to help to build on children’s bank of sight words.

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Spelling Working at a phonic and lexical level, spellings are vital to the development of reading and writing.

As well as being used to teach vocabulary, spellings should be used to teach: - Affixes - Graphemes and phonemes - Etymology - Inflections - Grammar For effective spelling teaching, it is not enough to administer a list of words.

Spellings need to be accompanied with the teaching of spelling skills. Spelling skills should include a knowledge of syllabication, common letter strings, mnemonic strategies, finding words within words, suffixes and prefixes, spelling rules and exceptions, and derivations.

In their writing key spelling mistakes should be highlighted and the pupils to rewrite the corrections 5 times.

Spelling log books could be deployed for pupils to record their common errors as well being used by them for asking for help from adults with challenging words.

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Speaking and Listening and Drama Key to teaching EFL pupils is the inclusion of speaking and listening skills and the use of drama.

Speaking and Listening Skills Pupils, and especially EFL pupils, need opportunities to articulate their ideas, beyond just through their writing. The improvement of speaking and listening skills correlates with the improvement in reading and writing skills.

Ergo, lesson activities where possible need to include speaking and listening activities.

Group activities, paired work and Talk Partners, in which pupils are assigned a different talking partner in the class every week, are a good way to provide speaking and listening opportunities.

Drama Visual, interactive, kinaesthetic, fun and creative, drama is an excellent way to engage pupils and to help them to access the curriculum in an imaginative and lateral way.

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Resources and Activity Ideas Phonics The Jolly Phonics handbook by Sue Lloyd contains a wide variety of ideas, activities, worksheets and other resources that can be used to teach the 44 sounds of the English language.

Songs, nursery rhymes and choral poems are an excellent way to help children to distinguish and identify different sound patterns.

Digraphs, Trigraphs and Common Letter Strings Many spelling scheme books as well worksheets have a limitless supply of activities to help with the teaching of digraphs (2 letters that make one sound , like ay- to make a long ‘a’ sounds as in ‘day’), trigraphs (3 letters that make one sound, like tio- to make a ‘sh’ sound) and common letter strings (2-3 sounds that are frequently blended in many common words, like str- as in strange, straight, strip, etc) Vocabulary and Word Formation Sight words can be learnt using various illustrated sight word worksheets or through the use of flash cards.

These can be used to play snap and other card games or sent home as homework.

CVC cubes can be used to begin making simple words.

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Sentence Level Scramble activities can be used to unscramble sentences on cut up print outs.

Cloze procedure exercises are also helpful here.

Completion sentences can extend children where the beginning of sentences is given and they have to complete them.

Text Level Comic strips are a great way of introducing EFL to longer narratives and texts.

Writing frames, story planner flow diagrams and other scaffolded activities help them to work towards text level.

Shared and guided writing are also important components in helping EFL pupils to become independent writers.

Websites and other Resources The following websites have a wide plethora of teaching resources, ideas and activities: - Primary resources - Coxhoe primary - TES - Teach it - Sparkle box 12

- Standards website for English in England, Scotland and Wales - Teacher net There are endless interactive language games on an array of websites.

The internet offers a treasure trove of information and resources.

Multi media in the form of films, audio recordings, music and educational children’s TV programmes is also very useful in teaching EFL pupils and helping them towards being fluent speakers, readers and writers of the English language.

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Conclusion This paper was not designed to be a definitive guide to EFL teaching but it outlines the key points in teaching English to speakers of other languages.

This document has used some technical jargon and assumes the reader has basic understanding of linguistics.

As such, this paper needs a glossary and the guidelines here need expanding on in the form of a staff inset where examples can be given, questions answered, exercises and activities undertaken by the audience to consolidate understanding and application of the information imparted and the resources provided.

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