20.06.08
Primary schools going bilingual
A new bilingual calendar chart designed to enable British children to communicate with their Polish classmates meets the needs of primary schools in Bournemouth.
THRASS (Teaching Handwriting Reading And Spelling Skills) UK announced the launch of the free interactive learning tool this week.
The chart includes voice recordings and helps children of all ages learn numbers, dates, colours and the alphabet in Polish.
The simple device reflects the reality in British schools. Head teacher at St. Clement’s and Bethany Schools Stephen Orman said that most children who arrived from Poland did not speak any English.
The schools are located in one of the most culturally diverse areas of Bournemouth. One third of the schools’ pupils are foreign and numbers are increasing rapidly. Mr Orman said: “It has been a steep learning curve for our staff, how to start off these children who may be able learners in their own countries and yet are starting from scratch in English.”
Teacher for English as an additional language Andrea Gritt said foreign children generally needed more visuals to learn the language.
The schools are encouraging children to keep up their Polish. Miss Gritt said: “If they continue to speak and hopefully read in their first language they pick up other languages much quicker, including English.”
More news
04.07.08 | Do you speak Ponglish?
27.06.08 | Poles angry at Star slur
13.06.08 | "Euro orphans": One in ten Polish fathers has left