Teaching and learning

When thinking about this, it is essential to remember, as Gravelle (2000: 3) says, that: ‘Bilingual children have an entitlement to education and a personal need to continue to develop their conceptual understanding. Learning cannot be placed on hold while language catches up.’ This places a great deal of responsibility on educators to make sure that bilingual learners can understand the curriculum immediately. It is here that educators need to use nonlinguistic forms of communication to supplement the linguistic ones, through gesture and action, visual materials, practical activities, outings and role play. Repetition, re-wording and expansion of texts for clarification can all be utilized at various stages of bilingual learners’ development. ‘Vygotsky (1962, 1978) argues that, with the teacher’s help, learners can do today what they will be able to do independently tomorrow’ (Wrigley, 2000: 18). Wrigley suggests that this applies to language and experience. He thinks that if experience accompanies academic language throughout early bilingual learning and teaching, then gradually bilingual learners will be able to use the language without the experience, in a more abstract way, later on. A great deal of experience is required over and over again especially for new bilingual learners, because they frequently do not have the basic knowledge that English learners have about all the curriculum materials.

Discussion

Take a look at one particular National Curriculum topic area, perhaps in Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3. To be able to understand the language and the context of the information and material, what do learners need to know already? What does this mean for bilingual learners and how can educators ensure they are not disadvantaged?

For example, look at a history topic covered in Key Stage 2. A lot of the initial discussions on food, shelter, transport, etc., will be built upon work and understanding already gained in Key Stage 1.

The other point to remember here is that although individuals may not have any understanding of English, of England or of the National Curriculum, they often do have rich and extensive knowledge about their own culture and country. Educators can use this to help develop language and joint respect for each other’s cultures.