Page 46: My EAL Robot

 Page 46: My EAL Robot ...

What joy I had. For a recent assignment, created a resource, linking to the school I was working with in Thailand producing an EAL scheme, I delved into the vocabulary set 'the body' further, for my first assignment in BA3. The brief was to produce a 2500 equivalent annotated resource for a specific group of pupils. I throughly enjoyed producing this resource, exploring EAL material, learning through my research to produce a high quality not just resource but scheme of work. As I nervously await my assignment marking and result, today I am sharing what I liked to call my 'Loveable Language Robot' and how this interactive resource can be incorporated into any Early Years- KS1 classroom. 

Before I delve into my Robot and the fantastic class and learning potential from it, I will briefly share a synopsis of the scheme if work for 'the body'. The language is introduced through the whole class robot, and a class discussion, creation and labelling. This is then a key area in the classroom that adapts throughout time. In specific regard to the EAL language learning, it starts with using flashcards, to introduce the language and build a basic foundation. It then progresses through 5 activities, building upon each other and covering a range of additional objectives such as expressive arts and design junk modelling, and mathematics subitizing and 1-1 counting. It is without a doubt key to note the plethora of social benefits working through the scheme brings to the purpose, not just improving pupils english knowledge, application and confidence, but their social skills such as working together, turning taking and discussion in this setting.

Activity 1: Our Body 

On a large roll of paper, draw around a pupil, starting from the head and progressing down, label our body together. After labelling, provide each child one of the EAL flashcards, to correct to the match body part/label.

Activity 2: Body Song

Following on from watching a video, pupils to join in with singing head, shoulders knees and toes. This keeps the pupils active and engaged. The repetition and pattern is vital in establishing a deeper knowledge and application.

Activity 3: Simon Says

This simple game and listening and attention activity is fantastic. Following on from teacher modelling, pupils to take turn in leading the game, choosing a body key word and identifying on themselves. It is a short and quick activity so these young learners short attention spans are still engaged and actively learning as well as getting all group member's involved and learning at all times.

Activity 4: Our Body Board Game

Board game is used to consolidate learning and draw from all aspects covered in previous activities. Using the same images and fonts from the flashcards, provides continuity and allows progress to be demonstrate and measured. Can additionally be adapted easily the way you play, differentiated to the needs of the specific group. Also covering key early number skill, counting board pieces (1-1 counting) and using a dice (subitizing and cardinal principle for 1-1 count).

Activity 5: Individual junk modelling and labelling body

With influence from the school class robot and example, pupils to use recycling to junk model their own people/creatures/monsters/robots.  After creating their masterpiece, supplements by paining, cutting and sticking, using a range of arts materials, working on expressive arts and design skills, pupils are to label, similarly to the class model the body parts of their creation.

The Robot ...

When deciding on a resource to make, I immediately knew that I wanted to create something to stand out in the classroom, provide enquiry and stimulate interest for pupils and to be versatile/adaptive to cover a wide range of differentiation and need in the class. This 'loveable language robot' can be used as part of a class display and provision area, surrounded by blown up key vocabulary words and flashcards, labels and headings. Incorporating this into the classroom allows the children to have to change to engage and learn with so freely in continuous provision. In this classroom set up, using the same images, fonts and talk around it, allows pupils to make connections from the high quality taught activities in the scheme, connecting prior and new learning in the process of transferring knowledge into long term memory from the short term. 

Delving in slightly further ...

Let's start with the mouth! Illustrating the fact that teeth are inside the both can be quite a challenging concept. I was thrilled to find this capri sun box that I could imply as a usual mouth, illustrating the teeth inside. I am also able to place things in there in the classroom such as pencils and pens that can be used alongside the resources indie the robot (see below).  Junk modelling has large creative freedom and interpretation, with creating this, to predominately highlight and start with 'the body' language, I choose objects and shapes, shaping traditional body parts, two round eyes, one long nose etc so when initially learning pupils are able to relate and draw connections more easily.

This is really the key element and what makes the resource stand out from a traditional, non useable junk modelling statue. It allows my resource to be accessible for all children and any time, and become a key part of the daily provision. The open 'stomach' also a range of differentiated resources linked to the learning to be placed inside and incorporated into the days provision areas. In additional to flashcards and aspects from the EAL scheme, able to cover the classes whole need. For example, if wanting to focus the robot on hand writing on the writing table for the week, can with writing tracing and copying activities, matching activities and other games.

Throughout today's page, I feel I have demonstrated how it can be linked and used in my EAL scheme, supported by incorporation into continuous provision and individual activities. When this topic is complete, the flexibility and adaptive nature of my resource can greatly benefit other topics and the wider classroom learning opportunities outside of language. An example of so is becoming a mathematics monster! With a quick display title change, can fill the stomach with items to 1-1 count, or subitize, working on key mathematics skills. It could additionally be used in communication and language lessons. Filled with small word objects that pupils have to organise and discuss.

I feel there is still so much potential and aspects I can share about this resource, but I will sum it up here for today! I am so pleased to be on placement again, so I am able to use my resources I create to engage and adopt for my class. It makes me so excited and grateful that for this time in a year, I will hopefully have my own classes, creating these resources and scheme to use myself filling my classroom with active, engaging, practical learning tools.

For today's quote, I feel when considering it metaphorically it is quite fitting in terms of the learning potential,  personal academic and social growth that can be stemmed from really a mystery (literally full of fun, engaging and academically beneficial surprises) brings to the pupils:

"We are fascinated by robots are they are reflections of ourselves" - Ken Goldberg

- Miss Yeoman