Dear All,
If term has not started for you yet then I am sure it will be soon. Our term started on Wednesday and as always it is lovely to welcome new children and see lots of familiar faces from the year before.

Last week we had an induction programme for the new staff and I took a 30-minute slot to talk too them about the implications for language of working in an Internationally –Minded International School. I used this clip from Ethine Gallagher to illustrate my point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tFA0lPeSjU&feature=player_embedded
The clip proved very powerful and popular so we showed it again to the whole staff on Monday morning too.

I have also had a pile of books in different languages delivered to add to our school library. I have asked all the class teachers to actively promote this with their classes on their first trip to the library. To highlight this section I worked with our library staff to put up an interactive display outside the library, which includes copies of the books and general questions about language.

Part of my new role this year includes managing the Primary after-school language activities and I have been meeting with some of the providers o discuss their programmes and put this info. on the school database ready for parents next week. This is one are that needs a lot of work.

In my own year group the class teachers have been asking the children about their home languages and we sent home a sheet asking parents t o help the children write ‘welcome’ and ‘hello’ in their home languages so they can copy these ready for a display to put up before our Parent Briefing Meeting next week. Year 5 are also starting “ A Language a Week’ using this website as inspiration.

http://www.newburypark.redbridge.sch.uk/langofmonth/

Well that is what my first few days have looked like in terms of my position of responsibility, the rest of the time has been filled with teaching and getting to know the EAL children I am going to be working with .

It would be great to hear and share how others have started their terms.

Enjoy the weeks ahead.

Jane