Welcoming bilingual children
Killermont Primary School Nursery Class
"A Multi-Lingual Introduction to the Nursery"
For many children, attending nursery may be their first experience of interacting with others without the support of their family or carers. This experience is even more daunting for children whose first language is not English. This project sets out to use computer technology in an innovative way to support these children and ensure that their home language is valued and encouraged in the nursery.
Update
Our project involves the creation of a computer program, designed to help support new children as they make the transition from home to nursery, particularly those for whom English is not their first language. A digital camera (JamC@m) was used to take photographs of children following the nursery routines. Clicker software was used to present these, together with a written and spoken commentary in English and voice recordings in other home languages. The voice recordings were made with the help of parents, children and staff. The recordings are accessed by clicking on icons at the side of the screen, featuring a different character for each language. Children can scroll backwards and forwards between pages by clicking on arrows at the bottom of the screen. The final page is linked to the start of the program, to give continuous play if required.
We introduced the program at the start of January, when we received our new intake of children. At the same time, we introduced a Living Book (Grandma and Me) to our current class. Both programs were available, throughout the month, to all of the children during free play and lists were kept to monitor the children's use of each. The children have expressed delight at seeing and hearing themselves and familiar adults on the computer. Several children have demonstrated great pleasure at hearing their first language featured as part of the program. All who have used the program have shown an interest in hearing other languages spoken, including Japanese; Urdu; Punjabi; French and Dutch. Plans are underway to add Gaelic; Welsh; Cantonese; German and Malay. Further languages may be added as the range of languages spoken by nursery children increases.
It has been most encouraging to note that our in-house program is proving almost as popular as the commercially produced one (140 and 176 recorded uses respectively in the first three weeks). What we have noticed, however, is that the new children make comparatively little use of both programs. Our early observations suggest that this may be because new children tend to choose more familiar activities, which relate to their home experiences; or to remain in the areas monitored by their own key workers.
We believe that there may be a case for directing children towards the computer program, rather than leaving it to choice. It is too early yet to say whether the program does help new children to learn the routines. However, should this prove to be the case, we would want to ensure that those children most requiring support are helped to use the program. In the meantime, we intend to give demonstrations of the program, as planned group lessons, in the hope that this will increase the children's confidence in using it. We also plan to talk to the children about which features of each program they particularly enjoy or dislike. This information will be used to make modifications to the program, where possible, and when designing future programs.
Contact Details
Karen Shepherd
Killermont Primary School Nursery Class
1 Aviemore Gardens
Bearsden
Glasgow
G61 2BL
tel: 0141 942 0359
karenmshepherd@hotmail.com