Supporting bilingual children
Pre-School Category
City of Edinburgh English as an Additional Language Service,
Edinburgh
Project Description:
'Bilingualism in Early Years Learning'
Promoting the development of pre and early literacy skills in the home language for bilingual children contributes significantly to their ability to develop competency in their second language (English). By using Urdu word processing software and a portable computer for a variety of activities, this project seeks to improve provision of bilingual support for children in several Early Primary and Nursery classes.
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Final Report: June 2002
This project involves the use of Urdu word-processing software installed on an iBook (portable computer) and a digital camera in nursery classes and early primary classes across Edinburgh.
We intend to use this to promote the development of early literacy skills for bilingual (Punjabi/Urdu speaking) pupils and to facilitate improved home-school communications.
We had a a slow start to the project because of delays in receiving the software and hardware. Our iBook and digital camera arrived at the beginning of November and our Urdu package (Nastaliq Nizami for Apple Macintosh) arrived from Pakistan. There was considerable research required to find an Urdu software package compatible with the Mac. This software also needs to be used in conjunction with Adobe Pagemaker.
Learning Curve
It has been a steep learning curve for nursery staff, our bi-lingual support assistants and our ICT Officer. Planning with DO Early Years, bi-lingual support assistants and a nursery teacher have been successful. One of our bi-lingual support assistants has also taken the iBook into the nursery to write the childrens' names in English and Urdu to use as labels for pegs and snack time. We have made customised signs, labels and parent information leaflets for each nursery that the bi-lingual support assistants work in.Technical Issues
The children were fascinated by the whole process. The main glitch arose with the printer, but we eventually persuaded it to accept both languages!! We have become more ambitious using the Urdu software but have found the version of Adobe PageMaker we have on our up-to-the-minute iBook is incompatible with the Urdu software. This means we are unable to manipulate text and graphics as we want to.We have had great difficulty getting the Urdu word processing software to work within PageMaker. Accessing support via the suppliers of the software, email contact with the manufacturers in Pakistan and various local ICT support workers has also proved difficult due to the lack of experience in this type of work. Ultimately an ICT support officer from ITSU (Kenny Kinear) has helped us to overcome our difficulties through his skills in PageMaker and determination to solve the problem. Success would not have been possible without his help.
Nursery Staff
Changes in staffing have added further complications as staff using this software must be literate in Urdu and be ICT literate! However, despite all this we have succeeded, though the timescale has been very challenging.
Our ICT skills are developing rapidly although it sometimes seems as if we are going one step forward and three back!! Our bi-lingual support assistants are also becoming more confident ICT users and and enjoying using their Urdu skills.
Benefits for Learners
We have found improved home school communication with bi-lingual families who have children in Early Years establishments and greater status and improved self-esteem for bi-lingual families.The equipment has helped us develop pre-early literacy skills in L1 for ethnic minority pupils, and an increased awareness of the linguistic and cultural diversity within the schools, Early Years staff, pupils and their parents.
Next Steps
Feedback from pupils and staff in the nurseries has been very positive. At the start of the next session we will issue parents with questionnaires in Urdu or hold 'interviews' for formal evaluation. We also hope to extend our work into other Early Years establishments![Top]
Contact Details
Luan Porter
City of Edinburgh EAL Service
41 Bellevue Place
Edinburgh
EH7 4BS
tel: 0131 556 6198
luan.porter@eal.edin.sch.uk
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