Talking their language with Helen Bodell

Episode Thirty Two - Supporting EAL Learners to Succeed in Handwriting:In this episode we speak to Bethany Harris. Bethany Harris is the Handwriting and English Intervention Product Owner at Twinkl. With a specialisation in Primary English and teaching experience in schools across the UK, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Kuwait, Bethany brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Prior to joining Twinkl, she served as an English Lead for several years. Her unwavering passion is to lead her team in creating high-quality resources that not only captivate and educate children but also support teachers in achieving a healthy work/life balance.If you would like to sign up to Twinkl EAL please follow this link: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3You can download our FREE EAL Membership Guide here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gldloAll of our Twinkl EAL resources can be found by clicking here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63tBook free tickets for our online CPD sessions: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/the-twinkl-eal-collection-2587299

Susan Stewart, Director at Articulate Multilingual and seasoned educator, dives into the world of multilingualism and its impact on education. She discusses the importance of understanding language portraits to enhance student learning and family dynamics. Susan emphasizes the need for strong connections between schools and multilingual families, advocating for parent engagement through innovative strategies like community English classes. The episode highlights fostering trust, supporting identity expression, and creating inclusive environments that celebrate linguistic diversity.

Episode Thirty - Why It Works - Fostering Independence:We are back with our Why It Works series and we’ve got Dr Robert Sharples here today and our very own Jo Thomson. We are focusing this episode on ‘What do I need to do differently to make this year a success’. I think a huge part of it is creating and developing independence in your EAL learners and in your staff to ensure you (if you’re listening as the EAL lead) don’t have to take all of the work on on our own. If you would like to sign up to Twinkl EAL please follow this link: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3You can download our FREE EAL Membership Guide here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gldloAll of our Twinkl EAL resources can be found by clicking here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63tBook free tickets for our online CPD sessions: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/the-twinkl-eal-collection-2587299

Jo Thomson, an expert in EAL and vocabulary teaching, and Dr. Robert Sharples, a leading authority on vocabulary acquisition, share their insights on the critical role of pre-teaching vocabulary for EAL learners. They discuss the importance of context and repetition in language learning. Practical strategies for involving parents in vocabulary instruction are highlighted, along with effective collaboration techniques for teachers and teaching assistants. Their expert tips aim to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment for bilingual students.

Episode Twenty-Eight - Outdoor Learning & EAL with Sabah MalikIn this episode we interview Sabah Malik on the topic of outdoor learning within EYFS. Sabah Malik has been working in senior leadership over the last 10 years across London. She is currently working in a large infant school in Hillingdon and lead the Early Years including a 120 place nursery. She has a Masters in Leadership and Management looking specifically in her dissertation, in the important role parents play as early educators, supporting accelerated learning and progress. Sabah has a keen interest in wellbeing, coaching and staff development and lead on developing a bespoke CPD training schedule for staff including new teachers and ITT. Recently she has been working alongside other schools in developing the curriculum offer as we work through the post pandemic education recovery plan.If you would like to sign up to Twinkl EAL please follow this link: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3You can download our FREE EAL Membership Guide here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gldloAll of our Twinkl EAL resources can be found by clicking here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63t

Episode Twenty Seven - Supporting Multilingual Teens with Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori:In this episode we talk to Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori about his new book ‘In Search of the Lost Words’ which is aimed at multilingual teens. We talk about how we can support multilingual teens at home and in the classroom.Who is Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori? Yoshito is half-French and half-Japanese, and was raised bilingually and bi-culturally in France. He is now a French and Spanish teacher in a secondary school in England, and is raising his two sons to be multilingual, multicultural, and multi-literate.Growing up, he happily endorsed, and has always felt empowered by his role of "bridge" between the French and Japanese cultures. Helping others communicate and understand each other despite their cultural differences naturally became a passion!Becoming a dad made him reflect on the values he wanted to pass on to his sons. And more importantly he started thinking about how he could help them be(come) happy, fulfilled, and accomplished individuals.The answer he found was: "Knowing who you are and being proud of it". For a bi/multilingual child, part of this identity is found in the languages they master. Being able to speak a language can help them connect with people, and to feel part of a culture / community. And knowing how to read and write in that language adds a layer of independence.As a teenager, not being able to read as easily in Japanese as he could in French, he would see the gap between his command of both his languages grow even bigger. Therefore, with his sons, it has always been a big priority to gift them with the ability to read and write in all their languages.As he started his Instagram account (@multilingual_dad) to document his multilingual parenting journey, he realised quickly that his expertise in teaching languages could benefit many families. It was also apparent very quickly that the way information is stored on social media, was only helpful up to a certain level.This is how he came to writing The Parents' Guide to Raising Multi-literate Children and creating this website: https://www.library4multilinguals.com/about-the-library-4-multilingualsIf you would like to sign up to Twinkl EAL please follow this link: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3You can download our FREE EAL Membership Guide here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gldloAll of our Twinkl EAL resources can be found by clicking here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63t

In this discussion, Jo Thomson, an expert in building inclusive school communities, and Dr. Robert Sharples, an experienced educator, delve into the importance of fostering inclusivity in education. They share practical strategies for integrating language diversity into school culture. Key topics include enhancing communication with EAL families, creating welcoming environments, and recognizing diverse language backgrounds. They emphasize how valuing multilingualism not only supports academic performance but also boosts students' confidence and sense of belonging.

Episode Twenty Five - EYFS and EAL with Denise AmankwahDenise has just completed her Masters in Education where she specialised in Language and Literacy. She also has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics. Generally, she has always been interested in languages. Denise currently works as a Speech and Language Advisor on a project called the London EAL project at Speech and Language UK, formerly known as I CAN. Her professional background has always mainly been in the Early Years sector, she has worked as a Senior Early Years Practitioner in a multilingual school and as a remote Early Years Teacher. She has also had lots of research assistant roles in between and the research was always focused on Language and Literacy. Denise is also Ghanaian by heritage and loves giving back to Ghanaian schools in a number of ways.If you would like to sign up to Twinkl EAL please follow this link: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3You can download our FREE EAL Membership Guide here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gldloAll of our Twinkl EAL resources can be found by clicking here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63t

In this discussion, Dr. Robert Sharples, a renowned EAL author, and Jo Thomson, a Twinkl EAL Content Writer, dive into the world of multilingual classrooms. They emphasize the importance of integrating home languages and translanguaging techniques to enhance student learning. The conversation highlights practical strategies for fostering inclusive environments that value linguistic diversity. Additionally, they explore how technology can empower multilingual students, encouraging independence and confidence in their language skills.

Episode Twenty Three - The JONK approach with Marcelo Staricoff Marcelo is the author of ‘The Joy of Not Knowing’ (Routledge, 2021) and a former scientist and Primary School Headteacher. Marcelo is a Lecturer in Education at the University of Sussex and joint course leader of the BA Primary and Early Years Programme. Marcelo has recently worked on behalf of UNICEF with policy makers, educators and textbook writers to help implement a reformed national curriculum in Uzbekistan. Marcelo also works for Coram, the children’s charity, runs courses and acts as an advisor to a number of schools and educational organisations and speaks regularly at national and international events on the principles that underpin the Joy of Not Knowing’s philosophy of education and school leadership. Marcelo is also the author of Start Thinking (Imaginative Minds, 2005) and has published widely in the fields of creative, critical, multilingual, multicultural and philosophical thinking and learning in the classroom. Marcelo is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Education (APPG) and a Trustee of the Laurel Trust and Chair of the Michael Aldrich Foundation. Marcelo’s work and his contributions to education wererecognised in 2019 by being named as a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and in 2023 when he became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.Read our blog: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/blog/ealIf you would like to sign up to Twinkl EAL please follow this link: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3You can download our FREE EAL Membership Guide here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gldloAll of our Twinkl EAL resources can be found by clicking here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63t