How can you welcome children into your classroom who are new to English?
First, create a display that says welcome. The quickest way is to download our welcome display resources: https://www.reallearners.co.uk/product/welcome-display/ . These are colourful, bright, and easy to stick on a door or wall for instant impact. If you need to add a language, the template can be easily copied and reproduced with the help of Google translate.
Next, make sure that a newly arrived pupil knows where things are in your room. Our drawer labels are highly visual and free to download: https://www.reallearners.co.uk/product/drawer-labels/.
By labelling drawers, your pupils will be able to navigate their way around the classroom and learn new vocabulary more easily.
In addition, if a new pupil has very little or no English, you can include them in the classroom routines by giving them jobs to do. For example, giving out scissors, collecting books, sorting whiteboards etc.
Each of these roles will be made easier with clearly labelled drawers. And it will include new pupils into the classroom routines in a positive and meaningful way while they are learning to cope with their new environment.
You can help pupils make sense of the day by having a clear, visual timetable on display. Click here to see our free resources: https://www.reallearners.co.uk/product/visual-timetable/. Knowing what is happening and when, enables newly arrived pupils to cope with unfamiliar classroom routines.
This is especially important if a child is from a culture where the classroom is physically different or where the expectations, rules and routines are completely different.
Newly arrived pupils who are beginners of English will find a whole day in school exhausting.
This is because of a change in routine, the unfamiliar environment, and the need to function in a language that they do not understand.
Having visual clues around to help them navigate the daily routine will be a lifeline for them.
Finally, prepared draw and coat peg labels with the children’s names on. This will not only help you to learn their names, it will also help to orientate the children in the new, alien space they have just entered.