Learning Village joins the #naldic28 conference as one of our Gold Sponsors. In this guest post, Learning Village introduces the EAL programme in the context of the shift to online and blended learning caused by the current pandemic situation.
Transitioning successfully between home and school learning has been the challenge of every affected school and learner, across the globe, since the onset of the pandemic. We still struggle to comprehend the enormous scale of the implication for change. Schools have worked fast and effectively to support their pupils, but despite this, many pupils have found the new and unpredictable learning landscape to be challenging, especially those who are new to English or who don’t yet have the English language skills necessary to successfully access their lessons.
One striking change has been the turn to blended or hybrid learning: a system that enables pupils to learn both offline and online, in school and out of school.
The Learning Village is an image-based English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme for learners aged 6-18 years. Suitable for learners of any language background, it is also ideal for learners who are not yet literate. It follows a blended or hybrid approach, with a comprehensive online programme supported by offline, teacher-directed learning.
Blended or hybrid learning is useful for several reasons:
• online learning allows pupils to consolidate previous learning or to pre-learn material in a supported and scaffolded way, whilst providing educators with detailed assessment information.
• pupils can access their personalised learning account at school or at home, allowing for a seamless learning experience across different environments.
• schools are prepared and able to support EAL pupils if classes or year groups have to close, as learning can swiftly switch to a virtual model.
The Learning Village can be adapted to fit different teaching situations. Here are some key reflections from schools across the world who have used the Learning Village to support their EAL learners during this time.
1. Teachers report that learning from home is slower and is often having to be achieved without much adult support or routine. Schools are working hard to make things manageable, sending out a lot of scaffolded material, spaced out over time.
2. Schools have had to make efforts to find out what resources their learners have at home. Some learners are unable to access virtual learning at all and are wholly reliant on physical resources. The Learning Village has been a tremendously useful tool to support these learners. Online and offline learning in the Learning Village can mirror each other, thanks to our scaffolded, printable resources that support each lesson in our three learning journeys.
3. Schools report that positive engagement has a direct impact on the motivation levels of their pupils. Educators have used the Learning Village to set up competitions amongst pupils. Additionally, other strategies, such as personal messages, certificates and achievement markers, have been important in the fight against learning dips.
During this difficult period, schools have demonstrated their importance and have been shown to be the beating heart at the centre of our communities. Teachers’ ability to change and adapt have been key. We are proud to have been a part of that.
Learning Village are a Gold Sponsor for NALDIC’s 2020 National Conference. This post is an advertisement.
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