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Zoe Bullen - Curriculum Lead and Katherine Robertson - English Lead

\nFinding creative ways to help children enjoy learning and reading is a perennial teaching challenge—one that The Oaks Primary School in Bolton has been tackling head-on with their stunning ‘curriculum doorways’. \nSitting right outside the classrooms of each year group, these themed displays are designed to be visually stimulating as well as educational. We spoke with Curriculum Lead Zoe Bullen and English Lead Katherine Robertson to find out more. 

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Curriculum Doorways: sparking curious minds with creative classroom displays

James Styring has been an English Language Teacher and writer for over 30 years and is currently using the \nEnglish for Everyone\n series in his classroom to assist with refugees learning English in and around Oxford. In our interview James discussed the importance of a clear, modular programme being paired with engaging activities to best help refugees to master the English language.\nAfter being approached by a local refugee action group, James set up an English language class programme to help with the growing demand in the area for English language learning. Having recruited a team of twelve teachers, they began offering free lessons weekly, in eight different classes as well as one conversation class.\nUsing English for Everyone as a clear and structured syllabus\nIn May James met with the first group of students, most of whom were adults over 30. He found that most were ranking at an English level of A1, in line with the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). The majority of students were looking to improve their functional English to communicate in day-to-day situations, in new jobs, or even to be able to gain a UK driver’s licence. \nThe teachers are currently using Levels 1–3 of the course, which has been working really well for both teachers and students. The \nEnglish for Everyone Course Books\n create the basis of the class, offering “structure[...]security and backbone” to each lesson. \nEnglish for Everyone\n appealed to the team due to the clear, modular structure of the series. The teachers felt sure that the books could provide the “basis of a good syllabus” for their classes due to the “very structured and clear, and step-by-step” approach. \n\nLearners on the programme are really keen to engage in self-study material, outside of the classroom. Each student is supplied with a copy of the \nPractice Book\n to work from in their own time. This also means that everyone has a copy that they can write in to test their learning from the course. As each \nPractice Book\n mirrors the\n Course Book\n of that level, James tells us they are an invaluable consolidation tool for students in between lessons.

Year 10 + (GCSE)

Helping refugees learn English with a structured syllabus and fun activities

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