ELL provision in Liverpool

For the academic year 2001-2002 Liverpool LEA is funding the teaching of Modern Foreign Languages in 33 schools. This is supported financially through the Excellence in Liverpool programme. The programme is co-ordinated by the advisory teacher for PMFL who teaches directly in 3 of the schools. The remaining 30 schools are provided with a Foreign Language Assistant. We have 2 French Assistants and 1 Spanish Assistant. The French assistants are funded by the LEA and the Spanish Assistant is funded by the Ministry in Spain as she is on the Comenius Programme. All 3 Assistants work in the schools for the full academic year.

All the 33 schools receive weekly 30 minute sessions of either French or Spanish, taught directly by the advisory teacher or the Foreign Language Assistant. The number of lessons depends on the size of the school, for example in some schools we teach just one class and in others we teach up to 4 classes.

Teaching takes places from Reception to Year 6:

In 20 schools we teach Year 6.
In 10 schools we teach Year 5.
In 1 school we teach a mixed group of Years 1 & 2.
In 2 schools we teach Reception classes.

In all schools the pupils receive one 30 minute lesson by the advisory teacher or Assistant. Each school has a designated teacher who observes the lesson each week, this is not always the class teacher. This serves as the main focus for training for the primary teacher who then consolidates the lesson with a follow on session at another time in the week. This may take the form of one 30 minute session or three 10 minute sessions spread throughout the week. This is at the discretion of the class teacher.

Primary teachers find the LEA support invaluable. The lessons are exceptionally well received by both staff and pupils. They feel secure observing an 'expert' and like to imitate methodology in their follow on lessons.

Bringing Foreign Language Assistants into the primary classroom provides a more authentic cultural dimension and makes attitudes towards Modern Foreign Languages and other cultures much more positive.

We are building up a resource bank for the project and at the end of the year all 33 schools will be provided with a resource file which will support them in the teaching of the language.

As the advisory teacher works directly in just 3 schools, she is able to visit all the other schools at least once per half term. This provides the opportunity for her to give demonstration lessons and to do team teaching with the Foreign Language Assistant which is a valuable source of training for both the primary teacher and the assistant.

A considerable number of teachers from the primary schools involved in the project have undertaken language improvement courses at Liverpool University to support their work in the classroom. A smaller number hope to attend CILT courses in France and Spain.

Disadvantages

Some primary teachers rely very heavily on the LEA support and there is a variety in the amount and in the quality of the follow on lessons. There is also a great variety in linguistic confidence and competence amongst the primary teachers. At a recent meeting of the primary teachers involved in the project, the majority felt that they would not be confident to 'go it alone' after one year and requested that the project be extended for a further academic year. (This depends on funding available).

DELL Projects | Liverpool GPP report | Centres of Excellence case study