Learning new concepts and related vocabulary is difficult at the best of times but this is more so for our EAL learners. Any opportunity to engage more with the curriculum by putting meaning to new words in a practical hands on approach can be very dynamic in the learning process. Having the opportunity to take the classroom outside stimulates conversation and confidence in using the new language and one that also incorporates many more of the senses to aid the learning process.
This was the case recently when EAL students in Year 3 had the difficult task of learning all about rainforest food chains and the complicated language that accompanies it.
In the classroom, through much discussion, we were able to learn new words with matching pictures which gave some understanding to the concept of a rainforest food chain. As we can see Francesco and Bilal applied what they learnt in producing their own food chain.
Putting together a food chain
However, when the students were taken outside in the green space, the vocabulary suddenly came to life and was repeatedly used by them. Food chains came to life by discovering producers, consumers and decomposers in the green space and students became far more interested and confident in the IPC subject. Not only did they start using the language to communicate to each other, but they really started started to make a connection in English in understanding the meaning of the concepts they were learning. The pictures below the students on a quest for elements in the food chain which they discussed using all the language learnt in the class.
Discovering Decomposers
We found some consumers!
The outdoor hands on approach stimulated interest, engaged the students, and allowed them to use and learn more about the subject in their new language. The biggest problem was getting them inside again!
