Getting to Know Community Language Schools

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Getting to Know Community Language Schools

• www.multiverse.ac.uk

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First Questions

• What are Community Language Schools?

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First Questions

• Why focus on something like community language
  schools that exist outside mainstream schools?

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The Bullock Report (1975)

• Para 20.5 Immigrant childrens attainment in
  tests and school in general is related not only
  to language but to several other issues,
  particularly those of cultural identity and
  cultural knowledge. No child should be expected
  to cast off the language and culture of the home
  as he sic crosses the school threshold, nor to
  live and act as though school and home represent
  two totally separate and different cultures which
  have to be kept firmly apart. The curriculum
  should reflect many elements of that part of life
  which a child lives outside the school. (DES
  1975, p. 286)

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Working together with community language schools

• Helps to foster stronger and more positive
  relationships between mainstream schools and
  diverse linguistic and minority ethnic
  communities.
• The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2002 lays a
  duty on all public organisations, such as
  universities and schools, to positively promote
  good relations between different ethnic
  communities.

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The DfES defines a cohesive community as

• there is a common vision and a sense of belonging
  for all communities
• the diversity of peoples different backgrounds
  and circumstances is appreciated and positively
  valued
• those from different backgrounds have similar
  life opportunities
• and strong and positive relationships are being
  developed between people from different
  backgrounds in the workplace, in schools and
  within neighbourhoods (DfES, 2004, n.p.)

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When were community language schools established?
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Here is Aumie remembering his own community
language school in London in the 1930s

• At the age of 7, we were learning Hebrew grammar,
  which is far more complicated in many ways than
  English grammar, so when we were in the English
  school, adjectives, nouns and verbs, things which
  non-Jewish friends just would be beginning to
  grapple with, were all very natural to us. Maybe,
  in some ways, it gave us an advantage in that we
  were aware that language had a structure. In
  Hebrew, you see, you have the root of a word
  you could have one word in Hebrew which then
  translated would be five words in English. So,
  even as 7-year olds those of us who were
  competent in Hebrew already had a sound
  grammatical basis when we looked at English
  grammar. (Gregory and Williams, 2000, p. 91)

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In the 1960s a new type of community school,
supplementary school, was established for and
by the African-Caribbean community

• Aimed at raising the mainstream school
  achievement of African-Caribbean children.
• Focus on teaching and supplementing English,
  English literacy, numeracy and Science
• Also including aspects of African-Caribbean
  culture, language and history in its curriculum.

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Schools Minister Andrew Adonis recognises the
achievement of community language schools, for
example

• the Hellenic School in Barnet London where
  more than half of students did well in their AS
  and A-level exams in Greek the Somali
  supplementary school in Kensington Chelsea
  London which provides national curriculum
  support for children aged to six to 16 close
  partnerships between supplementary schools and
  mainstream schools such as Oldknow Junior School
  in Birmingham and Mauldeath Road Primary School
  in Manchester. (DfES Press Release 21 April 2006)

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Where can I find out about my local community
language schools?

• www.resourceunit.com
• www.continyou.org.uk

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When and where do they take place?

• Who funds them?

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What happens in a community language school?

• Handout 1 - do this task now with the person
  sitting next to you.
• Handout 2 - see the overview of different
  functions of a community language school.

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What are the benefits for children and young
people?
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1. Language Learning

• Children can study their own languages in formal
  school contexts - often from the age of 3-4 years
  onwards to 18 years. This contributes to the
  pupils cognitive development. Additive
  bilingualism brings about additional benefits.
  (Subtractive bilingualism takes away confidence,
  self esteem and aspects of identity.)
• Portuguese pupils who attended community language
  schools did better in their SATs than those who
  did not (Barradas, Multiverse website)
• Language lessons support older pupils
  examinations such as GCSEs and AS and A-Levels.
• (Adapted from Kenner, 2004)

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2. Cultural Connections

• Benefits for children and adults for maintaining
  links with their family and community heritage.
• Creates a sense of belonging to a community.
• Enables a stronger sense of identity to be
  constructed and maintained.
• (Adapted from Kenner, 2004)

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3. Reinforcing the Mainstream School Curriculum

• Additional support for mainstream school
  learning, such as consolidating English literacy
  and providing support for homework.
• Support for national tests (formerly SATs).
• (Adapted from Kenner, 2004)

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4. Broadening the Curriculum

• Additional music lessons and performances, such
  as singing and learning to play a range of
  musical instruments.
• Dance lessons and performances.
• A different context and perspective for studying
  history, citizenship, geography, RE.
• (Adapted from Kenner, 2004)

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More information on www.multiverse.ac.uk