Counting them in - Liz Statham

Isolated bilingual children in schools are easily overlooked, yet leaving them unsupported prevents their ever realising their full academic potential. "Counting Them In" is for schools - and pre-schools and colleges - which have isolated bilingual learners. It offers guidance to staff on appropriate principles and strategies so they can develop and implement consistent good practice and give all their pupils equal access to educational opportunities and success in life.Isolated bilingual learners form part of a continuum of bilingual learners. Their home language may be spoken by the majority of their peers, or many of them. Or they may be the only children speaking their language in the school, district or even country. They may be the only ethnic minority children, or the only unaccompanied children seeking asylum. They may be in schools which have no bilingual or ethnic minority staff. And if they are in that position their families may well face similar isolation. All are considered in this book.Using case studies from a rural area of the UK, the book describes proven good practice inworking with the education authority on building capacity, developing the role of specialist teaching assistants, tackling racism, involving parents in the life of the school, initial assessment, and inclusive strategies for special educational needs. In a world where, in the words of the UK government, Every Child Matters, it is crucial that there are no exceptions. This book will be essential for managers, Children's Centres and the many schools and colleges who have only a few bilingual children.