Whether your school has entirely international students or just a handful of international boarders, as educators we should consider the literal and metaphorical journey our EAL learners make to understand how best to motivate them to make the most of their education in the UK.
Educational Agents
Most international students find out about our school via educational agents, so the journey starts here. Sometimes the role of the agent can be misunderstood. But schools with international students would not survive without them, and headteachers and other key stakeholders should spend time getting to know the agents who bring students to their schools, and not leave this entirely to the admissions department. Whether hosting a Fam Trip, meeting our educational agents or less formal visits to the school, time invested in these encounters pays dividends. An annual visit to an agent fair along with the admissions team is also worth considering. Agents value headteachers who take the time to visit their countries to meet prospective parents.
Admissions
All schools have their own ways to assess whether students are suitable for their school. At my school we use an online English language test which places the EAL learner on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) scale, two essays and a Cognitive Ability Test followed by an interview – all done online unless the students can visit the school. Online tests are fraught with difficulties: they are high-stakes tests for the students, and they cannot be entirely reliable as they are not invigilated to the same standards of our schools. There are no measures we can put in place to ensure 100% that students do not have external help during online testing. The discerning interviewer should be able to detect whether the CEFR level of spoken English matches the written level. But the profile of many of our students reflects a difference in speaking and reading and writing because of the way they have been taught English in their home countries. It is therefore advisable to re-test at arrival and have a strategy to support students whose English does not match their level at admissions.
Pre-arrival
It is easy to forget that the British education system and its quirks and nomenclatures can be baffling for international families. And while a bespoke welcome pack can certainly help, schools might consider virtual meetings with current teachers, house staff, and current students before the students join the school.
Arrival in the UK
Anyone who has arrived in the UK either as a foreign national or accompanied a non-UK citizen who requires a visa will know the experience can be problematic. To alleviate this, admissions teams need to ensure students are given all the necessary information and a number to call in the UK should it be needed, preferably a Housemaster/mistress who has already made previous contact. How welcome our students are made to feel will have lasting impression, and if a friendly driver, guardian/member of staff is there to meet the newly arrived student, so much the better.
Induction and getting to know the international students
Beyond the usual introductions to the school, its rules, routines and staff, a good induction programme allows new students breathing space after their arrival to understand more about their subject choices, which have often been made for them and without their input. I find that a 30-minute individual conversation with a pastoral lead (Housemaster/mistress or Tutor) is essential to find out more about the student’s background and their aspirations.
While it is important to make sure students are on the right course and in the appropriate set, using the induction period to re-test students can be highly stressful for those new to the British education system. It could be better if students are allowed to complete at least some of the tests in their own language, as there is a real danger of repeatedly testing their English proficiency when what schools also need to know is their broader academic profile.
Reports
As a Headteacher I read many different reports from UK and international schools. It never ceases to amaze me about how differently we assess students and that not all school reports come with a key. If I find it hard to navigate another school’s rubric, imagine how challenging it is for parents! Because we tend to send reports through our schools’ MIS, we don’t often see how this the appears to the end user. For our students, receiving a report from the school may often be the first time their parents receive feedback on their child’s progress. And if the parents have limited English, their sole focus will be on the grades. Students who have been used to receiving top grades in their previous schools, will find it demotivating if their grades are much lower, no matter how much teachers explain the low grades with words of encouragement about making progress when their English improves.
Learning and translanguaging
One of the most frustrating aspects of learning in a language students have not yet mastered, is the inability to showcase their knowledge of a subject. Schools are missing a trick if the home languages of their EAL students are banished from the classrooms. Using their home language supports their learning, translanguaging promotes EAL students’ sense of self-worth, a sense of self not solely based on their mastery of English. Translanguaging is a helpful tool for EAL students on their journey to become successful learners in another language.
Student voice
We learn much from listening to our international students and hearing what they say helps smooth their journey. Some years ago, a former student studying film studies at the University of Westminster completed some research at my school on the transition of Chinese students from China to the UK. He conducted all the interviews in Mandarin, and I listened (in translation) with amazement as I found out so much more about their thoughts and feelings than I had gathered in my termly questionnaires. It is easier to say what you really feel in your own language.
Share best practice and keep learning
Every time I chair a BAISIS webinar I am reminded about my own journey as an international educator and how my beliefs and practices have changed through listening to the latest research and hearing how other schools grapple with the same issues. Keeping connected is a great way to share best practice with my colleagues, and being a member of BAISIS has been invaluable over the years.
Sarah Bellotti
Head, Mill Hill International and Chair, BAISIS
