Up and Away - National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

When children cannot understand the language that surrounds them it is necessary to create an
environment in which their confidence may grow. As confidence and security develop, the child begins
to engage fully with the new situation.
There are four essentials for successfully learning a language in an immersion situation:
1. An ‘acquisition rich’ physical environment – a room in which visual and other
supports are immediately available and familiar to the child, for example:
Relevant word lists on posters.
Pictorial representations of themes (weather, food, travel, etc.).
Pictures representing typical classroom instructions (sit down, listen carefully, etc.).
Availability of a picture dictionary to help a child make him/herself understood.
A selection of books for borrowing.
2. Familiar patterns of activity
Start each session with an oral activity – reviewing previous learning, brainstorming new
theme, talking about ‘news’, etc.
Organise children to work in pairs or small groups.
Do an activity based on writing, reading, drawing, etc.
Section 2 The language support programme
Creating an effective learning environment
Finish on a whole group basis giving general feedback on problems or errors that have
arisen.
3. Always give plenty of encouraging feedback both to class and individuals
4. Make activities obviously relevant to the children’s needs in the school
environment – in the mainstream class, the playground, and on school outings, and talking to
other teachers, classmates, the lollipop lady/man, etc.
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