ICT plays an increasingly important role in the lives of both children and their teachers. For children newly arrived from overseas, ICT can be used to help them integrate and to enhance their English-language skills.

Planning for inclusion

The ICT national curriculum is the starting point for planning a school curriculum that meets the specific needs of newly arrived pupils. The national curriculum inclusion statement outlines how teachers can modify, as necessary, the national curriculum programmes of study to provide all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each key stage. It sets out three principles that are essential to developing a more inclusive curriculum:

• setting suitable learning challenges
• responding to pupils' diverse learning needs
• overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.

Teachers need to consider the full requirements of the inclusion statement when planning for individuals or groups of pupils. There is a specific reference to ICT in the examples under 'Providing equality of opportunity' (see section B 'Responding to pupils' diverse learning needs').  

To overcome any potential barriers to learning in ICT, some children may require:

• help to compensate for difficulties in processing at speed large amounts of textual information by being provided with access to selected materials or having more time to find things out
• support and strategies to help them interrogate and develop information presented in text and tables
• specialist software or equipment to communicate through other languages, signs or symbols and to be able to exchange and share information with others through the use of computers.

Setting suitable learning challenges

The national curriculum programmes of study set out what most pupils should be taught at each key stage but teachers should teach the knowledge, skills and understanding in ways that suit their pupils' abilities. For some groups of newly arrived children this may mean choosing knowledge, skills and understanding from earlier or later key stages so that individual children can make progress and show what they can achieve.
To support the development of children's skills in ICT, it is particularly important to establish their degree of competence. Many state schools in economically developing countries have little or no access to ICT. Children coming directly from these countries may well have never used a computer or other ICT resources.

On the basis of an assessment of children's needs and abilities, teachers will need to consider whether the breadth and range of study identified in the programme of study that is followed by the rest of the class provides suitable contexts for a newly arrived child to learn the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding which underpin their effective use of ICT. The 'Initial assessment' and 'Assessment for learning' areas of this site provide further guidance on this.

Induction for new arrivals who have no prior ICT experience might provide:

• ICT skills support
• basic word-processing skills
• painting or drawing software for younger children to express themselves graphically and as an aid to learning new vocabulary
• sound-recording and/or music software which lets children participate without language barriers
• using ICT as a source of information
• using ICT as a research tool
• using the internet.

Graphic organisers, mind maps and concept maps are pictorial or graphical ways to organise information and thoughts for understanding, remembering or writing about. They are powerful tools that can be used to enhance learning. They are particularly useful for children learning English as an additional language (EAL). An increasing amount of software is available (see useful weblinks).

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Responding to pupils' diverse learning needs

Teachers are expected to plan their approaches to teaching and learning so that all children can take part in lessons. This will include the planning of work that is accessible for children with EAL, as well as work that extends their language skills.

This may mean children using their first language in ICT lessons. Engagement and access to ICT can be impeded if a child's first language is not appropriately supported. The DfES guidance Access and engagement in ICT: teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language applies the principles of the key stage 3 national strategy to the teaching and learning of ICT for EAL pupils. Although this was written for key stage 3 teachers, much of it is equally applicable to primary teachers.

The guidance suggests strategies to help teachers provide access for children at different points of learning English. It is important to support them to develop both their understanding and use of the English language and to enhance their learning in ICT lessons.

English-language computer programs such as Listen and learn English can purchased for use by children who are learning English. Such programs are interactive and fun to use alongside in-class EAL support. Children are also able to practise speaking English, listening, reading and understanding together (see 'Using ICT to support EAL pupils', downloadable from the Becta website).

For younger children there are many 'living books' materials where children can interact with largely pictorial materials but with some spoken words. Some of these are available in more than one language on the same disk. Children can use similar ideas to create their own living books using presentation software. 'Using ICT to support EAL pupils' lists a number of such English-language teaching programs.

Schools can purchase word-processing packages in different scripts, but will also have to purchase keyboard adaptors or new keyboards to use with different scripts. The English as an additional language' area of this website gives further guidance on this.

Children (and their carers) who are newly arrived from overseas may use ICT for particular purposes. For example, they might want to access web-based newspapers and journals from the home country. Children might want to produce work in their own language or to send emails with digital photographs to friends and relatives in the home country. Videoconferencing has been used very successfully in some schools to support new arrivals in communicating with their home country or with others in this country. Sharing experiences is very important to some refugee children. It may be possible to integrate these different needs into the curriculum.

What is the potential in the ICT curriculum for valuing diversity and challenging racism?

The national curriculum programme of study provides the starting point for valuing diversity and challenging racism in the classroom. On the Respect for all in ICT website you will find references to the programmes of study for key stages 1 and 2 that offer such opportunities. There are also suggested activities that are examples of good practice. They provide effective learning opportunities for children to value diversity and challenge racism. They focus on helping children understand and appreciate aspects of cultural difference, context and change while challenging and extending their perceptions of themselves and other people.

Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils

A recent ICT report from QCA notes that only 45 per cent of primary headteachers interviewed planned the use of ICT to support children with EAL in contrast to 78 per cent using ICT with children with learning difficulties. Children who have no prior experience of ICT and who are learning EAL are doubly disadvantaged in such circumstances.  

Some new arrivals will be unfamiliar with enquiry-based learning. In some economically developing countries class sizes are often larger and learning is often more teacher-centred, emphasising the acquisition of knowledge. Some children may find enquiry difficult and may not have research skills.

Computers in the home

Some newly arrived families will be on low incomes, for example asylum seekers, who are not allowed to work in the UK, and may not have access to a computer and internet link at home. If children are required to use ICT as part of homework, schools should consider:

• directing them towards free community ICT provision. Many public libraries offer free ICT provision and internet access to school pupils
• directing them towards the local City Learning Centre (if there is one)
• setting up an after-school or lunchtime ICT club.

Examples of good practice

A primary school in southern England uses its computer suite for an after-school computer club for parents and carers. Albanian-speaking parents were encouraged to attend with their children on a designated evening. Refreshments were provided and parents were allowed to access the Albanian-language press from the internet. At the same time, teachers dropped in and were able to talk to parents about their children's education.

Eritrean, Ethiopian and Somali children who attended a homework club in north London used ICT to produce bilingual school word lists for new arrivals. These were then given to primary and secondary schools in the area.

Barriers to learning for newly arrived children that affect all areas of the curriculum are likely to be:

• emotional, particularly where they have fled from conflict. The 'Supporting emotional well-being' area of this site provides guidance on this
• cultural. The 'Culturally diverse and inclusive curriculum' area of this site provides guidance on this
• linked to their degree of previous educational experience and their level of literacy in their first language. The 'Children with little or no prior education' area of this site provides guidance on this.

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Useful weblinks

Please note: QCA is not responsible for the content of external sites

BBC: Webwise: the beginners' guide to the internet
The BBC provides a free online course to help users master the internet. This may be of particular use to new arrivals with no prior experience of using the internet.

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta)
Becta aims to support the development of ICT in education throughout the UK. In the 'Inclusion' area you will find material to support your teaching including a list of websites to support different languages. Becta has produced a number of information sheets that translate common ICT terms and computer-related phrases from English into other languages. The website also contains a list of other resources and useful weblinks that relate to ICT uses with EAL pupils.

Becta: How to use ICT with learners of English as an additional language (EAL)
This area of the Becta website offers a range of support and guidance to classroom practitioners. You can search by subject or by EAL to find guidance about how to make the curriculum more accessible to pupils. There are software suggestions and links to other websites.

DfES: Access and engagement in ICT: teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language
This downloadable publication has a great deal of useful information on how ICT can support pupils' English language development. It lists strategies that schools can adopt to help pupils acquire the technical English used in ICT. It also describes ways that ICT can help English-language learning.

DfES: City Learning Centres (CLCs)
There are over 100 CLCs operating in Excellence in Cities areas across the country. These provide state-of-the art ICT-based learning opportunities for the pupils at the host school, for pupils at a network of surrounding schools, and for the wider community. South Camden CLC is an example.

South Camden CLC
The centre is open to schools and local community groups in Camden. The centre offers opportunities to use new ICT technologies, gain qualifications, share good practice and develop confidence and skills.

Graphic Organizer
This is an American website but is informative and includes useful examples of electronic graphic organisers.

Global-leap
The Global-leap website is a resource for teachers around the world, enabling them to get help, advice and support to develop videoconferencing in the curriculum, and to find videoconferencing partners and to book interactive videoconference lessons.

Hounslow Language Service
This site has a wide range of teaching resources including bilingual stories and word lists.

Mantra Lingua
Mantra Lingua produces a range of resources in dual languages.

Mantra Lingua: Multilingual talking dictionary
This CD-ROM allows you to see the word written in different scripts and hear it spoken aloud. Seventeen topics cover everyday words used at school and in the home. Pages can be printed out to provide dictionaries for the whole class. The CD is available in four editions:

• General CD: Arabic, Bengali, French, Somali, Urdu
• East European CD: Albanian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croat
• European CD: French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish
• South Asian CD: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Panjabi, Tamil.

Mantra Lingua: My life story 
This is a dual-language 36-page pack written by U Mahmout and A Thompson. The pack is designed for use by bilingual pupils at different levels and ages to write about their lives. It can also be used for newly arrived children in key stage 2. Topics include about me, my family tree, my country, my school, feelings about school, events and people, timeline of my life, hopes for the future, and jobs and careers. The pack is available in Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Czech, French, Portuguese, Serbo-Croat, Somali, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu.

Mantra Lingua: Words for school
An illustrated dictionary of essential words that children need at school, from 'toilet' to 'classroom', 'teacher' to 'welfare assistant'. This book can be used by children and all those involved in their care at school and at home. The book includes translations as well as transliterations. It is available in the following languages: Albanian, Bengali (Sylheti), Chinese, Czech, French, Gujarati, Panjabi, Portuguese, Serbo-Croat, Somali, Spanish and Turkish.

Mantra Lingua: Seven stories
This audio CD contains seven stories in English followed by a second language narration. The stories are 'Buskers of Bremen', 'Dragon's tears', 'Lima's red hot chili', 'Mei Ling's hiccups', 'That's my Mum', 'Three Billy Goats Gruff' and 'Sam's first day'. The CD is available in English with Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Czech, French, Portuguese, Serbo-Croat, Somali, Spanish and Urdu.

National curriculum in action
This website uses pupils' work and case study material to show what the national curriculum in ICT looks like in practice.

National curriculum online
The national curriculum online helps you search each curriculum area to locate the opportunities and also provides a search facility for you to locate resources that might help your teaching.

National Grid for Learning (NGfL): Inclusion
The NGfL website contains resources to support specific learning needs. This includes a section on English as an additional language.

NGfL: ScreenTurtle 2
ScreenTurtle is designed to be quick to learn, yet still offers all the Logo features needed in most classrooms. It does not expect pupils to learn a whole new syntax - FORWARD, FD and AHEAD all do the same thing. Pupils can UNDO commands, PAINT with the mouse, even keep notes without using a word processor. And printing is as easy as typing PRINT SCREEN or PRINT WORDS. It is useful for pupils learning EAL as the system still works if words are slightly misspelt or include capital letters. ScreenTurtle focuses on the exploration of shape, space, number, vectors and bearings. It suits all ages and abilities.

Omniglot
A guide to writing systems and written languages. It includes numerals in different scripts and the appropriate fonts.

Portsmouth Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS)
Use the 'Search EMAS' facility to see what support there is for teaching ICT to children learning English as an additional language.

QCA: Information and communication technology: 2002/3 annual report on curriculum and assessment
QCA annual subject report drawn from a wide range of evidence. 

QCA: Respect for all in ICT
This site provides ideas of how ICT can be used to challenge racism and promote diversity.

The paperboy
This website features papers from around the world. Also available from this site is The magazineboy, which you can search on by country or by topic.

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