CASE STUDY: NEWCOMER CHILDREN

Enrolling in a school requires adaptation not only to schoolwork but to a

new social setting. Schools have put in place specific social supports for
newcomer students. Design some Materials and resources to support the
needs of English language learners that just have arrived to the school
after two months of starting the course.

1. Introduction
2. Legal Framework
3. Social Context.
4. Definition of the words and problem. Authors and theories.
5. Development of the problem:
 Definition of the objectives
 Definition of the contents
 Definition of the activities
 Methodology: Specific measures.
 Resources: Selection and implementation of the tools we need to promote parents’ participation.
 Rubrics of process and teacher’s Evaluation.
 Timing: After a month: analyse the situation and take further actions.

6. Conclusion

1. Introduction.

One of the most significant changes in our society is the arrival of people of many different
nationalities to all parts of the world. Emigration has been reversed, many former emigrants have returned and
they have been joined by people from all over the world who have come to our country in the hope of a better
life.

The local primary school very quickly reflects the community in which it is located and now
primary classrooms include children of immigrant workers. The effects of any change in society are often felt
first most acutely in schools.

Newcomer students have different educational backgrounds. Teachers understand these

differences and need adjust programs to help each student with their reading and writing skills in English. Some
children require little support and are easily included in school

2. Legal Framework

 Spanish Constitution art. 27

 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages 2001
 LOE 2/2006, 3rd May.
 LOMCE 8/2013, 9th December.
 Royal Decree 126/2014, 28th February
 Decree 108/2014, July 4th, Valencian Community
 Order 89/2014, December 9th, about Assessment in Primary Education.
 Order of July 4th, 2001, which regulates attention to students in need of remedial education
(Compensatory Education)
 Order 65/2015, 21st January about relationship among Contents, Competences and Evaluation
Criteria.
 DECREE 30/2014, 14th February, of the Valencian Government about the Commitment Family-Tutor
in which is regulated the relationship of families or legal representatives of students and the school.
 UNESCO (2009), ‘Realizing the Promise of Diversity”
 Level III Flexibility of schooling for newcomer students into the Valencian education system
  Agenda 2030 ODS
 Organic Law 4/2000 of January 11, Art. 9 on the rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain and their
social integration (BOE 299, 23.23.2009)

3. Social Context: Collection of information about the student

Kemen is the 9-year-old child, who has just arrived from Ukraine some two months after the start of the
school year. His mum works as a cleaner and his father is unemployed. They live with other family in the same
flat.
Attitude Towards Learning: Easily distracted• Average student• Do not pay attention to the teacher
because he does not understand the language.

4. Definition of the words and problem. Authors and theories.

The term ‘newcomer’ pupil is used to refer to a pupil who has enrolled in a school but who does not
have satisfactory language skills to participate fully in the school curriculum and does not have a language in
common with the group of students.  

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence,
sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our
human rights without discrimination. (Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1949).

We, as English teachers, may have difficulty providing an appropriate curriculum when the rest of the
class has already moved from this very beginning stage of English Acquisition, so first of all we need to know
the level of the student’s English knowledge through a Diagnosis Evaluation and after knowing it prepare
materials to foster the target language.

5. Development of the problem:

Definition of the objectives:

The main goal of this Case Study is: Student acquires the Communicative Competence in English
adapted to the
age and level and promote family collaboration with school.

 To offer a variety of tools or learning methods to master a concept.

 To search adequate strategies
 The inclusion of the student in the whole group and contents level.
 To eliminate all barriers in order to achieve learning.
 To increase the student’s self-esteem.
 To plan activities with the corresponding curricular adaptations for the English classroom.
 To foster as much as possible the standards and evaluation criteria of the Year.
 To participate in a collective work in the class-room.
 To foster in the student the following skills:
• Responsibility
• Independent Work
• Initiative
• Organization
• Collaboration
 To promote the student for the social and cultural development.
 To prepare the student for the work and social responsibilities.
  To promote family collaboration with school giving them recommendations on how to deal with
these disorders.
 Provide regular opportunities for parents to collaborate with others

Teachers’ Objectives
 Adapt Methodology to the student.
 Contents of English Language adapted to the student’s level.
 Classroom rules.
 Daily Routines.
 Student Organization
 Time-Management Skills
 Family implication in the classroom activities.

Definition of the activities:

The following is an organized approach to involving the newcomer in language and academic activities
which will meet his/her immediate needs.

High Frequency Vocabulary of the Units

1. School
a. Classroom and School Vocabulary
b. Colours, Numbers and Alphabet
c. Shapes and Math Terms

2. Me & My Family
a. Relationships
b. Home and Food
c. Body Parts and Senses
d. Clothing
3. Celebrations
a. Calendar and Time
b. Holidays, Birthdays, and Food
c. Seasons

How student can work these activities taking into account entrepreneurship:

Teacher sets up three baskets, one for each unit listed above.

Within each basket place the following:

Block 1. Listening: Flashcards and songs for listening with headphones.
Block 2. Speaking: Oral Language: cards with vocabulary related to units (colour, number, school,
relationships, etc.) Working in
groups. Making experiments with the partners. (CLIL session)
Block 3. Reading: Literacy Connections
Getting to Know You: Alphabet Book of Favourites Things
Materials:
1. Sample of Alphabet Books
2. Primary Picture Dictionary (picture and word) & Alphabet
3. Picture Cards Premade blank booklets (construction paper cover with newsprint filler)
Block 4. Writing:
Teacher made vocabulary cards (for that unit) for students to use as model when making their
vocabulary cards.
Sample journal in the first Unit Basket.
Picture/word pages for students to cut up to make vocabulary cards.
 Set of Language Master cards (for that unit)
Books related to the unit
*some with simple, natural sentences (ex: “I play in the park”) and pictures to text connections
*some with superior illustrations.
*some with focus on concept CLIL.
Practice worksheets related to the unit.

PENSAR ACTIVIDADES Y RESOURCES

School will have ready-made individual folders which will be given to new students the first day of their
arrival. Folders will include:

Materials to make their own journal

Alphabet Chart
Note-book: Make simple books. We will encourage student to write in any form s/he can (picture, native
language, etc).

GAMES
Concentration / Memory Game(s)
Bingo: Any unit Materials: Bingo cards with only pictures and cue cards with picture on one side and word on
the other. Student can play
these game in groups.
Technology: text in English. Response form – picture response
Computer Corner with headphones.
High frequency vocabulary and Communicative functions of language acquisition.
Scaffolding by the teacher and by peers.
Notebook: Make simple books with paper cover. We are going to encourage student to write in any form s/he
can (picture, native language, etc).
Class topic-writing. We can have another student, assistant, or volunteer help translate text (or part of text).
Lists of the vocabulary
Blue, green, red, yellow, orange, white, black, brown, purple, pink, desk,
Table, ruler, pencil, eraser, book, scissors, student, teacher, crayon, paper, marker, flag, wastebasket, board,
computer, chair, clock, boys, girls, door, window.

Brother, sister, mother, father, uncle, aunt, grandma, grandpa, cousin, shirt, pants, dress, skirt, socks, shoes,
shorts, elbow, arm, foot, ankle, knee, head, neck, back, wrist, hand, finger, hip, waist, toe, stomach, tooth, mouth,
eye, nose, ear, hair, shoulder, chest, chin, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,
October, November, December, clock, watch, time, date, month, year, birthday, holiday, celebration, summer,
spring, winter, fall, morning, afternoon, evening, first, second, third, before, after, now, later.

Methodology: Specific measures.

The LOMLOE which builds on the LOE, places the Key Competences at the centre of the language
learning curriculum. This
Case study incorporates a variety of methodologies and strategies which require the pupils to work together in a
structured way.
As we know working in pairs and small groups have many benefits.
So we teachers will design learning activities to help this student appreciate the experiences and contributions of
all peoples. This
student as well as the other students will be encouraged to learn how to think critically.
Scaffolding will be provided by peers, work in group as well as teacher support.
Through this planning we promote students’ interactions through cooperation: small and big group. Work in
pairs. Groups of
four.
Cooperative work: Working in Groups: Making friends and feeling accepted is a big part of adjusting to school,
and succeeding.
Having friends will help students feel more comfortable at school, allowing them to focus more easily on their
schoolwork.
Inclusive education: Education that is based on the principles of acceptance and inclusion of all students.
Students see themselves reflected in their curriculum, their physical surroundings and the broader environment,
in which diversity is honoured and all individuals are respected.
Interacting in Role-plays.
Values: To create a sense of responsibility of our students’ actions and the sense of belong to a community, as
well as to respect others.
Resources: ICT: computers and white board.

Strategies:
We teachers may also combine different teaching strategies. We instruct the whole class to introduce the
structure of a story and then ask students to work in groups to look at different story examples. We can ask
students to have a group project.
Play has a very important role. Through play-based learning, educators provide a variety of learning activities
and experiences based on the needs and interests of the children. Children develop skills in English language.

Resources: Selection and implementation of the tools to foster the student’s English learning Language.

We can use different resource materials, such as library books, information on the Internet, notebooks,
educational films and musical recordings, guest presentations and workshops, games and group exercises,
discussion and debate, and other strategies for learning and accessing information.

Students usually learn to understand and speak a new language more quickly than they learn to
read or write it. Most children are able to speak a new language in one year; they may take more years to read,
write and understand more complex school subjects.

Diversity
All students and all people are unique and each student may have a slightly different understanding of a
subject.
Furthermore, students may have different personal learning styles, circumstances and needs.
We teachers need to use individualized methods of instruction for learning activities in class and
through homework. This allows
students to have more experiences, and to learn in different ways and from different people, of all ages. In this
way, teachers can ensure that, by the end of the year, all students have covered the curriculum.
We as educators need to provide extra support to help the new comers. Some children need short term
help and others have complex learning needs. New comers may need help due to behavioural, communication,
intellectual, physical or multiple learning needs that require support over time.

Further actions:

Enrolling this newcomer and encouraging him to participate in group activities such as sports, clubs and
music programs, as well as summary activities with other children after school where he will be communicating
with others. This also helps them to meet new people, and make new friends.

Evaluation about contents:

Written text and oral exam.
Rubric and self-assessment

Assessment for learning and assessment of learning.

Learning-teaching process and Teacher’s assessment.

Evaluation about learning experiences
Evaluation about resources
 Evaluation about the Methodology and strategies used with this student.

Related to the evaluation and assessment for this student, I will do first an initial evaluation for the new
comer in order to determine the student’s starting level of English and then assessment for learning and
assessment of learning, it is to say, Formative and
Progress evaluation to know how the process is being developed. Observation is very important, so teacher
needs to take notes day by day about the process of learning and about the activities the students do every day.
Finally, there will be a final evaluation at the end of every unit, and oral and written test and the student will
complete a self-assessment worksheet in order to evaluate themselves and be aware of their learning process.
We as teachers need to use different types of evaluations to determine background knowledge, current
understanding, and overall learning, so assessment of competences through Rubrics is very important because
we need assess if the student has developed the skills and knows how to apply his/her knowledge to real
situations. So, assessment through Rubrics are important because they clarify the student the qualities of his
work should have and allow teacher to know students’ weaknesses and
strengths about the learning of English Language. I have took into account peer’s assessment, as it allows
students to know different points of view about his/her own work. This student can perform a Portfolio along the
school year and as a dossier all their best works are collected and help them to know his or her own level of
English around Europe. Concerning to students with special educational needs, not only for this newcomer
student, but the others in my class group of students I have adapted all the test and Rubrics to their real work.

Evaluation tools
Teachers will be evaluating different types of work done by students, including: tests, tasks, homework,
presentations, projects and assignments. They also base their evaluations on their observations of and
interactions with your children.

Further actions:
Enrolling children and encouraging them to participate in group activities such as sports, clubs and music
programs, as well as other cultural activities with other children after school.

Timing: After a month: analyse the situation and take further actions.

6. CONCLUSION

When families, teachers and other school staff work together and communicate regularly, this can help
to support students’ learning and adjustment, especially for newcomers and all the students, in the school system.
Involvement allows parents to understand school and classroom activities, and to coordinate their efforts with
teachers to encourage acceptable classroom behaviour and ensure that the newcomers and the other pupils have
more positive attitudes toward school, and grow up to be more successful in life.

SPECIFIC ATTENTION TO STUDENTS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES

The arrival of students from foreign countries and their families is having an important impact on the evolution
of diversity in our school population. The regulations currently in effect include specific measures to attend to
foreign students who enter our school system. The ultimate goal is to normalize their situation at school as soon
as possible.

Students must enrol in a school as soon as they arrive at Valencia. They do not have to wait until the next school
year begins.
Students between the age of 3 and the limit of compulsory education are considered to require special attention if
they present any one of the following situations:

 They do not speak either of the official languages of the Autonomous Community, Valencian or
Spanish.
 They are two or more years behind the grade they should be in according to age.
 They have difficulties adapting to the school environment.

The needs of each student will be determined after carrying out the initial evaluation upon enrolment. Oftentimes
students from foreign countries only need a little time to adapt to the new situation

Each school must include in its guidance action plan, actions specifically designed for students from foreign
countries. These actions should include a program for the reception of these students as well as follow-up and
support measures to ensure his or her integration in the school.

Anexo
Artículo 23. Incorporación tardía

1. La escolarización y atención del alumnado que se incorpore de forma tardía al sistema educativo se
realizará en los términos indicados en los artículos 78 y 79 de la Ley Orgánica 2/2006, así como en el
artículo 14.5 del Real Decreto 126/2014.

2. Los programas específicos autorizados por la Consellería competente en materia de educación con el
fin de atender las necesidades del alumnado que presente graves carencias lingüísticas o en sus
competencias o conocimientos básicos, a fin de facilitar su integración en el curso correspondiente, se
desarrollarán de forma que progresivamente el alumno o alumna permanezca el mayor tiempo posible
en el grupo ordinario de referencia. Estos programas seguirán una metodología basada
en el refuerzo de las áreas instrumentales y el trabajo interdisciplinar.

3. Con objeto de hacer efectivos los principios de inclusión y no discriminación, se promoverá en los
centros educativos la educación intercultural, el respeto a las diferencias y la pluralidad cultural, en el
marco de los valores constitucionales.