International New Arrivals: Older Learners

EAL Support Pack: Survival Vocabulary

Introduction
This Survival Vocabulary Pack has been created to help newly arrived children who are new to learning
English settle into their new school. It provides them with helpful survival vocabulary resources, including
communication fans and word mats to help them communicate their needs to others. It also enables adults
to understand what children may be trying to communicate, from needing the toilet to letting them know when
they are ill. The pack also provides children with the opportunity to become familiar with key members of staff,
find their way around school and begin to understand school rules and routines.

This pack can either be used as stand alone support or as part of a wider support programme. A Younger Learners
Survival Vocabulary Pack with similar content, but designed with younger learners in mind is also available.

Lesson Overviews

Resources Required
Lesson
(in addition to the activities included)

Communication Channel • none

• To know how to ask for help.

• I can show/tell someone what I need or

what has happened.

• To know how to communicate emotions.

• I can show/tell someone how I feel.

Subjects and Staff • printed photos of key staff members

• To become familiar with subjects and staff • pens/pencils

at school.

• I can identify and name different subjects.

• I can recognise and name some

familiar adults.

School Site • pencils

• paper
• To become familiar with different places
in school. • rulers

• I know where different places are located.

• I know what different places are used for.

• I can find my way around school.

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 Rules, Expectations and Behaviour Code • a visual copy of your school rules or expectations

• To recognise what different rules mean.

• To follow simple rules.

• I know what the school/classroom

rules are.

• I know how to follow the rules.

Instructions, Transitions and Routines • none

• To recognise what different instructions mean.

• To be able to follow simple instructions.

• I know what different instructions mean.

• I can follow simple instructions.

Lesson Plan Key

The supporting resources and activities are written in blue and also included in this pack. Assessment
opportunities and questions are written in green.

There are no set times for each lesson as each setting will be using these resources differently. Staff are
able to use their professional judgement about what would be most appropriate in meeting the needs of
their pupils.

The symbols below indicate who is the most active in each part of the lesson.

teacher led individuals pairs or trios

small group whole class

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