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Professional Networks

About NALDIC

Overview

NALDIC manages a series of professional networks. These are Regional and Special Interest Groups (RIGs and SIGs) as well as EAL-Bilingual, an online discussion group. You do not need to be a NALDIC member to join these free groups. We also facilitate networking through Social Media. Additionally, NALDIC works collaboratively with many other associations and Sister Organisations, including EALAW, EEMEMA, NASSEA and SATEAL.

For a list of Upcoming Events click here

Regional Interest Groups

NALDIC Regional Interest Groups (RIGs) have developed in response to requests from members who want to raise the profile of EAL and bilingualism in their local areas, provide networking opportunities and support for teachers and other professionals with an interest in EAL and promote the work of NALDIC. Like our online networking opportunities, our RIGs are ever expanding. We are always grateful for offers of help with organising or starting up regional groups, so if you are interested in joining a local group or you are interested in helping to organise a group, please email the National Co-ordinator or relevant RIG convenor below.

RIGs meet in different venues around their local areas. They are learning communities, bringing together primary and secondary colleagues, local authority advisors, researchers and supporters to share ideas and insights. Warm and welcoming, they are fantastic groups who are there to help with queries and challenges, and to celebrate successes.

To find out more about our RIGs’ activities, check them out on our RIGs Blog, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

National Regional Groups Co-ordinator

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Dianne Excell

RIGs

  1. North East | Convenor: Rashada Salamat & Diane Embley
  2. Cumbria and Lancashire | Convenor: Catharine Driver
  3. Yorkshire and Humber | Convenor: Dianne Excell
  4. Greater Manchester | Convenor: Carol Hrynyk & Sharon Collins
  5. West Midlands | Convenor: Justine Dakin
  6. East Midlands | Convenor: Caroline Bruce & Annie Kershaw
  7. Oxfordshire | Convenor: Joanna Borysiak & Eowyn Crisfield
  8. South West | Convenor: Gail Forey
  9. South Wales | Convenor: Vacant
  10. North and North East London | Convenor: Jette Rayner & Emilia Onoszko
  11. Berkshire and Hampshire | Convenor: Karen Thomas
  12. South London | Convenor: Moira Brazil
  13. Kent | Convenors: Wendy Mackenzie & Bhupinder Gill

Important information about Regional Groups

NALDIC Regional Groups are set up and organised by NALDIC members who wish to become more involved in the work of the association with the aim of promoting NALDIC’s aims. As volunteers, the role of the NALDIC Regional Group coordinators is to make links with other members in their region and to set up regular network meetings for them to come together to share and exchange information about EAL and teaching and learning practice.

The NALDIC Executive Committee is very grateful to the individual NALDIC members who, out of goodwill, have set up and maintain the regional groups. As a membership organisation, NALDIC does not pass on members’ email addresses or other contact details. Once a new NALDIC Regional Group is agreed, the regional coordinator needs to make arrangements to locate members in their region to keep in touch. To do this they may use NALDIC mailings, NALDIC Pulse and EAL Journal as well as EAL-Bilingual and social media to publicise regional meetings. A NALDIC Regional Group needs to be self-financing with costs kept to a minimum and coordinators may make a small charge to those who attend to cover costs of room hire and refreshments.

NALDIC Regional Groups run independently of local authority, school, higher education and other organisations. Meetings are not restricted to NALDIC members, though we do ask regional coordinators to encourage non-members who wish to attend meetings to join NALDIC.

Special Interest Groups

NALDIC Professional Networks – SIGs

NALDIC Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have developed in response to requests from members who want to raise the profile of EAL and bilingualism in a specific area of interest.

NALDIC currently has 5 active Special Interest Groups, they are as follows:

NALDIC EAL Coordinators SIG

To participate in online events and be kept informed of relevant EAL Coordinators material, please join its mailing list by clicking on the link below and filling out the member sign-up form.

If you have a specific query, you can contact the convenor/s of this group by sending an email to EALcoordinatorsSIG@naldic.org.uk

Member Sign-up Form

NALDIC Newcomers and Refugees SIG

The Newcomers and Refugees Special Interest Group (SIG) aims to be a space to network and discuss the holistic needs of learners who are newly arrived in the UK, and may be members of families who are seeking sanctuary or young people independently seeking sanctuary. This SIG is open to educators and also the wider multi agency team involved in supporting newly arrived families and young people. We are keen to build a community of practice and learn from each other.

To participate in online events and be kept informed of relevant Newcomers and Refugees material, please join its mailing list by clicking on the link below and filling out the member sign-up form.

If you have a specific query, you can contact the convenor/s of this group by sending an email to NewcomersRefugeesSIG@naldic.org.uk

Member Sign-up Form

NALDIC Early Years SIG

It has been widely recognised that if we invest in “getting it right” in the Early Years and provide adequate support for EAL children, their families and staff this has a positive impact throughout their school life and years.

This is a new Special Interest Group for anybody with an interest in Early Years. We’d love to hear from Early Years teachers, Pre School staff, Nursery staff and Childminders. We are aiming to meet termly to network, share experiences, resources and good practise. We would like this group to be a forum for members, so will welcome participation from everybody!

To participate in online events and be kept informed of relevant Early Years material, please join its mailing list by clicking on the link below and filling out the member sign-up form.

If you have a specific query, you can contact the convenor/s of this group by sending an email to EarlyYearsSIG@naldic.org.uk

Member Sign-up Form

NALDIC Independent Schools SIG

To participate in online events and be kept informed of relevant Independent Schools material, please join its mailing list by clicking on the link below and filling out the member sign-up form.

If you have a specific query, you can contact the convenor/s of this group by sending an email to IndependentSchoolsSIG@naldic.org.uk

NISSIG Facebook Group

Member Sign-up Form

NALDIC International Schools SIG

The International School SIG is a welcoming network that aims to connect and support EAL professionals working in international settings. We aim to share knowledge and experience of EAL practice and research through termly online meetings, and here on the NALDIC website. Meetings will take place at suitable times for colleagues working in Europe and Asia, and will also include excellent speakers who can share their insight and latest research.

To participate in online events and be kept informed of relevant International Schools material, please join its mailing list by clicking on the link below and filling out the member sign-up form.

If you have a specific query, you can contact the convenor/s of this group by sending an email to InternationalSchoolsSIG@naldic.org.uk

NIntSIG Facebook Group

Member Sign-up Form

Sister Organisations

EALAW – English as an Additional Language Association of Wales

The English as an Additional Language Association of Wales (EALAW) is a not-for-profit national organisation committed to the advancement of language and curriculum development for pupils learning EAL.The general aims of the organisation are to promote good practice in the support of additional language learners and to represent the professional interests of those working with additional language learners in Wales. The association produces a bi-annual newsletter, organises national conferences and engages with policymakers and others to further development of the profession.

For further details contact : enquiries@ealaw.org.uk or
by post : EALAW c/o GEMS, 25-27 Stow Hill, Newport, NP20 1JH.

Visit their website: www.ealaw.org.uk

EEMEMA – East and East Midlands Ethnic Minority Achievement

MERGE has been reborn as EEMEMA to sustain and develop a wider regional partnership which will focus on Ethnic Minority Achievement across all phases and educational settings. The group also comprises what was the East and East Midlands EAL hub and they wish to continue to offer the regional EMA CPD opportunities that the hub provided. Founder members are: Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk . For further information contact Peta Ullman – petaull@hotmail.com.

NASSEA – Northern Association of Support Services for Educational Achievement

NASSEA is a professional organisation, established in 1989, to represent northern services and teams originally funded under Section 11, EMTAG and now EMAG. The association has members from 30 LEA services and teams stretching from Newcastle to Cheshire. For further information contact Annette Nelson, Ethnic Minority Achievement Service annette.nelson@trafford.gov.uk

Visit their website: nassea.org.uk

SATEAL Scottish Association for the Teaching of English as an Additional Language

SATEAL is an organisation interested in fostering and developing the teaching of English as an additional language whose membership is open to individuals and groups involved with children, young people or adults whose first language is other than English, concerned for Scotland as a multilingual and antiracist society and interested in teaching English as an additional language.

Visit their website: Currently offline