We wish to inform you about some issues arising from the current events affecting our community and our operations.
Key points:
- Our physical office is closed
- To ensure you receive your EAL Journal, check that we have your correct postal address here.
- See our crowdsourced list of EAL home learning resources here.
- Follow our series of home learning activities blog posts, here.
- Stay at home if you are not a key worker
Supporting EAL learners during school closures
The indefinite closure of schools is foremost in our minds at the moment. Among our EAL learners are some of the most vulnerable members of our school communities. We recognize the Herculean and selfless tasks being undertaken by the teaching community to keep schools open for those who most need to be in them, and to provide a sense of educational continuity for children who must stay at home. We also recognize the significant challenge to parents and carers and to children in adapting to a home learning environment.
We want to do what we can to support parents and teachers as they adapt to these challenging circumstances. See below for our two current initiatives. We are actively exploring additional ways that we might provide support, and will keep you posted.
Home learning resources list
We have curated a crowd sourced list of websites with a huge range of resources to use with EAL learners. A number of companies have dropped their paywalls to allow access to resources such as bilingual eBooks, audiobooks, and language teaching and learning activities. Teachers have uploaded lesson plans, worksheets and other activities, and we have links to curriculum materials and information about Coronavirus in a variety of languages. Check it out here.
Bitesize activities on the blog
We have also started a series of blog posts written by our members with ideas for activities to do at home. See here. Can you write one for us? We’re after no more than 500 words to describe a single activity that can be done by parents or independently by learners, or that can be used by teachers online. Please email your ideas to h.chalmers@naldic.org.uk
Office matters
Like many organizations NALDIC is practicing remote working and social distancing. Our physical office has been closed, and as such our administrative capacity has been reduced. While we are still able to respond to emails, we have very restricted access to post, both incoming and outgoing. The main implication of this for members relates to the EAL Journal and NALDIC’s online shop.
The EAL Journal
We expect to have the next issue of the EAL Journal ready for press in the coming weeks. To ensure that you receive your copy, it is very important that we have your most up to date postal address. To check, log in to your NALDIC account at https://naldic.org.uk/my-
Please double check. Because our office is closed, we will be unable to mail additional copies of the journal in the event that we do not have your correct address.
The NALDIC Shop
The office closure means that we do not have access to our stock of books, back issues of the EAL Journal, and pamphlets. We are taking no orders until further notice.
Our thoughts are with every member of the community and we hope that the coming weeks of uncertainty will pass with as little lasting negative effect as possible.
