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NALDIC’s Regional Interest Groups (RIGs): Have you ever attended one?

by Carmen Silvestri

Dianne Excell is the national coordinator for NALDIC’s RIGs. In this post, she tells us why they’re important and what you can expect if you come to one.

RIGs are regional networks of practitioners across all types of schools and phases, local authorities and universities. They are a mixture of research, good practice, and sharing of resources and experiences, and they provide updates on local, national, and international events, current trends and concerns.

All RIGs are convened by volunteer NALDIC members who are passionate about supporting new arrivals and all pupils learning English as an additional language. Importantly, RIGs meetings represent a free Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunity, supporting also colleagues who may be less familiar with the specific needs of EAL pupils.

Why do we need RIGs?

The educational climate in the UK is constantly changing, and not always for the better. The once ring-fenced Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) no longer exists; funding to Local Authority central services has been reduced; EAL services have been diluted or ‘deleted’. And changes to Initial Teacher Training resulted in new teachers often feeling inadequately prepared to teach learners of EAL in their classrooms.

But we can’t ignore the fact that the number of EAL pupils is increasing year on year and many are refugees from war-torn countries. There is, then, an urgent need for CPD for all professionals in the schools. However, there are different contexts in different regions and therefore different needs. For this reason, back in 2012, NALDIC decided to refresh and expand the RIGs to support these needs.

Where can you join a RIG?

We currently have eight active groups:

A map of the UK with circled numbers to represent the location of the NALDIC RIGs

But don’t worry if there isn’t a group in your region, most of the RIGs are facilitated by NALDIC on Zoom, so you can join different groups. Look at our Events page on NALDIC’s website and you can find all the RIGs listed along with links for how to join anywhere in the world online. If you are a NALDIC member, you have access to the resources shared at the meetings, but you don’t have to be a member to join a RIG: they are open to all!

We used to have 14 groups, but convenors are all volunteers convening RIGs in their own time and sometimes they find they can no longer convene for various reasons (illness, relocation, retirement, family issues, etc.). RIGS that were formerly active are: Cumbria and North Lancashire; Greater Manchester; Oxfordshire; South Wales; South London and Kent. If you are a NALDIC member and feel you could convene one of these RIGs, or you live in another region without a RIG, please get in touch with me.

What happens at a RIG?

Most regions meet once a term and there is usually a theme or focus. Contributions by practitioners from all educational settings are welcomed – sometimes these include well-known practitioners and/or researchers in the EAL field, both in the UK and abroad to complement regional expertise. There are often presentations but also space for discussion, to share practice and learn from one another.

RIGs, therefore, offer effective practice, informed by recent research, which is relevant to the needs of local schools and current concerns, and provide the opportunity for colleagues to network and find allies instead of feeling isolated.

What themes are covered?

At recent RIGs, themes included: parental involvement in school life; supporting vocabulary and oracy; late arrivals in secondary schools, Schools of Sanctuary and Healing Classrooms; AI for practitioners and EAL learners; Home language at GCSE; Supporting Reading for EAL learners; and Good practice in the classroom. Based on the different discussions, as new themes emerge, events are organised accordingly.

What do participants say?

“We found the event highly inspiring: there was lots of food for thought and it was wonderful to meet such highly competent and enthusiastic practitioners and researchers.” 

“This event was brilliant – such an eye-opener and broadening of my horizons. I can’t wait for the next RIG.”

RIGs are free CPD and NALDIC is grateful for the generosity of speakers who willingly share their good practice, research and expertise AND our convenors who are all volunteers giving up their time to plan appropriate RIGs and find speakers. Join our community 🙂

Your opinion matters!

If you have attended one, what do you think we could improve? And if you haven’t yet attended one, why not? Please fill in this 1-minute survey

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