non-English speaking children

[Sue123]

Hi my name is Susan and i am currently doing a project on how young children find primary school when they have not got english a primary language. has any1 have any imput on this??

[John]

My step-daughter came to the UK from Thailand in April 2001. She was then 6 years old. At that time she could count to 10 in English, and ask to go to the toilet, and that was about it.

Now aged 11, and recently started at secondary school, her English is totally up-to-speed. Indeed she got Level 5 in the writing part of SATS a few months ago (and a overall Level 4 in English, as well as Level 4 in Maths and Science as well). She even posts stories on to the fanfiction website. Basically she loves reading and writing English. It has been commented in English lessons at her new secondary school that she is able to write stories or essays in class far quicker most of the class.

Also, given that she is bilingual, they say that in learning a second language you trigger a part of the brain, and accordingly it is far easier to learn a third, fourth, fifth etc language than the second one. This is borne out by the way she is now doing very well learning French at school.

As regards your actual question, "how young children find primary school when they have not got english a primary language", the primary school were great! She was made to feel very welcome and given considerable extra help in getting her English up-to-speed.

It was a great co-incidence that during her first term in an English primary school that her class had a student teacher in doing teaching practice. So while that student teacher was teaching the rest of the class, the real class teacher was giving many hours of one-to-one English tuition.

Hope that helps.

[Dawie]

John, just as a matter of interest, does your step-daughter speak English with a perfect accent, i.e. can you tell that English is her second language? I'm just asking because I have a passing interest in linguistics and find second-language aquisition in children quite an interesting subject. I've noticed particularly that the younger the child is, the more "native" fluency they aquire in their second language to the extent that you cannot tell that it is their second language.

[John]

does your step-daughter speak English with a perfect accent

Good question! A perfect English accent? Well as perfect as English is around here ... yes she speaks English will a perfect Brummie accent! For example, she takes the "buzz" to school! And no, it is no longer possible to guess that English is not her first language.

Compared to ... my wife .... who also came to the UK in April 2001 ... whilst she speaks good English, it is easily possible to determine that English is not her first language.

Incidentally, anyone else who has brought, or is bringing, a young child to the UK ..... my step-daughter learnt her English using three different sources. Firstly of course at school, secondly using Argos (and the now defunct Index) catalogue, and thirdly by viewing Cartoon Network and the like for hours!

Argos? The readily-available catalogue has pages and pages of .... pictures and descriptions! A totally free resource helping to convert the visual image ... the pic in the catalogue .. into words.

Cartoon Network? Before coming to the UK she watched cartoons on Thai TV, and surprise surprise the characters spoke Thai! So on coming to the UK and viewing often the same cartoons ... but now the characters spoke English! A great incentive to learn what they were saying.

Taking all those factors into account, my step-daughter's English was really up-to-speed ... normal for her age .... in just a couple of years. And she certainly finished primary school well into the top half of the form as far as English is concerned.