Session 1: Becoming a ‘language-aware’ school: challenges and opportunities

Ever wondered why some international students make swift progress in learning English and others seem to struggle? Across two sessions we will gain an understanding of individual differences in language acquisition and the challenges and opportunities in learning through a second language. Session one explores the research – looking at areas of challenge, how they impact learning and outcomes, and how this knowledge enables teachers to better understand the trajectories of international students.

Session 2: Becoming a ‘language-aware’ school: strategies for success

The second session will take us from the theoretical into the practical, exploring approaches and strategies that provide optimum support for language and content learning. We will touch on content learning, literacy development, and key areas to consider in assessment, using your own context and students.

Session 3: Becoming a ‘language-aware’ school: marketing, admissions and international pupil recruitment

This session aims to ensure your school is ‘language aware’ from the first interaction international parents and their children have with your marketing and admissions teams. The session will leave you better equipped to (re)evaluate your school’s documentation from the perspective of international parents and understand the institutional language support your international learners need to thrive.

Session 3b: WoLLoW: World of Languages and Languages of the World

In this session, Abbie Dean and John Claughton, the co-founders of WoLLoW introduce this languages programme for KS2 and KS3. Abbie will run a demo lesson, showing how the WoLLoW course aims not to teach a language but about languages and bring joy to language learning as well as giving voice to the rich language knowledge of all our pupils.

Session 4: Think, Pair, Share/Q&A time with feedback

Responding to feedback on previous CPD days, this session aims to give everyone to digest the content of the day, discuss ideas they have heard, ideas they have had or ideas their school is already implementing which they would like to share.  If you have already spent time with Eowyn at a previous session, you may have detailed questions you want to follow up on or some specific guidance or advice on next steps in your ‘language aware’ journey.

Abigail Dean, Co-Founder of WoLLoW 

Abigail Dean is Head of WoLLoW and a teacher of French and German at Norwich School, where WoLLoW has become integral to the school’s whole approach to modern languages.   As co-founder of WoLLoW , she is a main contributor to the curriculum design, lesson content, and resources on its website, as well as liaising with schools and other stakeholders across the UK and within Europe, including King’s Ely.  Alongside her co-founders, John Claughton, Stefan Griffiths and John Wilson, Abbie participates in delivering WoLLoW training to various organisations, which have included HMC, the Association for Language Learning, Instituto Cervantes and the World Education Summit.  She studied Politics and German at the University of East Anglia.  

If you are travelling to the venue by car, King’s Ely is only 12 miles from Cambridge and is accessible via the A10 or A14. Ely has a variety of free long stay and short stay car parks. For a more detailed map providing information on parking times and restrictions, including disabled details, please download the attachment below.

If you are travelling by train, King’s Ely is situated just 15 minutes North of Cambridge and just over an hour from London by train. The school is a short walk from Ely train station, which provides direct rail links to Cambridge, London, and Stansted. Trains to central London every half hour provide easy access to Heathrow Airport.