Using digital-storytelling to promote speaking and listening :
How one school used ICT to promote language development of EAL pupils through
intercultural storytelling.
Introduction
This work was a collaboration between Milton Park Junior School and Portsmouth Ethnic
Minority Achievement Service (EMAS). The focus of this work was to develop literacy for all
pupils but particularly those for whom English is an additional language. It also had wider
benefits in terms of developing the intercultural dimension within the curriculum.
The project involved groups of pupils from a Year 5 class retelling traditional tales from a range
of cultures and using ICT to create audio and visual recordings. Whilst the school continues to
run literacy and numeracy hours the work formed a more integrated approach to combine skills
from across the curriculum with a specific focus on literacy and ICT.
Context
The Year 5 class was of mixed ability with levels ranging from below a level 2 up to a higher
level 4. There were 4 pupils learning English as an additional language (EAL) - from Guyana,
Nepal and two from South Africa. These pupils presented a wide range of needs from a
beginner bilingual learner working on the QCA EAL scale to more advanced learners of
English.
The Year 5 class had recently completed a unit of work from the Literacy Strategy which
involved ‘investigating a range of texts from different cultures’ (Term 3 T1).
What was done
The work was carried out over two days. On day one the class recapped over multi-cultural
storytelling and the stories that they had been reading in Literacy. The class listened to a duallanguage retelling of a traditional tale entitled ‘The Raja’s Secret’. The children were then
introduced to ways that they could visually enhance their storytelling and how they could do
this through blue-screen video and animation.
The pupils were split into mixed-ability groups with an EAL pupil who had been briefed to be
the expert. This allowed most groups to select a story from another culture, either from books,
or ones that they had heard retold in their family. The pupils moved on to writing a storyboard
and concluding the text they were going to use. Individual members of each group were
chosen to retell their story using audio recording equipment. They were then able to edit their
audio file using a simple audio editor.
On day two, the pupils started using the ICT equipment to film and produce their chosen idea.
In the final half-hour session on the second day, the pupils were able to present their
completed work to the rest of the class.
Methodology

Working in groups
Each of the EAL pupils were placed into mixed ability groupings and made the focus of the
work. The pupils were presented with a variety of options to allow them to choose previously
studied traditional stories or those orally passed from within their own families. The EAL pupils
benefited from being able to access the same tasks as other pupils. These learners acquire
language most easily when the work is both cognitively demanding and set within a real
context.

Collaboration
The children undertook a variety of roles within their groups. Collaboration is particularly
supportive of bilingual learners because listening and speaking are central to the learning
process. In small groups, speaking and listening and other modes of visual communication by
monolingual peers help support access to the curriculum for the EAL pupils. More adept users
of English can model good use of language in appropriate contexts for less proficient pupils.
This helps bilingual learners understand how to use the more academic language of the
classroom both in oral work and as they begin the writing process.

How ICT supports the development of literacy
ICT supports speaking and listening in a variety of ways. Many pupils, including EAL pupils,
use non-standard English when they are talking. A recorded sample of speech can be
replayed so that the speaker appreciates how the audience hears it. In this way pupils can
critically evaluate their efforts and make changes as appropriate. Being able to edit and
improve work is motivating and builds self-confidence. The opportunity to record and edit audio
files in private eliminates the concerns some pupils have over public speaking, especially
pupils with EAL.
Sometimes pupils’ writing mirrors their spoken word and the online spelling and grammar
check facilities can help them to overcome the immediate worry of sentence construction and
use of non-standard English. Moreover, word-processors can help overcome the ‘blank piece
of paper syndrome’ that inhibits some children from stating their writing.

Use of first language
Pupils who are orally proficient in their first language will gain confidence from becoming the
experts and demonstrating their skills to their monolingual peers. This also supports those EAL
pupils who are initially reticent to speak a second language in public. Appreciation of first
language skills from both staff and peers helps to develop relationships and understanding
between different groups.

Use of other adults
Bilingual assistants were used to conduct a dual-language retelling of a traditional story. This
helped to model the process that children could follow in their groups. Although not an
essential resource, bilingual assistants were able to help pupils rehearse and improve their first
language oral retelling. Parents of EAL children are a rich resource and should also be
encouraged to support their child both at home and at school in maintaining their child’s first
language.

Using stories from other cultures
The use of stories from other cultures meant that there was an element of traditional
storytelling that other pupils hadn’t experienced before. It gave the EAL pupils the opportunity
to be more socially integrated with the children in their group and it boosted their self-esteem
to be in the focus telling their stories from their families that are traditional to them. This also
enriches the curriculum for all the pupils

Storyboarding process
Storyboarding helps scaffold the writing process and overcome the ‘blank piece of paper’
syndrome. Pupils were able to work on small sections of their stories, sometimes using
pictures to support meaning. Pupils speaking English as an additional language benefited from
being able to work on smaller pieces of text first before they composed their final draft. Using
images in place of text can be useful for those pupils who still have developing vocabulary.
Some stories were drafted in first language which is beneficial for those pupils whose first
language is stronger than English. They can be helped later to convert this into English. This
helps stage the writing process because the overall task can be broken down into more
manageable activities.

Follow-up literacy work
This work encouraged pupils to use other genres of writing for literacy follow-up work. Pupils
were given a real life context on which to base their written work, for example, thank you letters
to staff involved in the work and persuasive writing to encourage the class teacher to hold
similar sessions again. Setting tasks within a context is particularly beneficial for pupils
learning EAL.
Outcomes
The EAL children benefited from this work as it boosted their confidence enormously. In
particular, one child in one of the Year 5 classes began to take part in all lessons, in class
discussion and became much more enthused to talk to the other children. When the bilingual
pupils were recording their stories, speaking in their first language, the other pupils were
enthralled.
The pupils were enthused and motivated and were able to use ICT equipment that they hadn’t
used regularly in class. They became positively engaged with each other, working together in
groups and as a result challenging behaviour issues did not present themselves.
Staff reported benefits in terms of developing their own ICT competency. The school was able
to incorporate other areas of the curriculum such as art, drama, DT and music, allowing the
pupils to pull together all of their skills to do this work. EAL pupils who have difficulty fully
accessing the literacy tasks were able to demonstrate high-level skills through other areas of
the curriculum.
Lisa Howard – Year 5 Class Teacher at Milton Park Junior School
Chris Pim – Specialist EAL Teacher, Portsmouth Ethnic Minority Achievement Service