Freemans Bay School offers a supportive learning environment to all students who speak English as an additional language.

The students spend most of their day in their classroom, immersed in English language lessons, with their supportive teachers and peers. The classroom teachers adapt their workshops to meet the needs of the English language learners, allowing them to access the New Zealand Curriculum and classroom Inquiry, to the best of their ability.

Depending on the student’s learning needs, they may visit our ESOL classroom for specific lessons with the ESOL teachers to support them with their English language acquisition.

What does the ESOL Programme look like?

We currently have 2 ESOL teachers and teacher aides that work alongside classroom teachers to support students with their English language acquisition.

Students attend ESOL classes Monday to Friday for about 30-40 minutes.
The students work in small groups with other students who are at a similar level or who are focusing on a similar need.

ESOL programmes are supporting the students in the four modes of language – speaking, listening, reading and writing.

How can you support your child?

·       Spend time talking to your children about their day

·       Read to or with your child daily.

·       Ask questions and get them to retell the story

·       Allow your child the opportunity to read their reader. Spending time talking about what is happening in the illustrations and getting them to have an understanding of what they have read.

·       Continue to speak in your home language at home, as research proves if they do, they will have a better chance of success learning English.

The article called, Raising A Bilingual Child: Fears, Myths, and the Importance of the Mother Tongue, is a really helpful one.