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Over the past few years, researchers at Ulster University have worked with local schools and with students training to become teachers, to find out what resources might be useful to them in their work with EAL pupils (pupils designated as ‘Newcomers’ by the Department of Education NI). As a result of this work, we have developed a library of resources that can be used to help pupils build English skills. This library is an evolving resource, and more materials will be added to it over time.
The resources on this page contain simple, engaging activities for pupils to help them practise their English skills. They include simple stories and questions based on the stories. These activities are intended for pupils to do with the support of a teacher or another adult, who can help with any parts that they might find challenging. They are designed to be interesting even for pupils whose first language is English, so that a whole class can do these activities together.
The resources are aimed at children in Key Stage 2 (years 5 to 7). Younger children may be able to do these activities too; however, they might need additional support and guidance.
Please note that these resources are not intended for pupils just beginning to learn English, but for pupils at an intermediate stage who might seem to be ‘stuck’ on some aspects of English grammar. For pupils needing more basic support, the Education Authority's Intercultural Education Service (IES) provides many valuable resources and services.
Activities
- Determiners (Articles and Demonstratives)
- Prepositions
- Auxiliaries
- Verb Forms (Infinitives, Gerunds, and Participles)
Answer Keys
These resources have been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. You can adapt them to suit your own teaching needs, or use them as a template for resources of your own. If you have any questions or would like to talk to us about these materials, please contact Dr Christina Sevdali or Dr Morgan Macleod.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the schools and students who helped us to develop and pilot these resources. This project was funded by an Impact Acceleration Account grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
