‘Mini-Whiteboards’ EAL Strategy: Explanation and Rationale

When it comes to EAL learners and mini-whiteboards, perhaps the greatest benefit is their provisional nature.

Writing done on a whiteboard, unlike most writing produced in a classroom, can be swiftly erased. Little or no trace remains.

Not only does this provide space for experimentation, but it also makes it easier to take risks and to deal with mistakes.

For many of us, erring in public can feel embarrassing or, at worst, humiliating.

The shame or awkwardness that may come to be associated with it – regardless of whether this has any rational basis – has the capacity to stymie people’s efforts to learn new things or to take risks to try and achieve their goals.

It is no different for learners.

In fact, for EAL learners the situation may even be compounded.

Aware of the relative skill with which those around them manipulate the English language, some learners may feel that their own developing abilities are inadequate.

Perception is key here. It’s about how learners think about themselves and their learning, as opposed to the reality of things.

While we all strive to create a safe, positive atmosphere in our classrooms, there can still be times when EAL learners feel uncomfortable.

Using mini-whiteboards is one way to change how learners perceive writing and the ‘risks’ they think are attached to getting things wrong.

Here are three examples for you to consider.

Mini-Whiteboards: Example One

Give mini-whiteboards to your EAL learners and encourage them to use these in your lessons.

Explain that they can use them to practise their writing before committing anything to paper.

Tell them to indicate if they would like you to check the writing on their whiteboard before they transfer it to their books.

In this example, we are encouraging EAL learners to use their mini-whiteboards as a scratchpad. A practice space. An extension of their working memory.

Once they get into the habit of doing this, they should find the process of writing easier, as well as more enjoyable.

You can develop the technique by pairing an EAL learner with a friend or sensitive peer who can help them to check their writing themselves, without requiring your assistance.

Mini-Whiteboards: Example Two

Give your EAL learners mini-whiteboards to use during discussion activities.

Explain that they should use them to rehearse their answers or to make notes.

When it’s their turn to speak, they can use them as a support.

Essentially, we are asking our EAL learners to create their own speaking scaffolds, using the mini-whiteboards.

You can extend the strategy by giving mini-whiteboards to all your learners and having them do the same thing.

This tends to improve the quality of speaking and listening across your whole class.

Everyone now has a scaffold they can use to speak at a higher level. One that helps them go beyond the limits of their working memory.

Mini-Whiteboards: Example Three

Give your EAL learners mini-whiteboards to use in your lessons.

Ask them to use a dictionary to look up new words they come across and to draw these on their whiteboards.

You can then discuss meanings and definitions with the learners, using the images as a starting point.

Similarly, you might encourage your EAL learners to write out definitions, or sentences involving keywords, on their whiteboards for you to check and to then discuss with them.

In this strategy, we are focussing the whiteboard use on new language acquisition.

The process engages EAL learners in active practice, while also giving you an opportunity to assess how they are dealing with new words and whether they are successfully expanding their vocabulary.

In short it’s both an EAL strategy and an AFL one.