‘Pictures for Class Rules’ EAL Strategy: Explanation and Rationale
Most social situations have rules of some sort, even if these are not explicitly stated.
For example, in the United Kingdom it is a generally accepted rule that you queue and wait to be served when in a shop.
In other countries, the rules might be different.
But there will still be rules. We need these to govern social situations, so we know what to do and so we can anticipate how to act.
Classrooms have rules.
They also tend to have consequences for not following the rules.
These often take the form of sanctions.
If an EAL learner is at an early stage of language development, it will be difficult for them to grasp what the rules are if these are only explained through speech and writing.
Using pictures is therefore a good way to help your EAL learners and to ensure they know what is expected of them.
This minimises ambiguity, makes it easier for them to make sense of the classroom, and protects them from breaking rules of which they were not fully aware.
Here are three examples of what it looks like in practice.
Pictures for Class Rules: Example One
If one of the rules of your classroom is that learners should be respectful at all times, you could find a couple of suitable pictures to illustrate this point.
One could show positive, respectful relationships between two young people, while a second could show the same except with a young person and a teacher.
You could then repeat this for other relevant rules.
The goal is to give your EAL learners an instantly recognisable visual cue (or two) that they can use to make sense of your expectations.
It also means that if an EAL learner breaks a rule, whether deliberately or not, you can use the images to help them understand what they should have done instead, and why they need to change their behaviour.
Pictures for Class Rules: Example Two
Condense your rules so they fit on an A4 or A5 sheet of paper.
Illustrate each rule with a picture.
Give a printed copy to new learners when they join your class or, at the beginning of the year, to all of your learners.
This ensures that EAL learners are supported in understanding the rules but not made to feel like they are being singled out.
The method is actually very helpful for managing behaviour generally, particularly in a primary context.
A single sheet containing all the key rules of your classroom, alongside images, is easy to reference, easy to understand, and easy to refer to.
Pictures for Class Rules: Example Three
Rather than having a sheet that you hand out to learners, you can display your rules in a prominent position in your classroom.
Each rule should be accompanied by appropriate pictures in the same way as outlined above.
An advantage of having your rules on the wall is that you can easily refer to them whenever you wish.
This includes when you want to show examples of the rules being followed or broken to your EAL learners. Which is, in itself, a useful form of peer modelling.
Pictures for Class Rules: Further Developments to Try
At the start of the year, ask your learners to create the pictures that will illustrate each rule. This turns it into a class activity and can create buy-in from all learners. In many cases, your EAL learners will be able to participate fully in this approach.
Use two pictures for each rule. One showing the correct behaviour, accompanied by a tick. One showing the incorrect behaviour, accompanied by a cross. This uses contrast to contextualise the rules, making them easier to understand and remember.
Ask EAL learners to write the rules in their first language, using the pictures as a guide. Together, you can compare and discuss the sentences they have written with the sentences in English.
