I DENTITY AND EAL P UPILS Who am I?

C HILD OF OUR T IME – I DENTITY C RISIS

W HAT IS IDENTITY Identity is about how individuals or groups see and define themselves and how other individuals or groups see and define them. The concept of identity is important as through it we come to know what makes us similar to some people and different to others. How people see themselves influences the friends they have, who they will marry or live with, and the communities and groups to which they relate and belong. Identity ‘fits’ individuals into the society in which they may choose to live.

I DENTITY AND OTHER PEOPLE Individuals are often not free to adopt any identity they like. Factors like their social class, their ethnic group and their sex are likely to influence how others see them. The identity that an individual wants to assert and which they may wish others to see them having, may not be the one that others accept or recognize. An Asian woman, for example, may not wish to be identified primarily as Asian or a woman, but as a senior manager or entertainer. However, if others still continue to see her primarily in terms of her ethnic and gender characteristics, she may find it difficult to assert her chosen identity. Similarly, the pensioner who sees him or herself as ‘young at heart’ may still be regarded as an old person by others.

M ULTIPLE I DENTITIES Individuals have multiple identities, asserting different identities in different circumstances. An individual may, for example, define him/herself primarily as a Christian in his/her family or community, as a manager at his/her work, as a lesbian in her social life, or as a designer-drug-user in his/her peer group. This mix of identities shows that it is possible for people to assert different identities or impressions of themselves in different social situations. Identities may also change over time. For example, as people grow older they may begin to see themselves as different from when they were younger. The child/young person who has English as an additional language may also have expatriate, émigré, migrant, refugee or foreigner as part of their identity or conversely, the EAL pupil may be and ‘feel’ British but be viewed as some or all of the above by others.

S TAGES OF I MMIGRATION 1. Honeymoon Phase. Most people begin with great expectations and a positive mind-set. 2. Rejection phase The honeymoon phase comes to an end as the newcomer has to deal with the problems that arise from day-to-day life in a new country. 3. Regression Phase In this phase of culture shock, people spend much of their time speaking their own language, watching films/TV from their home country, eating food from home. 4. Recovery Phase or At Ease at Last Phase In this stage you become more comfortable with the language and you also feel more comfortable with the customs of your new country. 5. Reverse Culture Shock or Return Culture Shock This occurs when returning to the home country after a long stay abroad.

EAL PUPIL AS CULTURAL NOMAD OR GLOBAL CITIZEN If a child/YP has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture, they frequently build relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture may be assimilated into their life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background i.e. other cultural nomads. This could be the case even if they were born and brought up in Britain if the culture of their parents is not the same as that of the majority culture around them.

C OLOURS W HITNI T HOMAS I grew up in a Yellow country But my parents are Blue. I'm Blue. Or at least, that is what they told me. But I play with the Yellows. I went to school with the Yellows. I spoke the Yellow language. I even dressed and appeared to be Yellow. I love the Blue country. But my ways are tinted with Yellow. When I am in the Blue land, I want to be Yellow. When I am in the Yellow land, I want to be Blue. Why can't I be both? A place where I can be me. A place where I can be green. I just want to be green. Then I moved to the Blue land. Now I go to school with the Blues. I speak the Blue language. I even dress and look Blue. But deep down, inside me, something's Yellow.

W HAT DO EAL CHILDREN / YOUNG PEOPLE NEED ? What do we do in my school already to make EAL new arrivals feel welcome, feel safe, valued and accepted? What else could we do in my school to improve their feelings of acceptance, security and integration? I’m lonely, I can’t join in with the others, so I have no friends. Everyone ignores me or treats me like I’m dumb. I’m tired. All this new language around me. I can’t follow it all….Zzzzzzzzz….. I’m worried. Everyone else can do the work, knows where to go and what to do next. That child pushed me. What should I do? I’ve never been to school before …….

T HINGS TO CONSIDER : First language (L1) - hierarchy? Name - anglicised? Cultural differences – behaviour? Emotional responses? Ways of learning? Classroom structure? Parents’ educational experiences? Religious restrictions? Appearance?

W HAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NO ACTION ? Frustration – poor behaviour Low self-worth – feeling unvalued Poor learning and academic progress Underachievement Sense of alienation from peers Disengagement from society at large Anger Confusion Possible radicalisation/extremism

W HO AM I ? T HINK AGAIN