Regional Coordinator: Pamela Carroll
Tel: 01380 818337
multiverse@engelside.co.uk
Report on Multiverse Outreach Work in the South West, Spring 2010
by Pam Carroll, Multiverse South West Regional Co-ordinator
Multiverse Equalities Session delivered for Dorset Teacher Education Partnership - 27th February 2010
This Multiverse Equalities session was delivered to 15 secondary NQTs at a venue in Wareham, Dorset as part of a day hosted by Dorset Teacher Education Partnership entitled ‘Understanding the Children in Front of You'. The session began with an introduction to Multiverse, before beginning a Language Activity from the website. The activity explored some of the language used in the context of Equalities, and provoked discussion on concepts, use and appropriateness. Following some discussion, the group did the ‘Perceptions' activity from the MV website, and the comments from teachers, parents/carers and pupils were discussed in the context of the theme for the day - ‘Understanding the Children in Front of You'. The NQTs were then introduced to The New Equality Bill. Its relevance both in community and educational settings was unpacked with particular reference to the six Equality strands, and to the importance of the Community Cohesion agenda. We then undertook an activity around the issue of Cultural Differences and the Expression of Emotion - taken from the secondary SEAL materials - and again, this was discussed with relevance to the overarching theme of the day - how could this help teachers to understand their pupils? Discussion was introduced relating to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, and the way in which stereotypes had arisen in the perceptions of those involved in investigating the case. We also discussed a particular example of an exclusion that had occurred because of a specific misunderstanding in relation to an issue of cultural relevance. Our final activity centred on the Multiverse resource from the University of East London - Pupils Learning English As An Additional Language (Secondary ITE Task File - Edition 7). In small groups we considered: beginners and advanced learners of EAL; communicative and academic language; and additive and subtractive bilingualism, amongst other aspects of supporting EAL learners in the secondary context. Small groups considered extracts from the document and then fed back their findings to the whole group. This enabled us to gain a broad overview of the EAL issues at stake. This document, together with other MV resources and some additional reference and teaching materials, were given to the students as a CD to take away as an introduction to the MV website, and as a precursor to exploring it more fully. The session ended with an overview of some key DCSF, Runnymede and other resource and guidance materials.
Resources and reports from previous regional workshops can be found below.
USEFUL RESOURCES
PortCities Bristol Website
Contains information on Bristol's role in the transatlantic slave trade
FATA HE Website
Organisation established in 2001 to redress social and economic inequalities relating to Black and Minority Ethnic individuals, families and groups within the city of Plymouth.
