EMAS

EMAS is an acronym for Ethnic Minority Achievement Service.

The Gospel Oak EMAS Team consists of Susan, who is a full time teacher and Mevlude who is a full time teaching assistant. Mevlude is able to speak fluent Albanian and Serbo-Croat and she is also able to converse in a number of other European languages. This is a great bonus to the school and to the many parents and children who she supports. Mevlude also teaches Albanian reading and writing in a weekly after school club.

Tahmina, is our bi-lingual speaking Teaching assistant, who is based mainly in the Nursery, where she supports parents and children in Bengali. She is often called upon to come and support children and parents in the main school, as well. She also teaches Bengali in an after school club.

Last but not least, is Angela our other bi-lingual teaching assistant. Angela works between the two Reception classes, using her own bi-lingual skills to support children who speak home languages from other parts of the world.

Susan and Mevlude work mainly in KS1 and the Foundation Stage, and they support new speakers of English in accessing the curriculum and in developing their speaking, listening and reading skills.

We aim to develop and maintain the very positive multicultural ethos of the school, through the type of curriculum we offer and through assemblies and other events. This year in order to celebrate Black History Month, we have invited into KS1 (3 rd November) an African story teller, who will not only tell stories to the individual classes, but will encourage them to act them out. Watch this space!

Refugee Week, which falls in June, is followed every year by our famous International Evening. Children, parents and friends all get together to share food and cultural dances, songs etc. Last year all of the classes performed for their parents. We were also lucky enough to have George Brade’s wonderful steel band, which performed all night. An African dancer shared her skills with Year 4, who then performed to the audience.

 

 

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Fun at an International Evening.

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We also run some very successful after school language clubs. We have an Albanian, a Bengali and a Somali Club which have all been running for several years. Michael a staff member, also runs a very exciting Caribbean Club, where any interested children can attend to celebrate the Caribbean culture. Lots of exciting things happen, from singing and dancing, mask making to research and cooking.

Children taking part in an after school Bengali class.