ABSTRACT
Some ethnic minority children, especially Asian children, face problems at the moment of entry. This chapter discusses a study whose purpose was to see whether regular observation of one child by a researcher and a class teacher would provide information about the way children for whom English is a second language cope with transition from home to school at age 5, and to suggest ways in which teachers might be able to help these children. The study of Abbas's progress has shown him to be an active participant in his own learning. It has also shown that peer group talk has been an effective means of learning. Both the class teacher and researcher agreed that for most of the time it was very hard work sorting out what he was trying to say. Persuading Abbas to wear a radio microphone for a short time while playing, gave access to a wider range of language than had been possible hitherto.
