How to Help a Child Who Speaks Little English Settle In

A family has booked their child into your club, but the child speaks little English. You want them to feel safe and included from the start, but communicating can feel daunting. With a small amount of preparation, you can help a child who speaks little English settle in from their very first session.

What can you do before their first session?

Ask parents about the child's home language, how much English they understand and a few useful words or phrases. Write these down for your team before the session.

Find out about any cultural or religious practices that your booking form might not cover. If the parents don't speak much English themselves, ask whether an older sibling or relative could help with those first conversations.

⭐ Eequ Pro Tip: Add custom checkout questions to your Eequ listing to collect the child's home language, key words and medical information. You could also ask, "Is there anything we could do to help your child settle in and enjoy their session?" The answers appear on your register, so staff have the information before the child arrives.

How do you help a child who speaks little English settle in on the first day?

Welcome the child with a smile and show them where to put their belongings, where the toilets are and which member of staff to go to. Use gestures to help them find their way around, and add picture labels to doors and cupboards.

Introduce them to one friendly child who can show them around. A buddy can help them understand games, find equipment and join the wider group.

A visual timetable showing snack time, outdoor play, lunch and home time helps the child understand what comes next. A steady routine, with the same rhythm to every session, builds their confidence faster. Show them a quiet, supervised space they can use if they need a break.

In my experience running English conversation classes for asylum seekers and refugees, we took it in turns every session to hand round tea and biscuits at break time. Helping with a simple task built connections and helped everybody feel they belonged.

⭐ Eequ Pro Tip: Give the child a useful job, such as setting out the paint pots or handing round snacks. A small job helps them feel part of the group without needing many words.

How do you communicate when you don't share a language?

Use gestures, pictures and demonstrations alongside simple spoken English. Show the child what to do: start the game, hold up a paintbrush when introducing an art activity or point to a water bottle when offering a drink.

Give one instruction at a time and allow the child time to respond. Picture cards also let children tell you what they need by pointing.

Keep your language simple and avoid slang or idioms that could confuse. Translation apps can help with more complicated conversations, particularly with parents, but they can be inaccurate. For important health, safety or care information, use a proper adult interpreter or translation service.

In my English classes, I found that giving people time to feel comfortable before expecting them to speak made a real difference. One young girl was very quiet in our first few sessions. We started with Jenga, which needed no talking at all, so we could smile and laugh while taking turns. That built trust before we moved on to games that involved speaking.

Games and play let children build friendships before they have the confidence or vocabulary to express themselves in English.

How do you keep a child safe if they can't tell you something is wrong?

Give the child picture cards for "toilet", "hurt" and "hungry" so they can show you basic needs. Make sure they know which member of staff to go to for help.

Check that all staff know about the child's allergies, medical needs and who is collecting them. Follow your safeguarding procedures, and never assume a child has understood an instruction just because they nodded.

The Department for Education's guidance for providers running out-of-school settings explains what your safeguarding arrangements should cover.

How do you help them join in with other children?

Choose activities that need little English, such as sport, art, music and simple games. Pair the child with welcoming children, and avoid singling them out or expecting them to perform in front of the group. As they become comfortable, they may begin using more English naturally.

In my English classes, we were once talking about our favourite foods. One woman was too shy to speak at first. Rather than putting her on the spot, I let others in the group go first. After a few minutes, someone mentioned a dish from her home country. Without having to speak to the whole group, she felt comfortable enough to nod and show that she loved it too.

⭐ Eequ Pro Tip: A child can join in without performing. Watching or sitting near others counts as taking part, and it often builds their confidence faster than being asked to speak.

How do you talk to parents who speak little English?

Keep conversations friendly and focused on essential information. Use short sentences, avoid slang and leave time for questions.

Clear, accessible communication helps families get involved with your club. The Bell Foundation, a UK charity that supports children learning English, notes that parents new to English face additional challenges to taking part.

⭐ Eequ Pro Tip: Follow up important conversations in writing, so parents can translate the message at home. With Eequ, you can message every family booked on a session, so updates reach everyone in writing.

For more on first sessions, read our guides on how to help a nervous child settle in at a new club and how to manage holiday camp drop-off and collection.

Frequently asked questions

Should I ask another child to translate?

A friendly child can help a new arrival understand a game or find their way around. For anything sensitive, such as health, safety or family circumstances, use an adult interpreter or translation service instead.

Do I need to speak the child's language to look after them?

No. Gestures, pictures, demonstrations and a predictable routine all help children feel included. Learning a few words in their home language, such as hello and toilet, can also help them feel welcome.

What if the child cries or won't join in?

Stay calm, acknowledge their feelings and give them time. Offer a quiet, supervised space and a familiar activity. If they stay upset, contact their parents or carer as your club's procedures set out.

Help every child feel welcome

A little preparation makes a big difference to a child's first day. When you collect the right information before they arrive, your team feels prepared and the child gets a warmer welcome. Eequ, the booking system for children's activity providers, holiday clubs, wraparound care and sports clubs, helps you collect those details at booking, so they're on your register when you need them. Set up your listing on Eequ to see how it works for your club.

Olivia Laughton has experience running English conversation classes for asylum seekers and refugees.