1. Introduction

The use of Bilingual Classroom Assistants (BCAs) refers to the recruitment of individuals in various communities who speak a local language as well as Khmer. Their role in the classroom will be to act as a bridge between an ethnic Khmer teacher who does not speak the local language and very young minority children who do not yet understand Khmer. Although such individuals will not themselves be teaching, they will be expected to help translate instructions and lesson content into the local language for those children who are not proficient in Khmer. They might also work with students individually to help them complete assigned classroom tasks. Introducing the use of Bilingual Classroom Assistants in this way will help students from ethnic minority groups in the lower primary grades to cope with linguistic barriers to learning until such time as they increase their proficiency in the majority language. An added value of the availability of a BCA will be to bridge cultural differences between teacher and students and build the confidence of students from an ethnic minority group and to increase their joy in learning. Finally, it is expected that BCAs will contribute to a teacher's improved understanding of a specific minority language and associated cultural aspects of the ethnic minority group that s/he is working with. BCAs may help to sensitize the state school system to the needs of minority children.

2. Primary Objectives

To offer students with a different mother tongue than Khmer additional support in the classroom to facilitate increased participation in teaching and learning activities resulting in better performance and increased confidence.

3. Target group

Bilingual Classroom Assistant activities will be introduced for Grade 1 in schools with substantial numbers of non-Khmer speaking children. This activity is implemented in schools which included this intervention in their Cluster School Improvement Plan.

4. Information on Implementation

1. Orientation meeting in the schools who planned for this activity
   Schools will conduct an orientation meeting for school staff and parents to explain how the activity will be implemented and what the expected benefits are.
   
   
2. Selection of BCA's
   Recruitment of potential BCA's will be done by the cluster but in close collaboration with the community. A key factor for successful implementation of this pilot intervention is a clear understanding of the role and responsibilities of the BCA by all school staff and community. In this pilot, the schools will receive assistance of the Cambodian Islamic Youth Association to recruit candidates from the Cham communities. The main criteria for selection are: (i) good understanding of Khmer and the minority language, (ii) interest in working with children, (iii) commitment to work up to 4 hours a day during regular school hours, (iv) no specific age requirements and preference for female candidates.
   
   
3. Training of BCA's
   Training for BCA's will be provided by ESCUP staff from the Teacher Education component. The teachers who will work with the BCA will also be involved in this training.
   
   
4. Implementation
   The activity will ideally start at the first semester for the whole school year.

5. Resources Needed

• Community volunteers
• Teacher trainers
• Orientation - $2.50 per day per person for 1 day
• Teacher remuneration - $10 per month per assistant