EAL

Some advice for classroom practice

Immersion and inclusion

• The learning of English for pupils learning EAL takes place as much in science, mathematics, ICT and the foundation subjects as it does in English or literacy lessons.

• It also takes place within the ‘hidden curriculum’, and beyond the school and is affected by attitudes to race and culture in the wider society.

• If EAL were a separate subject (like a modern foreign language) the point for learners would clearly become learning a language but for pupils learning EAL in mainstream classrooms in England this is not the case.

KS2KS1 KS3 KS4FS

English language learning required for school attainment

Average pupil progression

Lower EAL progression

Required EAL progression

The EAL learner’s task is to ‘catch up’ from a different starting point. If this does not happen by the end of KS1, the task may become increasingly difficult.

Remember…

• There is no cognitive reason for EAL pupils not to learn and to achieve. If pupils are unable to access your lesson due to language, you should aim to teach the words and structures they need to access your lesson.

• If EAL pupils feel “lost” in your lessons, confidence will be undermined and progress in English will be slower.

Give them a job

• Ask EAL pupils to hand out books, collect in home learning and clean the board.

• This improves self-esteem and confidence as they feel able to contribute to the group.

Use their language

• Beginner EAL learners can complete work in their own language.

• This pushes them cognitively and encourages them to learn in your subject.

Talking

• Planning plenty of whole class/small group speaking and listening exercises enables them to hear more of the language in context.

• They may choose not to join in but hearing language in a specific context will help them learn the language they need and they may be more inclined to contribute in a smaller group.

• If they can’t say it, they can’t write it.

Pictures

• If your lesson is on the interactive white board try to include a picture on the slide which will offer clues to the topic of the slide or may define some of the key words- this benefits all learners.

Give them a buddy

• If there is someone else in the group who speaks their language, buddy them up so that the other pupil can provide some help in their home language when needed.