Strategies for the inclusion of pupils who are beginning to learn English as

an additional language (EAL)

Steven Donohue & Sarah ThompsonEAL Advisory Teachers, EMAS Team.

March 2013

Aims• To gain an understanding of the expected progress and stages

of learning for a new to English learner at FS2 and KS1 • To feel more confident about working with pupils beginning to

learn EAL, and to acquire practical strategies for including them in classroom activities

• To learn how to maximise opportunities for the development of EAL

• To find out more about the many benefits of being a bilingual learner.

Wiltshire EMASEMAS work with primary and secondary schools, with the aim of building schools’ capacity to raise the achievement of BME pupils. Lead Professional 0.5, 2.9 FTE advisory teachers and 10 Bilingual Assistants (who speak Turkish, Bengali, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, French German and Nepali)One project worker for EqualitiesOf approx. 64,000 pupils in Wiltshire, about 2700 are learning English as an additional language (4%)100+ languages are represented.About 15% pupils learning EAL are from Service families.There are a small number of refugees and asylum seekers who are learning EAL.

Top 20 Languages in Wiltshire Schools (Dec 2012)Polish 503 (398) German 84 (81)

Nepali 170 (170) Malayalam 61 (50)

Bengali 151 (142) Spanish 58 (54)

Fijian 132 (96) Italian 45 (33)

Chinese 126 (130) Thai 42 (41)

Tagalog 106 (99) Dutch 42 (40)

Arabic 100 (69) Japanese 36 (28)

Portuguese 89 (68) Panjabi 32 (35)

French 88 (80) Ebira* 32 (28)

Turkish 85 (70) Russian 27 (28)

(Figures in brackets = October 2011)

EAL learners in Wiltshire schools

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

EY/Primary

Secondary

Total

Definitions

What is an EAL learner?A pupil whose first language is a language other than

English• A first language other than English should be recorded where a child was

exposed to the language during early development and continues to be exposed to this language in the home or in the community. If a child was exposed to more than one language (which may include English) during early development the language other than English should be recorded, irrespective of the child's proficiency in English.

• In the case of an older pupil who is no longer exposed to the first language in the home, and who now uses only another language, the school should consult with the pupil or parent to determine which language should be recorded.

• Data and Statistics Division, School Census 2012 for Primary Schools (including Academies) in England Preparation and Guidance, DfE

An EAL learner may be ……• A new arrival from another country with minimal English, and who

may or may not have previous experience of school

• A new arrival from another country who already knows some English

• A pupil who arrived several years ago from another country and appears to be fairly fluent in English

• A pupil who was born in the UK but who uses another language at home, possibly in addition to English

What do EAL learners need?

To learn English To feel positive about their home language

and culture

What happens when a pupil learning EAL arrives in your school?

Discuss in groups:

•Admin procedures•Introductions to staff•Meeting their peer group•Parents•First day•Getting over the Language barrier•Assessment of first language and English levels

Welcoming a new EAL learner

CHALLENGES

Learning EAL

Moving to a new country

Feelings of insecurity

Changes in family situation

No previous schooling

Little or no education

Previous education had different style or emphasis

Feeling alienated, misunderstood or unvalued

Racism

PREPARATION

Discuss the new pupil’s arrival with the class, explore what they could do to make them feel welcome.

Teach class to say ‘Hello’ and ‘Welcome’ in the home language.

Set up a system of communication with the family- a home school contact book and regular meetings

Assign one or two buddies to guide them through the first few days.

Dual language labels around the classroom.

Provide a visual timetable for the pupil showing any equipment or kit needed.

Planning in place so that the pupil can access the curriculum – writing frames, dual language dictionary, sequencing pictures, making and labelling posters.

POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

Welcome notices, entrance signs, labels on doors

Copies of school booklet, information sheets etc

Display captions

Other cultures represented in pictures and displays

Books and tapes, stories and poems from other cultures

Object/artefact resources for all areas of the curriculum.

Celebration of festivals and traditions

Ask parents if they would be willing to come into school to teach a few words of the home language, read a dual language story to the class or bring in pictures of their country of origin

Living TogetherLearning Together

emas@wiltshire.gov.uk

It helps to affirm identity and allows inter-generational communication with family and

community

What are the advantages of being bilingual and using first language in the

classroom?

First language can be used to

teach and reinforce concepts

First language can be used to

preview the content of a

lesson

Translating one word or

sentence can unlock

understanding and access to

learning

Bilingual individuals are better at creative thinking and problem

solving

It can be used to build on

prior knowledge

and experience

Bilingual pupils can take GCSEs in their first language

Learning one additional language makes learning the next one

easier because pupils already know how language ‘works’ (metalinguistic awareness)

Learning more than one language as a child increases brain grey matter production

Increased employment

opportunities and a global outlook

Bilingual individuals are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease

www.cilt.org.uk

Comprehensible Input

What do EAL learners need?

• Comprehensible input – where meaning is made clear, through the use of actions or pictures

• A stress-free environment – where the learner is able to take risks

• The right to be silent – time to listen to the language before attempting to speak it

(Professor Stephen Krashen, Department of Linguistics, University of California)

Making input more comprehensible...• Pupil’s first language

• Pupil’s experience

• Real objects

• Pictures

• Video and TV

• Drama

• Role play

• Labels

• Collaborative learning and games

•Graphs and charts

• Word families

• Gesture

• Intonation

• Scaffolding

• Repetition

Cognitively demanding

Cognitively undemanding

Context embedded Context reduced

EAL learner

Differentiating for EAL learners

Caroline Bell

Co-ordinator for Early Intervention

Early Years and Childcare

Literacy

EAL and PhonicsThe Simple View of Reading

Good language comprehension,

poor word recognition .

Good language comprehension,

good word recognition .

Poor word recognition, poor

language comprehension.

Good word recognition, poor

language comprehension.

EAL and Phonics• A phonics based approach assumes sufficient

vocabulary• Without this, reading does not result in understanding- it

is an isolated skill• To be effective a learner should already have

encountered the word in spoken language - this way understanding can be achieved

• Synthetic phonics programmes do not have a statistically significant effect on reading comprehension, only on the decoding skill that is being practised.

• From NALDIC (National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum) February 2010.

EAL and Phonics: How can I help? • Use visual prompts as much as possible in your phonics sessions. • Preview vocabulary that will be used in phonics sessions whenever possible. Sending it home with parents to be also learnt in the first language will be especially helpful. • Give the children a chance to use new words in sentences to check they do understand it. • If a child is comfortable with it, ask them to share the word in their home language. •Consider a sight vocabulary/whole word approach in addition• Check the ‘footprint’ of the word.

Think of all the meanings of the word footprint• A mark left by the shoe or foot as in earth or sand• An impression of the sole of a person’s foot• The track of a tyre• The area affected by the level of sound or noise as generated by an aeroplane• The area of the earth’s surface within which a satellite's signal can be received

• Where would you see __________________ ?

• Would you see a _______________ in a _______________ ?

• What causes _________? What effects does it have?

• Can ____________ happen to a person / animal / plant?

• When is _______________ a problem?

• Is _______________ an example of ____________ ?

olderbiglarge

Promoting talk and vocabulary

Notice the listening frame

Identifying and planning

language needed

What is the third person in the triad

doing?

Groups structured to have good language models

Modelling and

repetition of target language

Multiple opportunities to use oral / written forms

of the language

Teaching sequence to support EAL learners (speaking or writing)

1 Identify language needed2 Plan how to model language3 Plan opportunities for language use by children

new to English4 Assess children’s use of targeted language5 Identify next steps

www.collaborativelearning.org

http://www.yorkla.org/LearningSystem/PortalHome/preDefault.asp?Resource=F3E62BBB-DAB5-4069-AC59-0502EFAFC567&ResourceID=7947

Crick software Clicker

New to English

Acquisition

Basic interpersonal and communication skills (BICS)

Thanks for the book.

Cognitive and academic language proficiency (CALP)

Using this formula, explain why the proposed increase in tuition fees is likely to restrict the access of

vulnerable students to higher education.

Acquisition of EAL How long does it take an EAL learner to acquire competency in

English?

• 1 - 3 years to acquire basic interpersonal conversational skills (BICS)

• 5 - 7 years to acquire cognitive and academic language proficiency (CALP) providing the pupil’s first language and literacy is well developed

• Up to 10 years if first language is NOT well developed

Assessment and tracking

Initial Assessment for New Arrivals:

• Language in Common ( QCA) – document help establish baseline English levels

• Assessment of first language skills with bilingual support – important for tracking progress

• Reports/ records from previous setting – involvement of parents

EAL learners can be assessed using the extended scales from “A Language in Common.”

Step 1 Step 2 Level 1 Thresho

ld

Level 1 Secure

Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Extended EAL Scale

National Curriculum (English)

Step 1

Step 2

Level 1T

Level 1S

2C

2B

2A

3C

3B

3A

4C

4B

4A

5C

5B

5A

YR

Step 1

Step 2

Level 1T

Level 1S

2C

2B

2A

3C

3B

3A

4C

4B

4A

5C

5B

5A

YR

Distinguishing the difference- SEN or EAL.

How can I tell if their progress is what is expected?

•Does the progress in their learning show they are catching up with their peers? • What kind of pathway are they taking- are they going faster then would be expected? Might they catch up earlier than the predictions?•What target might you set for this child at the end of this academic year / end of KS1 or 2?

Distinguishing the difference- SEN or EAL.

How can I tell if their progress is what is expected?

•Plot their learning on a graph showing expected progress for children joining in a particular year group.• Trust your own judgement- if you feel there is some difficulty and the progress is slower than expected, some intervention is likely to help. •Some basic assessment tasks could be administered in L1 if appropriate. •Ask one of our team members to visit to offer advice- we are happy to liaise with the Specialist SEN team to offer advice which straddles both areas.

Things EAL learners can find difficultPrepositions

(in, behind, after...)

Adverbials(suddenly, after a while)

Pronouns

Formulaic phrases(little by little,

when all is said and done etc.)

Noun phrases(the fierce angry dog

with a nasty glint in its eye)

Clauses

Passive voice(the cliffs are eroded by

the waves)

Key Messages• A beginner EAL learner may go through a ‘silent period’ that may

last from anything from a few days up to two years.• Maintenance and development of the first language are very

important. A well developed L1 is the foundation for L2.• A pupil who has a good first language literacy skills will acquire

literacy skills in English far more quickly and easily than a pupil who has not.

• Provide visual support whenever possible (pictures, photos, diagrams, demonstrations, mime, gestures)

• Pupils learning EAL learn English mainly through interactions with their peers rather than with adults. Collaborative group work provides excellent opportunities for language development.

• Pupils should be grouped with other pupils of similar cognitive ability, irrespective of their current competence in English.

• What is good practice for EAL learners is good for all learners.

Our contact details

Ethnic Minority Achievement ServiceLevel 2County Hall TrowbridgeWiltshireBA14 8JN Telephone: 01225 757901

Email: emas@wiltshire.gov.uk