Primary English as an Additional Language

(EAL) Support

Welcome to the 2015 Parents’ EAL Information session for the British Primary Section.

Head of EAL – Karen M RoweEAL Coordinators Annie Bagley and Paul Harding

Information session structure

About the EAL department

What is EAL?

How do we support EAL?

Our aim

Independent learning

Who we areKaterina Klimes

Lucille Gerber

Annie Bagley

Sarah Beddoes

Jennifer Chou

Jo Bennett

Corne Coetzee

Lize Dawes

Paul Harding

Jaya Hiranandani

Michael Emeny

Eveline Leane

Gareth Kennedy

Reception

Reception

Year 1 (Infant Coordinator)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 2

Year 3

Year 3

Year 4 (Junior Coordinator)

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Boosters

What is EAL?

EFL versus EAL

English as a Foreign Language students learn English as a subject, generally for business and/or pleasure purposes.

As an English as an Additional Language student, your child is already competent

in a first language and

is becoming a bilingual learner.

Your child needs to function in

two languages in daily life.

Stages of language acquisition:

• pre-production – the silent period

• early production – one & two word phrases

• speech emergence – simple phrases and

sentences

• intermediate fluency – more complex sentences

• advanced fluency – near-native level

How we support EAL:assessing children

English knowledge and skills are assessed in four key areas:

•Oral skills (speaking and listening) •Vocabulary•Reading•Writing

Assessments combine class teacher & specialist teacher appraisals, alongside more detailed language evaluation by the EAL support

staff.

Your child is learning within an English

medium setting and curriculum - our aim is to give the support needed for his/her

success, parallel to that of native English speakers.

How we support EAL:tailored programmes

Once a child is identified as an EAL learner, we tailor a programme of support for his/her particular needs.

Elements of this programme may include:

- Co-teaching

- In-class support

- Withdrawal within or from the classroom

New learners receive intensive

‘booster’ sessions designed to help

integration into the classroom.

Foundations for learning

We recognise that your children have diverse experiences & backgrounds and encourage them to make links between

these home experiences and their school learning. 

We provide practical activities because children learn best from hands on experiences.

Your child feels secure and esteemed in a supportive environment.

Your child is encouraged and not continually corrected. Mistakes are part of the process of learning.

Teaching for learning

Together we plan, deliver and monitor your child’s learning.

We ensure your child receives:• language which is appropriate to his/her level of development• language which is meaningful• language based on concrete experiences• learning supported by visual & contextual practice

Your child will engage best when the focus is on meaning and purpose rather than spelling and grammar!

Partnerships for learning

We recognise the importance of you & your family in helping your child to learn successfully.

Because of this, we:– Inform you of what we are doing in school– Advise you on how you can help your child learn– Regularly update you on your child’s progress

Your role:Continue to develop your child’s first language.

Talk & read with your child, developing concept understanding.

Support with homework - discuss using both languages.

Aiding progress:

Encourage your child to:

• be attentive in class and listen

carefully

• ask questions

• socialise with English speakers

Give them:

• Help and support at home

• Sufficient rest and down-time

• age

• motivation

• personality

• learning aptitude

• level of English language at entrance

• language family and strength of first language

• experiences

Unique factors

How long will a child need EAL support?

It is important for everyone to understand that speaking English fluently in social situations does not mean that

English learning has finished.

It takes a number of years to catch up fully with the academic language needed for success in school.

At TES we are committed to ensure that

all children achieve their learning potential.

Additional language learning advantages:

Research says bilingual learners:

– Become smarter– Filter information better– Have better memories– Are more socially adept and culturally aware– Have improved decision-making skills– Find it easier to learn other languages– Are highly valued in the job market– Are less prone to developing Alzheimer's Disease in old age!

Just for fun!

Which are the most spoken languages in the world?

But …the British Council estimates over one billion people are learning English right now!