Cara Edwards
EAL co-ordinator Maiden Erlegh Schoool Reading
What Strategies have you already used to support EAL students:
New to English
Becoming familiar with English
Developing Coompetence
Dual coding
Partner talk - and feedback
Access through images and the visual -connecting images with language
Definitions in their native language
All EAL students will need support to develop their vocabulary.
(Discussed within tiers: tier one, tier two, tier three)
Common Barriers to learning for EAL students:
Emotional needs and/or history of trauma
Astudents need time to become accustomed with cultural practices, social routines and expectations.
Lack of friends or trouble making friends.
Low self-esteem
Unconscious bias and cultural stereotyping by staff
Lack Cultural capital
Stendents that seem to have good oracy in their first language may have limited ability to read and write.
Parents/ relatives relying on children to help with access to community resources
Poor attendance due to extended or frequent international travel.
17.5% of secondary students use EAL nationally. Currently approximately 68% of students use EAL at Maiden Erlegh Reading.
EAL and translanguaging is an advantage.
EAL students are not a homogenous group and some stratgies for removing barriers to learning for SEN students
EAL is no longer a measured component of an Ofsted Inspection.
Teaching is likely to be inadequate where EAL is not considered.
All teachers are teachers of English.
Students are learning: Throguh English - (Skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing.)
About English - (Grammar, Vocabulary)
English Proficiency
A: New to English - MAy remain comppletely silent in the classroom and struggle even with yes or no questions.
B: Early acquisition - May follow day to day social communication. May have familiarity with preferred subjects.
C: Developing Competence - may participate in learning activities
D: Competent - Oral English will be developing well, but may still struggle with reading adn wrting.
E: Fluent:
N: Not Yet Assessed
31% of pupils that start in Reception with the lowest level of English develop to Compentent by the end of Primary school, seven years later.
Progression Figures: Conversational flency takes an average of 18 months of immersion.
Fluency in reading and wirting takes an average of 5-7 years!
Students can be identified for EAL support at any time by any teacher. Email your concern to the EAL Co-ordinator.
Students are assessed in English baseline extended writing tests, CATS testing and additional EAL testing if necessary.
New International arrivals at stage A/B
Classroom Support Plan (CSP) and EAL targets written, given a welcome pack, paired with a buddy student, given access to LExia/ linguascope or similar software. 1:1 TA-Led EAL intervention is completed during English lesson time (when avialable) up to twice a week.
Common Misconception - beginners will achieve a functional level of English simply through immersion and taking part in social activities.
Stage A students may not be able to recognise individual words whilst listening.
Keep instructions to short simple sentences
Leave slightly longer pauses between words to allow processing time
Use picture prompts where possible.
Differentiation for Stage A
Copy words accurately
Look, cover, write, check key vocabulary
Label diagrams
Use images where possible - match printed words to pictures
Point to key words and students say aloud
Substitution tables - (vocabulary sorting tasks)
Encourage the writing of simple sentences
Students can translate abstract nouns
Use a dot system to identify syllables, segment words and use correct intonation. Big dots and little dots can show stress in words.
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
o. o. o. o. o. Oo. o. Oo. o
Simplify texts down.
Give space to translate or copy down key vocabulary.
Simplification can also be given as a task for students (multiple choice)
tTaching for excellence Key Pillars
Set the Standards
Holistic Humans
Strong start
Scaffold for success
Read to achieve
quality quesitoning
Feedback loop
Think, Pair, Share
Excellent explanations
Modelling Basic to Birlliant
Silent Solo
Translanguaging is a useful skill that can allow students to excell. (completeing a task in first language first and translate into english after.)
The academic word list:
Group 1 -
Analyse, Approach, aream assess, assume, authority, available, benefit, concept, consist etc
Writing is a complex skill with high cognitive load:
Composition (words and ideas)
Transcription (handwriting and spelling)
Executive function (Plan, review, edit)
Common errors at word level:
Subject-verb agreement
Noticing common spelling patterns
Polysemy (words with multiple meanings)
Limited range of vocabulary
Prefixes and suffixes
Common errors at sentence level: Punctuation
Word order
Tense choice
Verb form
Prepositions (at, in, on, by)
Expression of ideas
Passive of actice voice
Common errors at whole text level:
Conventions of the genre
Paragraphing
Sequnceing ideas (If, but, however, etc)
use of discourse markers to change ideas and write cohesively.
Young interpreter: Can buddy with new arrivals to help them settle in. Can help staff comminicate with parents at open and information evenings or during school tours.
Can help trasnlate generic phrases.
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