ETHNIC MINORITY ACHIEVEMENT

Secondary Schools Handbook

Race Equality and Diversity Service

CONTENTS

• Introduction

• Background to Assessment

• National Curriculum EAL profiles

• The four skills in language acquisition

• Different types of Language

• Peaks and Plateaus

• Time Scales

• Other considerations

• A visual representation of the growth of language

• A visual representation of “blending in”

• The importance of bilingual learning

Introduction

This booklet has been compiled to assist understanding of howpupils learn English as an Additional Language and the anticipatedtime for doing so. It must be understood that no two learners arealike and for some the process will take longer than others. Thereare many variables and some of them will be covered. Also, toenable the reader to visualise the process of language acquisition,graphic illustrations have been included. These may also help theparents of those children learning English to appreciate thejourney, the process and the appropriate methods of enhancingthe development.

The booklet has been divided into sections dealing with bothprevious and present theoretical principles. We begin with HilaryHester and her five stages of language acquisition. Although wehave moved on to a new framework now, in line with the NationalCurriculum stages (and the additional Steps 1, 2 and Levels 1Threshold, 1 Secure), the pedagogy remains the same. Likewisethe Cummins Framework.This booklet also looks at the different genres of language andmost importantly, other considerations that affect acquisition andspeed. The visual diagrams are there to assist the reader andprovide a global view of the stages and support needed.

The importance of valuing the first language cannot beemphasised enough and this booklet highlights the need to learnbilingually in order to accelerate the outcomes.

Other material is readily available:

For further information and advice please contact:

Dee Russell-Thomas at READS on 01452 427261

Hilary Hester's Stages

with reference to Equal Opportunities and the National Curriculum(Stages of Early Learning by Hilary Hester CLPE)

Hilary Hester broke down the development of learning into fivestages starting from the pupil with no English and working throughto the student at the other end of the spectrum who is fullyimmersed in their other language and is at peer group level orbeyond depending upon the group in which they have beenplaced.

Following this, a concerted effort was made to standardise theagreed stages of learning and many authorities adopted therecommended new stages as outlined in “A Language in Common”www.qca.org.uk/qca_5739.aspxIt is not always easy to generalise and offer meaningfulstandardisation as the process varies from individual to individual(to be explored later).

The five stages as presented by Hilary Hester are described in theextract below.

These scales describe aspects of bilingual children’s development throughEnglish which teachers may find helpful. It is important to remember thatchildren may move into English in very individual ways, and that theexperience for an older child will be different from that of a young child. Thescales emphasise the social aspects of learning as well as the linguistic. Obviously attitudes in the school to children and the language they speak willinfluence their confidence in using both their first and second languages.

Stage 1: New to EnglishMakes contact with another child in the class. Joins in activities with otherchildren, but may not speak. Uses non-verbal gestures to indicate meaning-particular needs, likes and dislikes. Watches carefully what other children aredoing, and often imitates them. Listen carefully and often ‘echoes’ words andphrases of other children and adults. Needs opportunities for listening to thesound, rhythms and tunes of English through, songs, rhymes, stories andconversations. If young may join in repeating refrain of a story. Beginning tolabel objects in the classroom, and personal things. Beginning to put wordstogether into holistic phrases (e.g. no come here, where find it, no eatingthat). May be involved in classroom learning activities in the first languagewith children who speak the same first language. May choose to use firstlanguage only in most contexts. May be willing to write in the first language (ifs/he can), and if invited to. May be reticent with unknown adults. May bevery aware of negative attitudes by peer group to the first language. May

choose to move into English through story and reading, rather than speaking. Stage 2: Becoming Familiar with EnglishGrowing confidence in suing the English s/he is acquiring. Growing ability tomove between the languages and to hold conversations in English with peergroups. Simple holistic phrases may be combined or expanded tocommunicate new ideas. Beginning to sort out small details (e.g. ‘he’ and‘she’ distinction) but more interested in communicating meaning than in‘correctness’. Increasing control of the English tense system in particularcontexts, such as story-telling, reporting events and that s/he has beeninvolved in, and from book language.Understands more English than s/he can use. Growing vocabulary fornaming objects and events, and beginning to describe in more detail (e.g.colour, size, quantity) and use simple adverbs. Increasingly confident intaking part in activities with other children through English. Beginning to writesimple accounts of activities s/he has been involved in, but may need supportfrom adults and other child her/his first language if s/he needs to.

Stage 3: Becoming Confident as a User of EnglishShows great confidence in using English in most social situations. Thisconfidence may mask the need for support in taking on other registers (e.g.science investigation, in historical research). Growing command of thegrammatical system of English- including complex verbal meanings(relationships of time, expressing tentativeness and subtle intention withmight, could etc.) and more complex sentence structure. Developing anunderstanding of metaphor and pun. Pronunciation may be very native-speaker like, especially that of young children. Widening vocabulary fromreading a story, poems and information books and from being involved inmaths and science investigations, and other curriculum areas. May choose toexplore complex ideas (e.g. in drama/role play) in the first language withchildren who share the same first language. Stage 4: Very Fluent User of English in most Social and LearningContextsA very experienced use of English, and exceptionally fluent in many contexts. May continue to need support in understanding subtle nuances of metaphor,and in Anglo-centric cultural content in poems and literature. Confident inexchanges and collaboration with English-speaking peers. Writing confidentlyin English with a growing competence over different genre. Continuing andnew development in English drawn from own reading and books read aloud. New developments often revealed in own writing. Will move with easebetween English and the first language depending on the context s/he findsherself in, what s/he judges appropriate, and the encouragement of theschool.

Early Years Bilingual Stages

• The silent period – many children new to English will experience a classic silentperiod. During this period they will be listening, learning, and gaining inunderstanding but choosing not to try out the new language. This period needs to berespected. The child needs to be encouraged and immersed in language, but shouldnot be forced to speak before they are ready.

• Children learn language best in activity-based situations which require collaborationand interaction with their peers and with adults.

• L1 = Home language L2 = Second language

Stage 1 Stage 2Social and linguistic competence

• Observes what others aredoing and copies them

• Makes verbal (L1/L2)contact with another pupil inthe class

• Joins in activities• Uses L1 in some class

activities• Uses body language to

communicate• Follows a one-part simple

instruction (e.g. put it in thebin)

• Uses context clues tounderstand simpleinstructions

Language functions/purposes

• Evidence of use of differentlanguage functions in L1e.g. telling a story, holding aconversation, exploring aproblem

Vocabulary sentence structure

• Uses single words (e.g.“toilet”)

• Uses two-word combination(e.g. “I finished”)

• Imitates short phrases ( e.g.“Can you help me”)

• Names classroom objects• Employs vocabulary of

immediate family (daddy,mummy)

• Uses complete phrases (e.g.“My sister glove”; “Babywalking”)

Social and linguistic competence

• Strives to communicateregardless of correctness

• Joins in activities usingEnglish

• Initiates conversation withpeers

• Directs actions of others• Shows evidence of

understanding• more English than can use

Language functions/purposes

• Understands simple storiesand can

• retell a shortened versionin English with support

• Takes/brings a simple oralmessage in English

• Gives a short report of apersonal event,

• using simple tenses

Stage 3 Stage 4Social and linguistic competence

• Uses English confidentlybut still some inaccuracies(e.g. “I gone”; “It will getbreak”)

• Requires support in subjectareas

• Interacts confidently withpeers and adults,contributes to large groupdiscussions

Language functions/purposes

• Can carry out simple role-plays (e.g. family situations,school)

• Can give a description (e.g.of picture, object, person)

• Can sequence events usingsimple connectives (e.g.“they”, “and”, “but”)

• Can give reasons (“If”…“because…”might”) andpredict events

Vocabulary sentence structure

• English shows some featuresof L1 (e.g. pronunciation,lack of articles)

• Increasing vocabulary toextended environment (e.g.can identify most objects, inreading book, weather,seasons, animals)

• Pronunciation generallyaccurate (but “arxed?”“crips”, “sockses”?)

• Paraphrases/substituteswhen English vocabularyunknown (e.g. “he puttingflower” i.e. watering)

• Increasing use ofprepositions (e.g. “behind”;“in front of”; “between”;“over”; “through”)

• Use question words (e.g.who, when, how)

• Greater range of tenses(future: “will”; past”;have/had”; past continuous“was going”)

Social and linguistic competence

• Uses English confidently inmost contexts

• Requires support in somesubject areas withspecialised

• vocabulary (e.g.geography, science)

• Interacts confidently ingroup discussions

• Moves easily between L1and L2

• Gaps in understandingextended monologue

• Gaps in detail when hearingunfamiliar accents

• Asks for clarification (e.g.“what do you call it?”)

The Six Stages (EAL/EFL definitions)

1. Absolute Beginner

This person has no English language at all. He/she is unable tocommunicate in any of the four skills and requires intensivesupport

2. False Beginner

This person may have some language and give the impressionthat he/she actually has more than they do. Consequently they canbe overestimated initially and suspected of being lazy. Teachersmay make assumptions and consequently unrealistic expectations.

3. Elementary

The student has a grasp of basic language skills but is likely to bemore competent in listening and speaking rather than reading andwriting. They can master simple questions and answers andsimple sentence structures incorporating common adjectives,nouns and verbs.

4. Intermediate

The student is developing a more extensive vocabulary and canapply tenses ... both regular and irregular. They are accessingmore of the lesson content and can hold a meaningfulconversation with their peer group.

5. Advanced

At this level, the student is showing competence in most aspects oflanguage acquisition. They are able to access the curriculum,discuss issues and apply nuances, conditional and abstractconcepts.

6. Independent

The EAL pupil is now fully competent in all aspects of languageskills although from time to time, they may come across unfamiliarlexis and expressions. They are fully immersed in English and areable to function independently.

And now……………

Whilst the Hilary Hester 5 stages were widely used, they ranseparately from the National Curriculum stages for English. It wastherefore decided that there should be a dovetailing of the bilinguallevels and the NC ones. However, students in the initial stages oflanguage acquisition need earlier stages to acknowledge theirprogress pre Level One. To accommodate this, Step 1 and 2 wereintroduced and Level One was divided into 2 parts: - Thresholdand Secure. This allows teachers to assess more accurately and,on reaching Level One Secure, they can continue assessment inline with the National Curriculum. These are the stages we nowuse as the following profile indicates:

ListeningStep 1

SpeakingStep 1

ReadingStep 1

WritingStep 1

ListeningStep 2

SpeakingStep 2

ReadingStep 2

WritingStep 2

ListeningLevel 1Threshold

SpeakingLevel 1Threshold

ReadingLevel 1Threshold

WritingLevel 1Threshold

ListeningLevel 1Threshold

WritingLevel 1 Secure

ListeningLevel 1 Secure

SpeakingLevel 1 Secure

ReadingLevel 1 Secure

Listening & SpeakingLevel 2

ReadingLevel 2

WritingLevel 2

Listening & SpeakingLevel 3

Listening & SpeakingLevel 5

ReadingLevel 3

ReadingLevel 5

WritingLevel 3

ReadingLevel4

WritingLevel 4

WritingLevel 5

Example of profiles for Gloucestershire EMA Team

EMA English Assessment Profile

School EMA Support Teacher (Initials)

Pupil Ethnicity (as PLASC)

Date of Birth Home Language(s)

NCYear

Date Listening Speaking Reading Writing

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Spelling Reading WritingKS1KS2KS3GCSE/GNVQ A-C D-G PointsNo. subjects

Pupil Details

Family Name

Forenames

Name in use

GenderD.O.BSiblingsPosition in familyReligion

Languages 1st LanguageSpoken

Read

Written

Preferred languagefor communicationwith home

SchoolsSupplementary/Community Lang.

Non-UK Schooling

Previous School

Pre-school

Date of admissionto present school

Listening

Step 1Pupil listens attentively for short bursts of time.They use non-verbal gestures to respond to greetings and questionsabout themselves.They follow simple instructions based on routines of the classroom.

Step 2Pupil understands simple conversational English.They listen and respond to the gist of general explanations by theteacher where language is supported by non-verbal cues.

Level 1(Threshold)With support, pupil understands and responds appropriately tostraightforward comments or instructions addressed to them.They listen attentively to a range of speakers, including teacherpresentation to the whole class.

Level 1(Secure)In familiar contexts, pupil follows what others say about what they aredoing and thinking.They listen with understanding to sequences of instructions.They usually respond appropriately in conversation.

Speaking

Step 1Pupil echoes words and expressions drawn from classroom routinesand social interactions to communicate meaning.They express some basic needs, using single words or phrases inEnglish.

Step 2Pupil copies talk that has been modelled.In their speech, they show some control of English word order.Their pronunciation is generally intelligible.

Level 1(Threshold)Pupil speaks about matters of immediate interest in familiar settings.They convey meaning through talk and gesture.They can extend what they say with support.Their speech is sometimes grammatically incomplete at word andphrase level. Their spoken English, though comprehensible, ischaracterised by the use of a single tense such as the present, andshows an absence of word endings, inflections and syntacticconnections.

Level 1(Secure)Pupil speaks about matters of interest to a range of listeners.Pupil begins to develop connected utterances.What they say shows some grammatical complexity in expressingrelationships between ideas and sequences of events.Pupil conveys meaning, sustaining their contributions and listeners’interest in conversation.

Listening & Speaking

Level 2c b a

Pupil begins to show confidence in talking and listening, particularlywhere the topics interest them.On occasions, they show awareness of the needs of the listener byincluding relevant detail.In developing and explaining their ideas they speak clearly and use agrowing vocabulary.They usually listen carefully and respond with increasingappropriateness to what others say.They are beginning to be aware that in some situations a more formalvocabulary and tone of voice are used.

Level 3Pupil talks and listens confidently in different contexts, exploring andcommunicating ideas.In discussion, they show understanding of the main points.Through relevant comments and questions, they show they havelistened carefully.They begin to adapt what they say to the needs of the listener, varyingthe use of vocabulary and the level of detail.They are beginning to be aware of standard English and when it isused.

Level 4Pupil talks and listens with confidence in a range of contexts.Their talk is adapted to the purpose: developing ideas thoughtfully,describing events and conveying their opinions clearly.In discussion, they listen carefully, making contributions and askingquestions that are responsive to others' ideas and views.They use appropriately some of the features of standard Englishvocabulary and grammar.

Level 5Pupil talks and listens confidently in a wide range of contexts, includingsome that are of a formal nature.Their talk engages the interest of the listener as they begin to varytheir expression and vocabulary.In discussion, they pay close attention to what others say, askquestions to develop ideas and make contributions that take accountof others' views.They begin to use standard English in formal situations.

Reading

Step 1Pupil participates in reading activities.They know that, in English, print is read from left to right and from topto bottom.They recognise their names and familiar words.They identify some letters of the alphabet by shape and sound.

Step 2Pupil begins to associate sounds with letters in English.They begin to predict what the text will be about.They read words and phrases that they have learned in differentcurriculum areas.With support, they can follow a text read aloud, without necessarilyunderstanding meaning.

Level 1(Threshold)

Pupil can read a range of familiar words.Pupil can identify initial sounds in unfamiliar words.Pupil can identify final sounds in unfamiliar words.With support they can establish meaning when reading aloud phrasesor simple sentences.

They can use contextual clues to gain understanding.They respond to events and ideas in poems, stories and non-

fiction by indicating, possibly non-verbally an awareness ofcontent.

Level 1(Secure)

Pupil uses their knowledge of letter sounds and words to establishmeaning when reading familiar texts aloud, sometimes with prompting.They can comment on events or ideas in poems, stories and non-fiction.

Reading

Level 2c b a

Pupil's reading of simple texts shows understanding and is generallyaccurate.

They express opinions about major events or ideas in stories,poems and non-fiction.

They use more than one strategy, such as phonic, graphic,syntactic and contextual, in reading unfamiliar words and

establishing meaning.

Level 3Pupil reads a range of texts fluently and accurately.

They read independently, using strategies appropriately toestablish meaning.

In responding to fiction and non-fiction they show understandingof the main points and express preferences.

They use their knowledge of the alphabet to locate books andfind information.

Level 4In responding to a range of texts, Pupil shows understanding ofsignificant ideas, themes, events and characters, beginning to useinference and deduction.

They refer to the text when explaining their views.They locate and use ideas and information.

Level 5Pupil shows understanding of a range of texts, selecting essentialpoints and using inference and deduction where appropriate.

In their responses, they identify key features, themes andcharacters and select sentences, phrases and relevant

information to support their views.They retrieve and collate information from a range of sources.

Writing

Step 1Pupil uses English letters and letter-like forms to convey meaning.They copy or write their names and familiar words.They write from left to right.

Step 2Pupil attempts to express meanings in writing, supported by oral workor pictures.Generally, their writing is intelligible to themselves and a familiarreader.Generally, their writing shows some knowledge of sound and letterpatterns in English spelling.Building on their knowledge of literacy in another language, pupilshows knowledge of the function of sentence division.(where appropriate)

Level 1(Threshold)

Pupil produces recognisable letters and words in texts which conveymeaning and show some knowledge of English sentence division andword order.Most commonly used letters are correctly shaped, but inconsistent intheir size and orientation.

Level 1(Secure)

Pupil uses phrases and longer statements which convey ideas to thereader, making some use of full stops and capital letters.Some grammatical patterns are irregular.Pupil’s grasp of English sounds and how they are written is not secure.Letters are usually clearly shaped and correctly orientated.

Writing

Level 2c b a

Pupil's writing communicates meaning in both narrative and non-narrative forms, using appropriate and interesting vocabulary, andshowing some awareness of the reader.Ideas are developed in a sequence of sentences, sometimesdemarcated by capital letters and full stops.Simple, monosyllabic words are usually spelt correctly, and wherethere are inaccuracies the alternative is phonetically plausible.In handwriting, letters are accurately formed and consistent in size

Level 3Pupil's writing is often organised, imaginative and clear.The main features of different forms of writing are used appropriately,beginning to be adapted to different readers.Sequences of sentences extend ideas logically and words are chosenfor variety and interest.The basic grammatical structure of sentences is usually correct.Spelling is usually accurate, including that of common, polysyllabicwords.Spelling is usually accurate, including that of common, polysyllabicwords.Handwriting is joined and legible.

Level 4Pupil's writing in a range of forms is lively and thoughtful.Ideas are often sustained and developed in interesting ways.Ideas are organised appropriately for the purpose of the reader.Vocabulary choices are often adventurous and words are used foreffect.Pupil is beginning to use grammatically complex sentences, extendingmeaning.Spelling, including that of polysyllabic words that conform to regularpatterns, is generally accurate.Full stops, capital letters and question marks are used correctly, andpupil is beginning to use punctuation within the sentence.Handwriting style is fluent, joined and legible.

Level 5Pupil's writing is varied and interesting, conveying meaningclearly in a range of forms for different readers, using a moreformal style where appropriate.Vocabulary choices are imaginative and words are usedprecisely.Simple and complex sentences are organised into paragraphs.Words with complex regular patterns are usually spelt correctly.A range of punctuation, including commas, apostrophes andinverted commas, is usually used accurately.Handwriting is joined, clear and fluent and, where appropriate, isadapted to a range of tasks.

The Cummins Framework

This framework explains the different processes involved inlearning a new language and provides a series of graphs plottingmethods of learning. The graphs illustrate how to plan fordifferentiation, with regard to cognitive learning, an outline of thedifferent cognitive processes and examples of how to apply theframework to specific lessons.

The following pages provide examples of this work but to gain afuller understanding of this approach it would be advisable to readthe material of Cummins.

Ref: Deryn Hall (1995) 'Assessing the Needs of Bilingual Pupils'David Fulton Publishers.

1. Planning for Differentiation

2. Embedded and Unembedded Contexts

3. Cognitive Processes

4. Examples of Lessons

The Four Skills

1. Listening This is the initial skill whereby the EAL pupilabsorbs the language heard around them. They may be able topick out an occasional word, the odd sentence or manage to getthe gist of some general conversation. It may appear that, becausethey are unable to respond that no learning is taking place but thisskill is in operation all the time as they are immersed in the newlanguage. They may not be able to reveal or even be aware of thislearning process but the absorbed language may be stored andrevealed at a later time.

2. SpeakingUntil the student has acquired listening skills to

develop vocabulary, they will be unable to respond orally. Whenthey do begin to speak, they will not be able to use the amount oflanguage they have internalised. They may also be reticentspeakers due to embarrassment and fear of making mistakes infront of people.

3. Reading This skill is the basis for writing. Much dependson the previous experiences of the student, their own languagescript and their literacy skills in the first language. It is very difficultfor older students who have no first language reading skill toaccess additional language literacy. They have no hooks to hangthe structures on to and they are unable to enjoy the support ofprevious reading developmental skills

4. Writing To write in English requires a range ofvocabulary, an understanding of sentence structures, spellingrules and grammatical awareness. This is obviously morechallenging for the students who have different scripts,directions of writing and word orders. Some students may alsohave specific difficulties, such as dyslexia whilst others mayhave had no writing experience in their first language to assistthem. Initially they may only be able to copy write with little orno understanding, later they will write individual words followedby simple sentence construction. Writing for a purpose and to aspecific audience will be a more advanced development.

N.B.Although it is often assumed that these skills are achieved in thisgiven order that is not always the case. Neither are they allreached simultaneously. For the majority of learners, the listeningskills are the first to be absorbed and often by total immersionfollowed by a silent period known as passive learning. Many thenmove on to simple sentence construction followed by basic readingskills and finally applying these skills to the art of writing. However,for some, the reading and writing skills are slow to develop. Thiscould be due to a specific learning difficulty (e.g. dyslexia, specialneeds) or could be due to limited literacy skills in their firstlanguage. For others, writing and reading are more advanced andthey may be reluctant or reticent speakers. This is particularly trueof those students who have previously been taught a languagewith the emphasis on the written word (not dissimilar from themethods of teaching a foreign language in English schools thirtyyears ago).

listening speaking

reading writing

There are many forms of speaking; much is dependent on theaudience and the purpose e.g. speaking to a close friend requiresa very different type of language to that required at an interview.Similarly, writing for a job requires different language to the writingused when doing a letter to a close friend. There are additionalskills such as note taking, précising, story telling and answeringexamination questions. All these need to be learnt and applied.

Social;To peersTo adults

Dialects andAccentsColloquialismsIntonation

IdiomsNuancesExpletives

Homelanguage(Firstlanguage)

AcademicContext(Curriculum/Subject specificlexis)

Formal& Informal(adaptingregister fordifferentaudience)

CreativeExpressiveFactualCriticalPassiveHypothetical

Peaks and Plateaus

Learning is not a smooth regular curve. There are times whenaccelerated learning is evident and the student appears to beabsorbing everything being thrust in his/her direction. There isnoticeable development and the pupil quickly moves to the nextstage. Conversely, there will be times when language acquisitionappears to be slow even halted but in fact much is still beingabsorbed and internalised. Sometimes, it is difficult to monitor anyprogress being made but a sudden spurt will take place at a latertime and all the absorbed language will begin to emerge. This is anatural learning process. None of us grow at the same speed;flowers have spurts of growth and times of stillness. So too theEAL learner.

Time Scales

Learning a new language is dependent on many factors such asliteracy skills in first language, parental literacy, country of origin,age of learning English etc. It is therefore impossible to predicthow long someone will take to reach peer group level. There arehowever guide lines for the “average” learner, but remember, thereis really no such thing as an average child! With this in mind it hasbeen suggested that it can take up to 2/3 years to be sociallycompetent and up to seven years to be academically on a par withEnglish speaking peers. So much depends upon a conducivelearning environment …both in school and home context.

Research has shown that learning is accelerated when English istaught in conjunction with the first language. Also, if the student isalready competent or has been studying other languages, theircompetency in applying existing skills to the new language isincreased. Finally, it has been shown that the ideal learning timefor a new language is pre thirteen years of age and these studentswill be able to assimilate more quickly. Thirteen tends to be the cutoff point for easy learning of language to complete fluency atnative level. Neuroscientists have researched into which sides ofthe brain are used when using first and second language. Firstlanguages, like English, use the left side but languages such asChinese and tonal languages use both left and right sides. Theright side is also used for music. This perhaps accounts for whythe Chinese seem to pick up languages more quickly (also theyappear not to have children with dyslexic profiles).

As one can imagine, it is easier to master a new language if it hassimilarities with the first language e.g. Some English words havetheir origins in French and Latin. The whole issue of learning iscomplicated if different scripts are used, different direction forwriting and different sounds to be mastered. (e.g. pronunciationdifficulties for the Chinese with ‘l’ and ‘r’, the Welsh ‘ch’ and theArabic ‘h’).

Other Considerations

• Country of origin

• Cultural and religious implications

• Literacy skills in first language

• Script

• Educational experience in own country

• Subjects taught in previous school, level of learning,

continuity of education etc.

• Disparity between aural/oral/reading/writing skills

• Pronunciation implications

• Natural linguistic competence

• Motivation/attitude

• Age on arrival

• Academic ability (VRQ/NVRQ)

• Special/specific needs (low I.Q.,

dyslexic/dyspraxic/dysphasic, physical

restrictions...hearing, speech impediment etc)

• Parental language and literacy skills

• Community/ parental/sibling/extended family support

• Literary access at home (books, papers, computers etc)

• I.T. skills

• Social and financial implications

• Support available in schools (previous experience of

EAL pupils, resources, bilingual contacts etc)

• Intended residence in UK (short term/long term, refugee

status etc)

• Family commitments and obligations (are the children

used as interpreters at the doctors? Do they look after

younger siblings?)

• Expectations of a) parents b) pupils c) teachers. Are

these realistic? Do they compliment each other?

• Isolated learners in our schools a) in the city b) in the

rural areas of the county

This list is not exhaustive but the many different

considerations shown do highlight the fact that there is no

‘average’ EAL learner; there is no ‘normal’ time span.

Everyone is unique and brings forth various challenges,

assets and diversities.

The Growth of language

(see diagram overleaf)

KEY

Language takes time and patience and requires input from avariety of sources. Like flowers, it needs nurturing, routine,continuity and additional support from time to time.

The flowers do not all develop at the same speed…even whenwe feel we have taken care of them in the same way. Someflourish and bloom quickly: some grow slowly and steadily:some are embedded in the earth: some are in shallow soil.Likewise some pupils are able to draw upon the richness oftheir own language whilst others have restricted linguisticskills in their mother tongue too.

Along the way, there will be obstacles but the goodgardeners will anticipate this and prepare accordingly. Wherenecessary they will weed out the difficulties and offer stakesof support.

The foundations are the basis for good gardening and withregard to language. The bricks are the first language and thisis vitally important.

HAPPY GARDENING!

A Visual Representation of “Blending In”

1.

The new arrival has no means of communication and is lost in a strangeenvironment. He is isolated and different in language and culture. This isan uncomfortable place to be and it is vitally important that, at thisstage, the school does everything in its power to alleviate the stress andfear.

2.

He is allocated a “buddy”… still feels different but has one closecontact. The school may also introduce a “Study Buddy” Scheme toinclude other members of the class. The new arrival is welcomed andintroduced to fellow peers. Language is restricted but friendship isencouraged.

3.

Immersed in with peer group. Through their pro-active involvement of the newpupil, they have absorbed new cultural and linguistic awareness whilst he tooacquires linguistic skills, socialisation and an understanding of the newsurroundings. All are affected...some more than others… but they are stillable to maintain their differences. “Blending in” does not mean losing onesidentity, on the contrary, it allows the new arrival to share and celebratediversity .He learns, they learn and the breadth of true integration and harmonyis enhanced.

The importance of bilingual learning

Evidence has shown that it is desirable for students to learnEnglish in conjunction with their own first language. This speedsup the process of acquisition and enables the EAL pupils to makereference to their existing knowledge and skill. With a homelanguage framework in place, the student is able to assimilate andattach the new language. It is also important to value the bilingualskill and allow them to be used in tandem. The following extractemphasises this important message:

Bilingual Children (ref Hilary Hester)

The term bilingual in relation to children in school in England is currently usedto refer to those who have access to two or more languages in their dailylives.

Like all children, young bilingual learners will have had a variety ofexperiences before entering a nursery or reception class. Many will havebeen born in this country and will feel the same mixture of excitement andnervousness that most young children will feel as they enter a new situation. Some though, may be refugees and they, with their families, are likely to befeeling intense apprehension and anxiety. The first few weeks of school willtherefore be particularly significant for some young bilingual children as theyexperience a less familiar language, English, and the less familiar culture ofschool.

There is a wide consensus of opinion that the strategies used to support thelanguage and learning development of bilingual children are based on thesame principles that good early years and primary practice is built upon.Extensive research in this country and other parts of the world hassubstantiated a number of important factors that exemplify features of goodpractice in the teaching of bilingual children in mainstream classrooms.

The following points should be borne in mind when staff are planning,implementing and evaluating the curriculum and assessing children’s needsand progress.

• Bilingualism should be valued as a positive asset; it can beeducationally enriching and has a positive effect on intellectualperformance;

• There should be an awareness by all that a focus on first languagesupports learning and is not a hindrance. Staff should not advocateusing only English either at home or school;

• Language is best taught in the service of other learning – the learningof a second language happens most effectively when the focus is notlearning a language but on learning something else;

• The education of bilingual children is the responsibility of all staff andnot simply that of English as an Additional Language (EAL) or bilingual

support staff, and takes place most effectively in the mainstreamclassroom alongside English speaking peers;

• Plenty of listening time is important, as bilingual children need to hearlots of examples of language being used in order to construct their ownmodel of the language. Children who are new to the class as well asbeing new to the language are in particular need of time to becomefamiliar with the routines being expected to participate enthusiasticallyand confidently;

• Insisting on oral responses too early in the second language mayhinder learning. Understanding comes before speaking and the childwill certainly be learning and developing confidence when there is asupportive, positive ethos in the school and the classroom towardsbilingualism;

• Parents should be encouraged to share language and literacy inspeaking and listening as well as in reading and writing. This can beas valuable in the child’s first language as in English;

• There are developmental factors common to both native and secondlanguage acquisition, regardless of first language background;

• Peer group talk is crucial to children’s language development (first andsecond), and classrooms should be organised to take account o this;

• Where there are academic difficulties, teachers should first criticallyexamine the teaching they are offering in terms of the motivation andthe language being used.

In any assessment of children’s English language development, teacher willneed to record the length of time the child has been learning English. Languages understood, spoken, read and written should also be recorded. Bilingual children who are new to English may not be observed meeting therequirements of the yellow band but positive comments regarding theirattempts to make contact with others, use non-verbal gestures, join in withoutspeaking, listen, label and watch others should be recorded. Informationabout the bilingual children’s language experience may be gathered in thefollowing ways:

• Asking child and/or parent/carer;• Observations of the child with speakers of the same language– another

child, parents or a member of staff;• Observations of the child reading an appropriate text