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In a recent article in the Times Educational Supplement (TES), I share a few ideas to support non-native
English speakers in languages lessons.
When considering how best to support learners who speak English as an
additional language (EAL), it is essential to remember that they are not a
homogeneous group. They can include new arrivals, children who have been
educated in a different country and pupils with no literacy skills in their
home language, as well as UK-born students who can speak their home language but
not write it.
Many white British pupils also have specific linguistic needs,
especially if they routinely use non-standard English or come from non-reading
homes. Good EAL practice should support and enrich all students, not just EAL
learners.
Instructions will be more easily understood by all if they are supported
by practical examples and visuals. Keep explanations to a minimum, show
examples and ask students to paraphrase, as their choice of words is likely to
be better understood by their peers. It is best to avoid set phrases,
expressions and metaphors that are likely to cause confusion if taken
literally.
Peer support is helpful for EAL learners at first, but they must be
encouraged to develop their own language skills and independence. For those further
along the EAL continuum, classroom-based strategies such as videos, mime, audio
with visual support and the use of visuals to support new language and
instructions will be most effective.
Native speakers being taught their own language in MFL lessons will face
other issues. Their written skills may be considerably weaker than their
speaking skills and their overall performance at GCSE will depend on their
command of English, as exam instructions will not be in the target language.
Whenever possible, talk to children to develop your awareness of
linguistic overlaps - for example, formal/polite forms of address in other
languages, gender and changes in verb forms. EAL pupils often find it easy to
accurately reproduce the sounds of a new language as they have been exposed to
a wider range of sounds between English and their mother tongue. Their
linguistic capability needs to be acknowledged and celebrated.
Stimulate the class by inviting guest speakers, organising multilingual
displays and assemblies, and holding special days and activities. EAL pupils
are often successful language learners because their skills are likely to be
more developed, but this needs to be reinforced at a whole-school level as MFL
is sometimes the only subject that views their experience positively.
More generic strategies to support EAL learners can be accessed here via
the TES website.
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