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Stirling Council Education

Guidance for Supporting Children and Young People with English as an Additional Language

(EAL) in Educational Establishments

Guidance for Supporting Children and Young People with English as an Additional Language (EAL) in Educational Establishments October 2012


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CONTENTS Page

Introduction 3 Aim 3 Legislation and Government Guidance 3

Background 4 Research 4

Enrolment Procedures 5

Role of ASN Outreach Service 6

Role of Schools and Early Years Establishments in Supporting EAL Pupils

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Role of School Staff 7 Additional Information for High Schools 7

Role of Support for Learning Assistants to Support EAL Pupils 8

SQA Arrangements and ESOL 8 SQA Arrangements 8 ESOL 8

Use of Interpreters and Translation 9 Translation Sites 9

Guidance Support for Bilingual Pupils 10

Support Suggestions 11

Supporting EAL Pupils in Early Years Establishments 14

Assessment 15 Assessing other Additional Support Needs 16 Characteristics of EAL Writing 16

Use of ICT with EAL Pupils 17

Websites 18 Early Years and Primary 18 Primary and Secondary 19 Smartphone Applications 20 Websites dealing with Antiracism 20 Useful websites for Additional Information on EAL 20

Appendices 21


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INTRODUCTION Stirling Council is committed to meeting the needs of all children and young people in all educational establishments so that they have equal opportunities to be the best that they can be. We acknowledge that our establishments are enriched by the diversity of ethnicity, culture and faith of our children and young people. Aim The aim of this policy is to ensure the best learning and teaching experiences for all EAL pupils in all educational establishments in Stirling Council by providing inclusive education so that they acquire English competently and confidently through their entitlement to a broad general curriculum and opportunities to develop skills for life, learning and work. The guidance given will support staff in all educational establishments to meet the needs of children and young people who have English as an Additional Language (EAL). Legislation and Government Guidance This policy takes account of: • The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 which requires

Education authorities to make adequate and efficient provision for each child or young person with additional support needs, with a greater emphasis on planned support to meet the needs of individuals and we do that in Stirling Council through our Staged Intervention process.

• Supporting Children’s Learning, Code of Practice (revised 2010) which provides the

legislative framework to meet the needs of all children, including children with EAL. • The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a general duty on public authorities to

eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity and to promote good relations between people of different racial groups. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/34/pdfs/ukpga_20000034_en.pdf

• Learning in 2+ Languages, Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2005 – SEALCC (Scottish EAL

Co-ordinating Council) promotes effective inclusion for bilingual learners. http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/LearningInTwoPlusLanguages_tcm4306089.pdf

• Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) is a national approach to helping children and young

people in Scotland. The approach sets out guidelines, and new legislation that will help families and professionals to work better together with children and young people, and to give children and families more say in the help that they get.

• Curriculum for Excellence states that schools should enable all learners, including children

and young people with English as an additional language, to become:

• successful learners • confident individuals • responsible citizens • effective contributor

Improving Scottish Education, HMIE 2009 • Count Us In. A Sense of Belonging. Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People

Newly Arrived in Scotland. HMIE 2009 http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/Cuimnnus_tcm4-618947.pdf

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/34/pdfs/ukpga_20000034_en.pdf

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/LearningInTwoPlusLanguages_tcm4306089.pdf

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/Cuimnnus_tcm4-618947.pdf


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Whilst referring to the above listed documents, the content acknowledges existing good practice by practitioners and current research on bilingualism and second language development. For other current information see Websites (pages 18-20). BACKGROUND INFORMATION There are large numbers of pupils in Stirling Council educational establishments who have English as an Additional language (EAL). There is a large diversity of cultures, countries and language backgrounds represented in our schools. Many of our EAL pupils were born in Britain and may be second or third generation members of well-established families or communities. Some of our pupils are here temporarily, particularly where parents are students at our local university. In recent years, there has been a large increase in the numbers of migrant workers from EU countries. Consequently, the range of fluency in English is wide, from those who are ‘new to English’ to those who are ‘fluent’ in English. All Education Authorities are required to complete an annual ScotExed census, the purpose of which is to obtain accurate data on publicly funded schools, and the pupils attending those schools. The information is used for government statistical analysis and to support evidence-based policy making. The census asks for the level of English for all EAL pupils. Schools should record this information on SEEMIS, and it is then collated by Stirling Council and submitted every session. Pupils who are acquiring English as an Additional Language are described as ‘bilingual’, i.e., pupils who function in more than one language in their daily lives, irrespective of fluency in either language. The term ‘bilingual’ does not imply an equal or specified level of proficiency in two or more languages. Bilingual pupils may arrive at any stage and at any time throughout the school year. Schools should add this information on SEEMIS as required. Identification of EAL should be in the PPR and staged intervention folder. Further information on the pupils’ level of English and home language(s) should be entered in the language tab. The level of English should be updated on SEEMIS at least once a year. EAL pupils will be on stage 2 of staged intervention or above. To ascertain the level of English use the relevant profile of competence form. See Appendix 1 (Early Years) or Appendix 2 (Primary) or Appendix 3 (Secondary) and attached Guidance and Glossary Appendix 4. RESEARCH It is useful at this point to note that research shows: • The attitude of the school, class teacher and peers is of utmost importance. The key priority

is to offer security, reassurance and practical help to assist transfer into a school system which may be very different from the one the pupil has left.

• Visual support will greatly assist comprehension. It is important to bear in mind that body

language is very powerful and can be misinterpreted when there is little comprehension of spoken language.


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• Peers are the best teachers, therefore interactive learning is best. Raising cultural awareness, encouraging understanding, appreciation and tolerance is an obligation we all have in class whether or not we have EAL pupils.

• Bilingualism is an asset and not a disadvantage intellectually. Use of mother tongue in school

and at home should be encouraged. The pupil will probably have acquired all age-appropriate concepts in first language so should not be placed in lowest ability groups. It may be possible to differentiate work by reducing and simplifying the language content rather than the difficulty.

• An EAL pupil may be unwilling to speak. This ‘silent period’ is quite normal and may last for

several months. An experienced class teacher will know when a pupil understands and will be able to assess, praise and reassure without requiring a spoken response.

• As an EAL pupil becomes more fluent orally it is easy to assume a deeper understanding than

is present. Whilst a pupil may acquire basic interpersonal communication skills within 2 years, it can take up to 11 years to acquire the full range of literacy skills.

ENROLMENT PROCEDURES When new non-English speaking families arrive in schools, possibly from an education system that differs hugely from ours, it is important to share as much relevant information as possible. In addition to the school enrolment form an additional information form for EAL pupils should also be completed. This additional information form along with guidelines for an initial meeting with the parents of carers of a bilingual child can be found in Appendices 5 and 6. If the parents also need support for their level of English, it is advisable to request the presence of an interpreter for this meeting and to invite a member of the EAL team to attend. All EAL parents/carers have the right to the services of an interpreter. Interpreters can be accessed through the ASN Outreach Service and this provision is funded centrally. Contact: [email protected], tel: 01786 272333 Meetings requiring interpreter services should be planned in advance as it may take some time to access the service. Some parents/carers are happy to use friends or family members as interpreters during meetings but, if the meeting is important and perhaps dealing with confidential or sensitive issues, it is advisable to use an impartial, trained interpreter who will be fluent in both required languages. Whilst some parents may seem reasonably fluent on a social communication level, it may become difficult for them to communicate in a subject-specific meeting or to understand cultural differences in our education systems.

mailto:[email protected]


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ROLE OF ASN OUTREACH SERVICE The Additional Support Needs (ASN) Outreach Service is based in Raploch Community Campus and can be contacted: by e-mail on [email protected]

by telephone on 01786 272333 and by post at ASN Outreach Service

Raploch Community Campus Drip Road Stirling FK8 1SD

There is a team of EAL teachers who support educational establishments to ensure that provision matches the development and learning needs of all EAL children. The team can be accessed through completion of a Support Request, using the relevant GIRFEC forms; Form 2, Form 1 for pupil information and any relevant parts of Form 7. The ASN Outreach Service EAL team operates in the best interest of EAL children and young people. It focuses on supporting inclusion, adopts a holistic approach to providing support, is flexible and responds to individual needs. It provides: • Consultation with management teams, support co-ordinators, teachers and supporting

agencies on all relevant EAL issues, advising on pupil placement, teaching strategies, resources and assessment, transitions and curriculum content.

• Formal and informal assessments of the skills, abilities and learning needs of bilingual pupils. • Staff development through the Authority CPD programme and on request from individual

establishments, providing support and advice to schools as they build their capacity to support EAL pupils within a mainstream curriculum.

• Advice to schools about alternative assessment and exam arrangements. • Support for ESOL courses in high schools by assisting with selection of pupils and delivery of

courses. See the ASN Outreach Service EAL leaflet for further information: http://www.stirling.gov.uk/__documents/education-and-skills/access-and-inclusion/social-inclusion/asn-outreach/asnoutreachadditionallanguage.pdf The ASN Co-ordinator is responsible for managing this service and may be contacted for further EAL discussion: [email protected] or 01786 272333.


http://www.stirling.gov.uk/__documents/education-and-skills/access-and-inclusion/social-inclusion/asn-outreach/asnoutreachadditionallanguage.pdf

http://www.stirling.gov.uk/__documents/education-and-skills/access-and-inclusion/social-inclusion/asn-outreach/asnoutreachadditionallanguage.pdf



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ROLE OF SCHOOLS AND EARLY YEARS ESTABLISHMENTS IN SUPPORTING EAL PUPILS Whilst the EAL team is available for support, all EAL pupils are primarily the responsibility of the school. The Support Co-ordinator or appointed Key Teacher in high schools will have the lead role for EAL and should keep a record of all EAL children and young people and update this information on SEEMIS. In the first instance, support in schools and Early Years should be provided by establishment staff. When new EAL pupils enrol, the initial priorities for the establishment are to help them settle in and to ensure that information about the pupil is shared among relevant staff. Support Co-ordinators may ask the Support for Learning Teacher to support staff with this. This role may be supported by SLA staff within the school. EAL pupils must be considered for inclusion in support groups which address their particular additional support needs, which may be in addition to their EAL support needs. High schools should appoint an EAL key support teacher to liaise with the ASN Outreach Service EAL team. This may be an English, Modern Languages or ASN Teacher. ROLE OF SCHOOL STAFF • Provide a welcoming ethos and environment where first language and culture is known,

valued and respected. • Arrange an introductory information sharing meeting with pupils and parents in the presence

of an interpreter. • Adopt a zero tolerance policy to racism. A Racist Incident Monitoring Form (RIMF) must be

completed for every allegation of racism. This form is available on the Source along with guidance for completion. http://web.stirling.gov.uk/rahmas_blank_form-2.doc http://web.stirling.gov.uk/rimf-guide.doc

• Ensure EAL children access an age and ability appropriate curriculum. • Group EAL pupils with good language role models and not place them in lower ability groups. • Ensure all staff are aware of EAL related staff development opportunities and are encouraged

to attend regardless of whether they are currently teaching EAL pupils. • Make EAL related reference materials available to all staff. • Access interpreters when necessary. Arrangements can be made by contacting ASN

Outreach Service. The schools will not be charged as this service is funded centrally. • Make this ASN Outreach Service EAL Support Guidance available to all staff. • Provide appropriate resources which support EAL pupils in their learning, allowing access to a

networked computer with internet access whenever possible. • Use appropriate ICT resources to support learning. Additional information for High Schools • Ensure pupils are assigned to subject classes appropriate to their age, stage, subject

preferences and career aspirations. EAL pupils should not be excluded from classes or subjects, nor should they be placed in lower ability classes, purely on account of their English language levels.

• Provide some flexibility in the timetable to allow access to activities which encourage English language acquisition.

• Remind staff that, in accordance with Curriculum for Excellence, all teachers are teachers of English and have a role to play in EAL pupils’ English language acquisition.

• Appoint a key support teacher with responsibility for EAL pupils within the school, who will liaise with the ASN Outreach EAL teacher.

• Advise pupils about alternative assessment arrangements and provide ESOL courses appropriately. This will be done in conjunction with ASN Outreach EAL teachers.

http://web.stirling.gov.uk/rahmas_blank_form-2.doc

http://web.stirling.gov.uk/rimf-guide.doc


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ROLE OF SUPPORT FOR LEARNING ASSISTANTS TO SUPPORT EAL PUPILS SLAs play an important role in supporting EAL pupils both in and out of the classroom. When EAL pupils arrive they often feel emotional and isolated having left behind all that is familiar. SLAs play an important role in supporting integration in class and playground. Priority support strategies for class teachers are highlighted below with suggestions for SLA support: • Provide a welcoming environment where bilingualism is valued – encourage the EAL pupil to

share stories and games from their culture. • Provide peer support - socially and academically – SLAs are vital in providing playground and

in-class support. Social language is the first priority for safety and security; the playground plays an important role in its development. Academic language can be supported in class.

• Provide interactive learning opportunities – play/interaction is most effective in developing knowledge of language. SLAs can support interactions (in and out of class) encouraging appropriate use of language.

• Provide opportunities to extend knowledge of vocabulary – SLAs should be aware of the need to extend vocabulary knowledge at all times. Games, pictures, talks and stories all support this.

• Provide opportunities to forward plan – SLAs can assist with use of the computer to help research topics; compile wordlists to accompany classwork and summarise texts in simple English.

• Differentiate classwork, reducing language content of tasks – the concepts are generally not the problem, merely the language of learning. Simplification of work is often possible and SLAs can help with this under the direction of the class teacher.

• Use visuals to support learning – visual support is essential in the absence of spoken language. SLAs can help locate appropriate visual support materials.

• Provide appropriate resources – many SFL resources can be adapted for use with EAL pupils. Regular, consistent support from SLAs helps make resources effective.

SQA ARRANGEMENTS AND ESOL SQA Arrangements EAL pupils are entitled to 10 extra minutes per hour of exam and they are entitled to use a bilingual dictionary (their home language and English). See SQA page for information www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/14976.html Please remember this should also apply in class, particularly in NABs. Pupils who will be using a bilingual dictionary in exams should be encouraged to practise using them in class to ensure they know how to use them. If EAL pupils require something additional, for example a scribe or using digital exams, as with other pupils, evidence should be collected and a request made to the SQA. ESOL Some EAL pupils might benefit from sitting SQA ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages*) qualifications instead of English. In general terms, pupils who have been in the UK since nursery would not be considered for ESOL qualifications. The EAL team will support the selection of pupils and the development of the course.

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/14976.html


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The delivery of ESOL should not exclude pupils from English classes where EAL pupils will have valuable exposure to English language. Delivery of ESOL is the responsibility of the school and will be supported by the EAL team. Both English and Modern Language departments have a role to play in the delivery of ESOL. *The term ESOL is often used in adult and community education simply to refer to the teaching of English rather than the SQA courses. USE OF INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATION All EAL parents/carers have the right to the services of an interpreter. Interpreters can be booked through ASN Outreach [email protected] or 01786 272333) and are funded centrally. Meetings requiring interpreter services should be planned well in advance as it may take some time to access the service. Some parents/carers are happy to use friends or family members as interpreters during meetings but, if the meeting is important and perhaps dealing with confidential or sensitive issues, it is advisable to use an impartial, trained interpreter who will be fluent in both required languages. It is not appropriate for the pupils themselves or a sibling to be used as an interpreter in meetings. For non-English speaking families it is desirable to hold an initial meeting with an interpreter to share information. See Appendix 5 for suggestions on content of this meeting. Parents can also request that school letters are translated. Although it is not always possible to translate letters as required, there is a very useful site www.primaryresources.co.uk/letters/ which provides basic, commonly used letters in an extensive range of languages: these letters cover, Welcome Letter, School Details, Accident/Illness, Holiday/Closure, Trips/Visits, Progress, Unhappy Pupil, Head Lice, Assemblies, detention, Absence, School Attendance Information, Admission. Should there be a problem accessing these, there is a set available from ASN Outreach Service in some languages. Regarding school brochures, it is not necessary to translate a complete document; only essential information is required. There is a very good Welcome Booklet available from www.mantralingua.com which can be customised for each school and translated into several languages. Mantra Lingua also provides a good range of dual language resources but one of their most useful resources is undoubtedly story books accompanied by CDs in several languages including English. It is very useful to allow children to listen to a story in their mother tongue first before hearing the same story in English. Although parents have the right to request a translated report, again there is not always a direct translation of terms and comments. It is generally considered more effective to employ an interpreter to discuss the report where parents can take notes in their own language. It may be possible to combine this with an end of term Staged Intervention meeting where an interpreter may be in attendance.


http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/letters/

http://www.mantralingua.com/


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Translation Sites There are several very useful free translation sites. It should be noted that these sites are useful for short texts as translations are seldom completely accurate. They can be useful for word/word translations but when sending messages home for example care must be taken to make text as brief and simple as possible avoiding ambiguity and subordinate clauses. Google translate http://translate.google.com/ can be accessed from the ‘more’ section of the Google home page. www.poltran.com (Polish only) www.systran.co.uk (Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish) www.babelfish.com (good range of languages) www.freetranslation.com. (good range of languages) www.wikipedia.com - translations in several languages on a variety of topics. Also consider using the “Simple English” language option. It is likely that your pupils will be able to show you good sites for their language. GUIDANCE SUPPORT FOR BILINGUAL PUPILS Supporting EAL pupils with little English in school can be challenging. However, it is the duty of all teachers to endeavour to make the curriculum accessible to all pupils. For EAL pupils, the first priority is to assist English language acquisition. Class teachers should relax and enjoy the challenge of integrating EAL pupils and encouraging them to acquire English within the context of subject areas. It should be noted that the exam structure is likely to be inappropriate for many newly arrived secondary bilingual pupils. Stirling Council recognises the inclusion of EAL pupils in mainstream classrooms as best practice to promote language acquisition. It is good practice to place bilingual pupils in their age appropriate year groups, where they are surrounded by good role models in terms of language, achievement and behaviour. If circumstances are considered exceptional and an alternative class placement is discussed with the Team around the Child, this request will go to the Head of Education for decision. The general principles of good practice for children learning English as additional language are the principles of good practice for all children. However, the skills, knowledge and understanding of EAL pupils are often underestimated, and they require support to achieve their potential. Supporting all learners including bilingual learners is the responsibility of all staff and it is good practice to build up a good support team around the EAL child or young person.

http://translate.google.com/

http://www.poltran.com/

http://www.systran.co.uk/

http://www.babelfish.com/

http://www.freetranslation.com/

http://www.wikipedia.com/


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SUPPORT SUGGESTIONS Flexible Timetabling Consider flexibility in timetabling so the EAL pupil can join classes where he/she will be exposed to talking/listening experiences. Interactive learning with good role models is most effective in language acquisition. Although an EAL pupil should be enrolled in an age appropriate year group, it may be acceptable to join other year groups occasionally to access good talking/listening activities. It is often a good idea to encourage older EAL learners to ‘help’ in more junior classes. This takes the pressure off the pupil whilst exposing him/her to opportunities which extend knowledge of language in a stress-free environment. Buddy Support Provide ‘buddies’ who will be prepared to, and are able to, assist with building knowledge of English. In-class buddies can help with understanding of routines and support work being done. Peer Support Within classes, teachers should encourage peers to empathise with EAL pupils and appreciate the value of bilingualism. Pupils themselves can make suggestions of ways in which they can support language acquisition in and out of the classroom. EAL pupils should always be placed beside good role models who will be willing to assist with interpretation of instructions and information as well as model what is expected in tasks. Assisting EAL pupils is not a burden to peers. It often provides the opportunity to clarify their own thought when asked to assist with explanations. Grouping It is always wise initially to include EAL pupils in groups with more able children. This usually means they are exposed to good role model language and behaviour. Although the pupil may not be able to contribute much in terms of oral input, they will be given the opportunity to internalise vocabulary and grammatical structures from articulate English speakers. Wordlists/walls These should be provided for EAL pupils to support learning in class. The lists need not be bilingual. Clear articulation of words should be modelled and practised. It is acceptable to correct pronunciation in a sensitive manner. Topic based vocabulary lists should be provided and clearly displayed in class. Bilingual dictionaries should be used when necessary – either paper or online. Vocabulary Extension ALL teachers must be aware of the need to extend knowledge of English vocabulary at all times. Pupil should take part in talking/listening activities whenever possible and should be included in interactive learning situations to expose him/her to social, as well as academic, language. Comprehension of even basic vocabulary should never be assumed. It is helpful to provide an EAL pupil with a jotter in which to record new vocabulary. So many new words/phrases will be encountered every day that it is impossible to remember them all. Recording them in a dictionary type jotter helps.


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Forward Planning EAL pupils should be given the opportunity to forward plan. If the pupil has an idea what is planned for the next lesson and provided with wordlists, particularly in topic work, he/she has the opportunity to research vocabulary. This makes it much easier to access learning in class. Language Use Teachers should use consistent language for giving instructions. It is wise to avoid idiomatic language and anecdotes. Differentiation Differentiation is essential to enable EAL pupils to access classwork – the pupil probably has all age-appropriate concepts, it is only the language which is the barrier to learning. Teachers should differentiate lessons as appropriate and provide visual supports whenever possible. Tasks need not necessarily be simplified, only the language content reduced and simplified. If the pupil has had the opportunity to forward plan and has access to vocabulary lists it should be possible to identify key aspects of tasks which can be attempted by the EAL pupil. See Appendix 7 for Suggested Planning Form. Allow the EAL pupil to identify unknown vocabulary in worksheets at the beginning of tasks. Visuals Include visual support whenever possible to support learning; pictures, diagrams, flow charts etc. may all be appropriate. Use of signs and symbols are also very useful to enhance learning. Dictionaries Allow access to bilingual dictionary, or online translation services such as Google Translate, when possible, in class. It is important for secondary pupils to become competent users of paper dictionaries so that they are able to benefit from their availability in exams. SFL/SLA Support Provide SLA support in class if possible to assist with comprehension of information/instructions and if possible and necessary include pupil in appropriate SFL groups to address English language needs. For further information see pages 7 and 8. Resources Appropriate resources should be provided which address particular learning needs in terms of learning English. A file of work, or appropriate English grammar book, is very useful. Many SFL resources can be adapted to support the needs of EAL pupils, although this should not be used as a substitute to class lesson participation. Many online interactive language learning activities are now available – see details on pages 17-20. Support with Reading Include the EAL pupil in Shared/Paired reading with partner who will be sensitive to EAL needs. Always check comprehension of texts; decoding skills often exceed comprehension skills. Use open or multiple choice questions rather than simply saying “do you understand” as many pupils will answer “yes” regardless. EAL pupils should be given opportunities to clarify unknown vocabulary and language structures before attempting to complete tasks.


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Talking/Listening Activities Participation in class/group discussion is always good. Group sessions are essential to extend knowledge of vocabulary, but they also extend knowledge of question/sentence structures and provide the opportunity to listen to clear articulation of the English sound system. EAL pupils should be encouraged to contribute to discussions, even in a small way, in an attempt to build confidence. This can be done by giving pupils multiple choice questions or through modelling by other pupils to give the bilingual pupils the English words he or she needs to express his or her point. Time Out Learning through, and listening to, an additional language can be exhausting. It is therefore wise to give EAL pupils, particularly beginners, an opportunity for ‘time out’ when he/she can access materials in his/her own language or simply have a rest from English. These can be accessed on line and also some resources are available from ASN Outreach. Clubs/Groups Find out what EAL pupils are interested in and support participation in clubs/groups as interaction with peers is the most effective way in which to acquire English. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Any activity which encourages acquisition of language and promotes learning is beneficial to EAL pupils. Teachers should be innovative and creative and allow themselves to think flexibly as Curriculum for Excellence allows. Further Reading Learning in 2+ languages. This document gives advice on best practice for supporting EAL pupils. As well as being available on the LTS website there is at least one copy in every school. Further strategies for supporting EAL children in schools can be found on the Education Scotland website: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/SupportStrategiesbookletPrimary_tcm4-545201.pdf http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/EALSecondarySupportStrategies_tcm4-732309.pdf Details of aspects of English as an additional language development: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/EALProfileAspectsofLanguage_tcm4-732306.pdf

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/LearningInTwoPlusLanguages_tcm4-306089.pdf

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/SupportStrategiesbookletPrimary_tcm4-545201.pdf

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/EALSecondarySupportStrategies_tcm4-732309.pdf

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/EALProfileAspectsofLanguage_tcm4-732306.pdf


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SUPPORTING EAL PUPILS IN EARLY YEARS ESTABLISHMENTS Early Years establishments generally provide the ideal environment for young children to acquire language. The interactive nature of activities, the visually stimulating environment and lack of inhibitions of children usually promote language development. Some points to note are: • Bilingualism is good and the use of first language should be encouraged whenever possible.

Children should be encouraged to speak in their home language(s) with peers if possible as development in first language will aid proficiency in English.

• It is welcoming if staff and pupils learn some greetings or key phrases in child’s language. Phrase books are available in a range of languages from Mantra Lingua (found on Google) or Google Translate can be useful too (use listen option for pronunciation).

• Welcome notices in child’s language show an appreciation of other cultures. • All verbal utterances in English should be praised and encouraged. Correction of errors

should be done through modelling of correct language in a clear, articulate voice. • It is best to speak to the bilingual child in an age-appropriate, natural way using vocabulary

suitable for his/her age. Gestures, actions, signs and symbols all help to engage the child and promote understanding. A ‘silent period’ is perfectly normal for an EAL pupil. This does not mean that the child does not understand language; merely that he is internalising language until such times as he feels confident enough to speak.

• Visual support is vital! Resources such as Boardmaker are perfect for EAL early years pupils. They provide visual clues which develop vocabulary and help to establish routines and familiarise children with their environment. Symbols can be shared with the home as a means of sharing the child’s day at nursery.

• A home link book is very useful for EAL pupils and parents – visuals are essential. • Sharing books and stories is an important part of nursery life. If an EAL family is given the

opportunity to discuss a story at home in their first language before it is shared in nursery this makes it much easier for the child to focus and follow the storyline when read in English in nursery.

• Children learn best through play with good role models. When possible groupings should be carefully selected with the EAL child’s linguistic development in mind.

• EAL pupils should be made to feel included by being given responsibilities and tasks. Instructions can be given visually.

• Action games, songs, rhymes are all excellent ways in which children learn language. • Pictures and books from child’s culture should be introduced to nursery library and parents

should be invited in to share culture and stories. • It is not generally necessary to provide additional support to EAL pupils in nursery as the

nature of the environment tends to promote language development naturally. It is only when teachers and staff feel that development is not progressing as expected that additional support is generally requested and this can be done to ASN Outreach using GIRFEC Form 2 with relevant information included on forms 1 and 7.


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ASSESSMENT In the absence of spoken English it can be tricky assessing the abilities of EAL pupils. Just because a pupil does not communicate in English, this does not mean that the pupil has no understanding of age appropriate concepts. Determining the abilities and assessing learning needs requires gathering of background information as well as careful observation of pupil in his/her learning environment. After a settling in period when the class teachers and SLAs will carefully observe behaviour, enthusiasm, willingness to communicate, response to visual clues and general level of relaxation. The best approach to assessment of EAL pupils is observation and recording by an adult who knows the child/young person well. If you have concerns about a pupil’s progress in acquiring English, you may wish to consider the following questions: • Is acquisition of English progressing as expected…according to ‘norm’? (There may be a

‘silent period, followed by single word utterances, then short phrases, then attempts at sentence structures).

• Once understanding of task is established, is work rate comparable to peers’? • Does child respond to teacher or child intervention? • Does child have reasonable listening and attention skills? • Does child display satisfactory progress in first language? • Does child’s progress with basic number concepts seem satisfactory? • Does child have emotional or behavioural difficulties? • Does child respond to visual clues? • Does child watch peers for clues? • Does child ‘copy’ peers? • Does child attempt to communicate through gestures? • Does child show an interest in communication with peers and adults? • Does child respond well to tasks which are less language dependent? • Does child attempt to form relationships with adult or peers? A very high priority must be placed on formative assessment but, as with ALL pupils, attention must be given to: • Planning for teaching and learning which recognises the needs of the learner and facilitates

continuity and progression. • Gathering different kinds of evidence. • Recognition and rewarding of achievement. Standardised means of assessment are often not suitable for EAL pupils as they assume a native knowledge of English and do not value the knowledge of other languages. In accordance with the diverse approach to assessment encouraged by Curriculum for Excellence the same should apply to EAL pupils. Health and Wellbeing outcomes lend themselves well to the assessment of EAL pupils and are important points to focus on to encourage the positive development of EAL pupils in our schools. Home language(s) literacy, prior learning through formal or informal education and personal attributes should be taken into account in assessing EAL pupils. If, after the initial settling in period, there is concern, the school can make a referral to ASN Outreach and the EAL teacher will visit the pupil to observe and assess before recommending support strategies to class teachers.


16

Assessing other Additional Support Needs The assessment of EAL pupils is a complex process and is best supported by ASN Outreach Service teachers who have knowledge of second language development. Language assessments which are designed for monolingual English speakers and are delivered in English may be unreliable for EAL pupils. If an EAL pupil has a language and communication difficulty this is generally apparent in the pupil’s Home or First language and can be verified by using a culturally appropriate assessment delivered in the first language. In the absence of the availability of a first language assessor, the ASN Outreach Service EAL team can advise on appropriate assessment arrangements. If there are concerns about an EAL pupil’s language and communication, the ASN Outreach Service EAL team, usually in conjunction with a Speech and Language Therapist, will carry out fair and unbiased assessments, respecting first language importance and influence. EAL pupils will have specific linguistic needs depending on their stage of English acquisition, but these should not be confused with specific speech and language (SLT) support needs. When a child who is learning English as an additional language, particularly in the early stages, makes slow progress in school, it is difficult to tell whether the delay is caused because they are not confident using the language of the school, or because they have learning difficulties independent of the language difference. Where an additional support need related to a specific difficulty other than EAL is suspected, the EAL outreach teacher will work closely with the Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) service to ensure that appropriate assessment processes are used in order to acquire valid and informative results. The ASN outreach teacher, who has an understanding of the process of language acquisition and the linguistic challenges faced by EAL pupils, will liaise with the SLT to deliver and interpret these assessments. For additional information on assessment of EAL pupils who may have ASN, refer to the ASN Outreach Service. Characteristics of EAL Writing It is very difficult to assess EAL pupils’ writing in terms of attainment. The list below details common/expected errors and as such, allowances should be made when awarding levels. When correcting any piece of writing, it is wise to focus on only one or two grammatical/structural errors (see list below); reinforcement should be given to support these. Use of writing frames can be helpful to allow EAL pupils the opportunity to take part in classwork or to complete homework. ALL teachers should support English language development. Below is a list of common grammatical/structure errors found in EAL writing: • Verb endings and tenses (lack of knowledge that many past tenses are irregular; confusion

with present simple and present continuous e.g. 'I am having dinner every day'; inaccurate use of past participle, e.g. 'I buyed it.' 'My house got a phone.')

• Pronouns. • Word order e.g. verb at end of sentence, verb/noun interchange. • Spelling patterns - lack of knowledge of familiar patterns; e.g. 'k' instead of 'ck'; spelling errors

due to pronunciation. • Overuse of some connectives - ‘and’, 'and then'. • Repetition - over reliance on simple sentence structures • Misuse of article - e.g. 'the', 'a', 'an' may be missing or used incorrectly.


17

• Incorrect use of preposition/prepositional phrases e.g. 'at the holidays'. • Range of vocabulary limited (playground language; use of imprecise nouns e.g. 'dog' instead

of 'fox'; 'broken' for 'hurt'. • Inappropriate use of vocabulary/stylistic errors • Inaccurate use of plurals/lack of knowledge of irregular plurals (e.g. childrens). • Difficulty with different genres. • Genitive (possessive apostrophe omitted, overused or used in place of plurals). USE OF ICT WITH EAL PUPILS Use of ICT with EAL pupils is good practice; however it should not be seen as a substitute for direct teaching. Caution should be used when using automatic translation software or translation websites (e.g. Google Translate) as the meaning is not always clear. As a general rule, only short, simple messages in Standard English (e.g. Please bring shorts, T-shirt and shoes for sport on Tuesdays and Fridays) translate well. For documents involving complex vocabulary or jargon, e.g. school reports or staged intervention paperwork, schools should not attempt to translate these but arrange a meeting with the pupil’s parent or carer with an interpreter present. Interpreters can be booked through ASN Outreach [email protected] or 01786 272333) and are funded centrally. Google Translate allows you to listen to the translation in an increasing number of different languages. This is good practice for newly arrived pupils, to enable understanding of short instructions and routines. Again, the text to be translated should be as short and concise as possible, avoiding jargon and ambiguity. Teachers should not rely on text-only labelling in English for resources, timetables etc. These should be accompanied by a picture whenever possible (this would also benefit a wide range of pupils with additional support needs). For pupils who are literate in their home language, adding the text in their language to the label demonstrates a willingness to be inclusive. Many schools have access to Boardmaker to produce pictorial resources. This also allows dual language labelling of resources without the need to use translation websites or software. Pupils who are literate in their own language should be allowed access to home language encyclopaedia websites to get some advance knowledge of topics to be studied in class. Good quality Wikipedia articles, for example, will be available in different languages. Another option is to use the “Simple English” language option, which uses the 1,000 most common and basic words in English, simple grammar and shorter sentences. This is often a more appropriate resource for most primary and lower secondary pupils. EAL pupils who require reading support, but who would be able to understand the text if read aloud to them, should have access to Text to speech computer applications (these are free of charge to schools – advice available from ASN Outreach if needed). Contact: [email protected]




18

Schools should be aware that layout of computer keyboards varies by country, e.g. the top line of a keyboard in France is AZERTYUIOP rather than QWERTYUIOP as used in the U.K. Pupils may also have difficulties reproducing accents above / below letters in their home languages. It may also not be possible for pupils to type in their own language where different alphabets/scripts are used: examples include Urdu, Greek, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. On screen keyboards are often available online and may be easier for a pupil to use than a UK keyboard. Schools should use a variety of means of gaining evidence of pupil work and progress, including audio recording, video and still photography. EAL pupils understanding of oral language and their speech capability may be more advanced than their reading and writing ability, therefore schools must not rely on written evidence alone. Further useful details are contained in the document Using ICT to support pupils with dyslexia available on the Source (under Inclusion). Secondary pupils may qualify for the Digital Exams special arrangements, to be able to type their answers or have questions read out to them (as an alternative to a reader or scribe). Further details are available on the SQA website at www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/14977.html. WEBSITES There are a number of good websites for EAL pupils at all levels. Many other sites have good language activities that EAL pupils can use to practise their English. The list is constantly changing. Below are a few recommended sites. This list is by no means exhaustive. Early Years and Primary www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebiesThe story time section on this site has stories EAL pupils can listen to and read at the same time. www.funwithspot.comGood for early primary. Easy games that improve English reading skills. www.twinkl.co.uk Lots of great primary materials www.starfall.comThe ‘learn to read’ section has some good activities www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/englishLots of good grammar and spelling exercises that can be done independently

http://web.stirling.gov.uk/usingicttosupportpupilswithdyslexia.pdf

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/14977.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies

http://www.funwithspot.com/

http://www.twinkl.co.uk/

http://www.starfall.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english


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Primary and Secondary www.linguascope.comSubscription only site used for modern languages. Also has excellent English section. Find out from your Modern Languages department/MLPS teacher if your school has a subscription. www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers Find out how to say greetings and other words in hundreds of languages. www.wikepedia.org Translations in several languages on a variety of topics. Great for research as pupils can read about a subject in their own language first and then access the same text in English. www.enchantedlearning.com (Among other things, there is a very useful free picture dictionary in English with Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish). www.parapal-online.co.uk (Parapal Online English Exercises). This interactive site provides a good range of exercises for pupils who are around Stage 3 of EAL development. www.better-english.com This is also interactive and provides a good range of exercises that pupils can work on independently. See English grammar lessons, Phrasal verb lessons and Listening lessons. www.englishclub.com/learn-english.htm This is another good interactive website for EAL pupils where they can work independently. http://a4esl.org This is another very good interactive site with a good range of activities in a variety of languages. eurotalk.com/en/ Go to the resources section of this site for a fun free mini-lesson in over 100 languages. http://www.newburypark.redbridge.sch.uk/langofmonth/ This website has basic words and phrases in several languages, recorded by bilingual pupils at a school in London. As well as teaching new EAL pupils English, it is good practice to teach English speaking pupils the home languages of their new classmates. www.ccceducation.net There are now some Polish and Lithuanian translations for Science and Maths and GCSE history on the Cambridgeshire Education Portal (Ignore all the portal login boxes! Just search for ‘Polish Maths ‘etc and you should find them). www.learnenglish.org.uk www.english-online.org.uk www.onestopenglish.com www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise

http://www.linguascope.com/

http://www.elite.net/%7Erunner/jennifers

http://www.wikepedia.org/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/

http://www.parapal-online.co.uk/

http://www.better-english.com/

http://www.englishclub.com/learn-english.htm

http://a4esl.org/

http://eurotalk.com/en/

http://www.newburypark.redbridge.sch.uk/langofmonth/

http://www.ccceducation.net/

http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/

http://www.english-online.org.uk/

http://www.onestopenglish.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise


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Smartphone Applications You can download “Learn English” apps for Apple and Android smartphones, many of which are free. Older pupils may be willing to use their own phones for this purpose. Google Translate is also available on mobile devices and may be useful for pupils to use at their desk rather than having to use a classroom PC to access translation sites. Websites dealing with Antiracism www.cre.gov.ukThe Equality and Human Rights Commission www.antiracisttoolkit.org.uk Race Equality page on Education Scotland site www.srtrc.org Show racism the red card http://www.britkid.org Britkid resource for pupil use http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com The Scottish Government’s anti-racism campaign Useful websites for additional information on EAL www.ealinhounslow.org.uk www.emaonline.org.uk www.primaryresources.co.uk/letters/ www.naldic.org.uk www.sateal.org.uk http://talent.ac.uk/ http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/emass/

http://www.cre.gov.uk/

http://www.antiracisttoolkit.org.uk/

http://www.srtrc.org/

http://www.britkid.org/

http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/

http://www.ealinhounslow.org.uk/

http://www.emaonline.org.uk/

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/letters/

http://www.naldic.org.uk/

http://www.sateal.org.uk/

http://talent.ac.uk/

http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/emass/


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APPENDICES Appendix 1 EAL Profile of Competence Early Years

Appendix 2 EAL Profile of Competence Primary

Appendix 3 EAL Profile of Competence Secondary

Appendix 4 EAL Profile of Competence – Guidance and Glossary

Appendix 5 Additional Enrolment Information EAL Pupils

Appendix 6 Guidance for Introductory Meeting with Non-English Speaking Parents

Appendix 7 Suggested Planning for EAL Pupils

Appendix 1: Guidance for supporting children and young people with EAL in educational establishments

Stirling Council Education ASN Outreach Service

EAL Profile of Competence Early Years

Based on work of City of Edinburgh EAL Service – on Education Scotland web site Sept 2012 http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/e/genericresource_tcm4545206.asp

Name:

Date of Birth:

Date started UK education: Other Additional Support Needs Yes / No

Languages spoken:

Profiles should be updated twice a year. Ante Pre-school Listening and Talking

STAGES OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION CHECKLIST

• Enter the month (M) & year (Y) achieved in the right hand column. If not achieved, leave blank. • A learner is working at a given stage when they begin to achieve descriptors at that stage and have

achieved most of the descriptors at the previous stage. • Terms in bold are explained in the glossary.

Listening and Talking

Listening and Talking STAGE 1: NEW TO ENGLISH M/Y 1 Watches others and joins in activities and routines 2 Follows simple routine instructions 3 Echoes words and phrases modelled by other pupils and adults 4 Participates in very basic, short, formulaic spoken exchanges (e.g. Good morning, How

are you?) and may respond non-verbally (e.g. with a gesture or smile)

5 Understands and names some familiar classroom/everyday objects 6 Expresses need using gesture/1-2 words/home language 7 Shows understanding of simple information, given with visual support and gesture 8 Beginning to communicate meaning using known vocabulary in single words/short

phrases

9 Responds to yes/no and either/or questions

Listening and Talking STAGE 2: EARLY ACQUISITION M/Y 1 Beginning to interact in group activities 2 Follows a short sequence of instructions 3 Beginning to use a wider range of basic vocabulary 4 Requests support when needed and asks simple questions 5 Shows some understanding of curriculum topics, presented with visual/contextual

support and rephrasing

6 Communicates meaning using basic vocabulary in simple phrases and sentences, though with some inaccuracies

7 Beginning to use plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions, though with some inaccuracies

8 Uses present simple tense appropriately, (he/she, it – s, e.g. I dance but he dances) although with some inaccuracies

9 Beginning to use past simple tense regular verbs (e.g. I played, I listened) and common irregular verbs ( e.g. I went, I did, I had, I got) appropriately although with some inaccuracies

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http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/e/genericresource_tcm4545206.asp


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10 Responds verbally to closed and simple open questions

Listening and Talking STAGE 3: DEVELOPING COMPETENCE M/Y 1 Understands and uses a wide range of basic vocabulary 2 Shows understanding of the detail of curriculum topics, with visual/contextual support

and repetition

3 Communicates meaning using some extended/more complex sentences with increasing accuracy

4 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions with increasing accuracy 5 Uses present simple and continuous tenses appropriately and accurately (he/she, it – s,

e.g. I dance but he dances; we are dancing)

6 Beginning to use more past simple regular verb forms and a wider range of irregular forms (e.g. I played, they caught, you bought), with increasing consistency and accuracy

7 Beginning to use a wider range of tenses: past continuous, future and conditional (e.g. I was playing, I will go, I would like)

8 Beginning to use structures to express higher order thinking: express prediction, probability and hypothesis (might, may, could, would be)

9 Responds appropriately to a variety of questions

Listening and Talking STAGE 4: COMPETENT M/Y 1 Shares opinions. 2 Understands and uses a wide range of basic and some mature vocabulary 3 Shows understanding of the detail of curriculum topics, with reduced visual/contextual

support, by answering a variety of questions

5 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions appropriately and mostly accurately 6 Uses all regular and most irregular past simple tense forms appropriately and with

increasing accuracy (e.g. I played, they caught, they taught)

7 Uses other tenses (e.g. past continuous, future and conditional, I was playing, I will go, I would like) appropriately and mostly accurately

8 Uses age-appropriate structures to express higher order thinking: prediction, probability and hypothesis (might, may, could, would be) mostly accurately

9 Communicates meaning, including more complex ideas and concepts, using age-appropriate extended/more complex sentences, mostly accurately.

Listening and Talking STAGE 5: FLUENT M/Y 1 Speaks confidently, fluently and accurately on a variety of topics with no more non-

standard features than a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability

2 Understanding is commensurate with that of a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability



EAL Profile of Competence Primary


Name:

Date of Birth:


Languages spoken: Literate in:

Profiles should be updated twice a year. P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 Listening and Talking

Reading

Writing


• Enter the month (M) & year (Y) achieved in the right hand column. If not achieved, leave blank. • Where there are Lower (L) and Upper (U) versions of a descriptor, select the one appropriate to the

learner’s age. • A learner is working at a given stage when they begin to achieve descriptors at that stage and have



Listening and Talking STAGE 1: NEW TO ENGLISH M/Y 1 Watches others and joins in activities and routines 2 Follows simple routine instructions 3 Echoes words and phrases modelled by other pupils and adults 4 Participates in very basic, short, formulaic spoken exchanges (e.g. Good morning, How

are you?) and may respond non-verbally (e.g. with a gesture or smile)

5 Understands and names some familiar classroom/everyday objects 6 Expresses need using gesture/1-2 words/home language 7 Shows understanding of simple information, given with visual support and gesture 8 Beginning to communicate meaning using known vocabulary in single words/short

phrases

9 Responds to yes/no and either/or questions

Listening and Talking STAGE 2: EARLY ACQUISITION M/Y 1 Beginning to interact in group activities 2 Follows a short sequence of instructions 3 Beginning to use a wider range of basic vocabulary and some mature and subject-

specific vocabulary

4 Requests support when needed and asks simple questions to aid understanding and participation

5 Shows some understanding of curriculum topics, presented with visual/contextual support and rephrasing

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6 Communicates meaning using basic vocabulary in simple phrases and sentences, though with some inaccuracies

7 Beginning to use plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions, though with some inaccuracies

8 Uses present simple tense appropriately, (he/she, it – s, e.g. I dance but he dances) although with some inaccuracies

9 Beginning to use past simple tense regular verbs (e.g. I played, I listened) and common irregular verbs ( e.g. I went, I did, I had, I got) appropriately although with some inaccuracies

10 Responds verbally to closed and simple open questions

Listening and Talking STAGE 3: DEVELOPING COMPETENCE M/Y 1 Beginning to contribute to whole class discussion e.g. giving group feedback, sharing

opinions, etc.

2 Understands and uses a wide range of basic vocabulary and an increasing range of mature and subject-specific vocabulary

3 Shows understanding of the detail of curriculum topics, with visual/contextual support and repetition

4 Communicates meaning using some extended/more complex sentences with increasing accuracy

5 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions with increasing accuracy 6 Uses present simple and continuous tenses appropriately and accurately (he/she, it – s,

e.g. I dance but he dances; we are dancing)

7 Uses past simple regular verb forms and a wider range of irregular forms (e.g. I played, they caught, you bought), with increasing consistency and accuracy

8 Beginning to use a wider range of tenses: past continuous, future and conditional (e.g. I was playing, I will go, I would like)

9 Beginning to use structures to express higher order thinking: express prediction, probability and hypothesis (might, may, could, would be)

10 Responds appropriately to a variety of questions

Listening and Talking STAGE 4: COMPETENT M/Y 1 Contributes to whole class discussion, e.g. giving group feedback, sharing opinions, etc. 2 Understands and uses a wide range of basic, mature (including less common words)

and subject specific vocabulary

3 Shows understanding of the detail of curriculum topics, with reduced visual/contextual support, by answering a variety of questions

4 Speaks at length and with accuracy on curriculum and social topics, e.g. debating, presenting, evaluating, summarising, etc.

5 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions accurately 6 Uses all regular and most irregular past simple tense forms accurately and consistently

(e.g. I played, they caught, they taught)

7 Uses other tenses (e.g. past continuous, future and conditional, I was playing, I will go, I would like) appropriately and mostly accurately

8 Uses structures to express higher order thinking: prediction, probability and hypothesis (might, may, could, would be) accurately

9 Communicates meaning, including more complex ideas and concepts, using extended/more complex sentences, with accuracy

Listening and Talking STAGE 5: FLUENT M/Y 1 Speaks confidently, fluently and accurately on a variety of topics, both informal and

academic with no more non-standard features than a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability



26

Reading

Reading STAGE 1: NEW TO ENGLISH M/Y 1 Recognises own name (Eng/L1)

L Knows some 2 letter sounds L 2 U Knows most English letter names and sounds U L Starting to accurately correspond letter shapes (initial sounds) with sounds L 3 U Can accurately correspond letter shapes (initial sounds) with sounds U

4 Starting to decode simple words (e.g. CVCs) 5 Recognises high frequency common words 6 Handles English language books with correct directionality (front cover, left to right, top to

bottom) if new alphabet/script

7 Starting to engage with and gain meaning from short familiar texts using: contextual information (e.g. pictures, illustrations); prior knowledge; dual language dictionary (age-appropriate)

8 Starting to read and understand a range of basic vocabulary (age-appropriate) 9 Starting to recognise some subject-specific vocabulary using: contextual information

(e.g. pictures, illustrations); recent experiences/prior learning; dual language dictionary (age-appropriate)

Reading STAGE 2: EARLY ACQUISITION M/Y L Knows all letter sounds L 1 U Knows all letter names U Starting to decode longer words (e.g. words with consonant blends/vowel digraphs) L 2 U Can decode longer words (e.g. words with consonant blends/vowel digraphs) U

3 Reads high frequency common words with some accuracy 4 Starting to read and follow simple written instructions 5 Shows some understanding of a variety of short fiction and non-fiction texts using:

contextual information (e.g. pictures, illustrations); recent experiences/prior learning; dual language dictionary (age-appropriate)

6 Reads and understands a range of basic and some mature vocabulary (age-appropriate)

7 Reads and understands some subject-specific vocabulary using: contextual information (e.g. pictures, illustrations, diagrams); prior learning; dual language dictionary (age-appropriate)

8 Starting to demonstrate an understanding of the functions of basic punctuation (e.g. capitalisation, full stop, question mark)

L Starting to show understanding of the function of connectives (and, but) and pronouns (he, she, it)

L 9

U Shows understanding of the function of connectives and pronouns U Reading STAGE 3: DEVELOPING COMPETENCE M/Y 1 L Knows letter names and sounds L 2 Reads familiar age-appropriate texts fluently, accurately and with understanding 3 Reads high frequency common words accurately, with understanding 4 Shows understanding of a variety of short fiction and non-fiction texts with the support

of: contextual information (visuals); prior learning; dual language dictionary (age-appropriate)

5 Reads and understands a wider range of basic and mature vocabulary (age-appropriate)

6 Shows understanding of most subject-specific vocabulary using: contextual information (e.g. pictures, illustrations); prior learning; dual language dictionary (age-appropriate)

7 U Shows understanding of the functions of a wider range of punctuation (e.g. speech marks, parentheses)

U

8 Beginning to make simple inferences and draw conclusions when reading


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9 Can identify and use a range of cohesive markers to establish the meaning in text (e.g. connectives, pronouns)

10 L Reads and follows simple written instructions L Reading STAGE 4: COMPETENT M/Y 1 Reads unfamiliar age-appropriate texts fluently and accurately, with understanding 2 Shows understanding of most of the detail of a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts

(age-appropriate) without visual support/explanation

3 Shows understanding of most age-appropriate mature vocabulary and most taught subject specific vocabulary

L Makes simple inferences and draws conclusions when reading L 4 U Makes inferences and draws conclusions independently when reading U

5 Understands a wide range of cohesive markers e.g. pronouns, connectives (age-appropriate)

Reading STAGE 5: FLUENT M/Y 1 Reads, understands, selects, interprets and responds appropriately to a range of fiction

and non-fiction, age-appropriate texts with no more errors or difficulties than a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability.

Writing

Writing STAGE 1: NEW TO ENGLISH M/Y 1 Can write own name 2 Beginning to form letters and copy words 3 Consistently writes from left to right (if new alphabet/script) 4 Copies text reasonably accurately (if new alphabet/script) 5 Writes letters accurately when sounds are given orally 6 Writes some high frequency common words with some accuracy 7 Writes short, simple sentences with support Writing STAGE 2: EARLY ACQUISITION M/Y 1 Copies text accurately (if new alphabet/script) 2 Writes simple familiar words (e.g. hat, sun) using phonic knowledge with some

inaccuracies

3 Writes some high frequency common words accurately (age-appropriate) 4 Writes short, simple sentences without adult support, though with some inaccuracies 5 Beginning to use basic vocabulary and some taught subject-specific vocabulary

L or new alphabet/script Beginning to use basic punctuation (capital letter, full stop) L 6 U Uses basic punctuation (capital letter, full stop) U L Beginning to use basic connectives (e.g. and, but) to build 7 longer sentences L 7 U Uses basic connectives (e.g. and, but) to build longer sentences U

8 Beginning to use plurals, articles, pronouns, prepositions, though with some omissions and inaccuracies

9 Beginning to use present simple tense appropriately (uses third person –s inconsistently) 10 Beginning to use past simple tense regular forms (e.g. I played, I listened) and common

irregular forms (I went, I saw)

11 Beginning to monitor own writing for spelling and omissions, with support

Writing STAGE 3: DEVELOPING COMPETENCE M/Y 1 Copies text accurately and at a steady age-appropriate pace (if new alphabet/script) 2 Writes familiar words using phonic knowledge independently with accuracy 3 Writes unfamiliar words using phonic knowledge, with increasing accuracy 4 Writes most high frequency common words accurately (age-appropriate)


28

L Writes a paragraph of at least 2-3 sentences with contextual/visual support/frames/models

L 5

U Writes a longer paragraph with contextual/visual support/frames/models U 6 Uses a wider range of basic vocabulary and some mature and taught subject-specific

vocabulary

L Uses basic punctuation regularly and appropriately (e.g. capital letters, full stop) 7 U Uses a range of punctuation regularly and accurately (e.g. capital letters, full stop, comma, question mark, exclamation mark)

L Beginning to use a wider range of connectives and structures to write longer and more complex sentences

L 8

U Uses a wider range of connectives and structures to write longer and more complex sentences

U

9 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns, prepositions with increasing accuracy 10 Uses present simple and continuous tenses appropriately and accurately (third person –s

– I dance, he is dancing)

11 Uses past simple regular verb forms (e.g. I played, he walked) and a wider range of irregular forms (e.g. they caught, you bought) with increasing consistency and accuracy

12 Beginning to use some other tenses (past continuous, present perfect/past perfect, conditional) though with some inaccuracies

13 Monitors own writing for spelling, omissions and grammar with support

Writing STAGE 4: COMPETENT M/Y 1 Writes with accuracy and at length for different purposes using features of different text

types e.g. lists, labels, letters (age-appropriate)

L Writes stories/accounts/reports of at least a short paragraph independently L 2 U Writes stories/accounts/reports of at least 2 paragraphs independently U

3 Uses a wider range of mature and subject-specific vocabulary (age-appropriate) 4 Uses a wider range of punctuation more accurately (age-appropriate) 5 Uses a wide range of structures to write longer and more complex sentences 6 Uses all regular and most irregular past simple tense forms accurately and consistently

(e.g. I played, she caught, they taught)

7 Uses other tenses (e.g. past continuous, present/past perfect, conditional) mostly appropriately and with increasing accuracy

8 Uses structures to express higher order thinking (e.g. prediction, probability, hypothesis) appropriately and accurately (age-appropriate)

9 U Independently monitors own writing for spelling, omissions and grammar U Writing STAGE 5: FLUENT M/Y 1 Copes confidently and competently with the writing demands of all areas of the

curriculum with no more errors or difficulties than a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability

2 Demonstrates age-appropriate control of language (vocabulary, structures, punctuation) to produce a variety of text types (age-appropriate)



EAL Profile of Competence Secondary


Name:

Date of Birth:


Languages spoken: Literate in:

Profiles should be updated twice a year.

P7 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 Listening &Talking

Reading

Writing


• Enter the month (M) & year (Y) achieved in the right hand column. If not achieved, leave blank. • A learner is working at a given stage when they begin to achieve descriptors at that stage and have



Listening and Talking STAGE 1: NEW TO ENGLISH M/Y 1 Watches others and joins in activities and routines 2 Follows simple routine instructions 3 Beginning to echo words and phrases modelled by other pupils and adults 4 Can participates in very basic, short, formulaic spoken exchanges (e.g. Good morning,

How are you?) and may respond non-verbally (e.g. with a gesture or smile)

5 Understands and names some familiar classroom/everyday objects 6 Expresses need using gesture/1-2 words/home language 7 Shows understanding of simple information by responding yes/no, either/or questions,

with visual support and gesture

8 Beginning to give information on familiar topics (e.g. self/home) using basic vocabulary, single words and short phrases

Listening and Talking STAGE 2: EARLY ACQUISITION M/Y 1 Beginning to interact in group activities 2 Can follow a short sequence of instructions relating to familiar classroom procedures 3 Shows understanding and is beginning to use a wider range of basic and some mature

and subject-specific vocabulary.

4 Requests support when needed and asks simple questions to aid understanding and participation

5 Shows understanding of some details of teacher’s oral presentation, with visual support and rephrasing

6 Communicates meaning using basic vocabulary, simple phrases and sentences, though with some inaccuracies

7 Uses present simple tense appropriately, with some inaccuracies (e.g. he/she/it –s, e.g. I dance, but he dances)

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8 Beginning to use past simple tense regular verbs (e.g. I played, I listened) and common irregular verbs (e.g. I went, I did, I had, I got) appropriately

9 Beginning to use some grammatical features though with some inaccuracies (plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions)

10 Responds verbally to closed and simple open questions.

Listening and Talking STAGE 3: DEVELOPING COMPETENCE M/Y 1 Communicates meaning using a wider range of vocabulary and structures with

increasing accuracy to express complex ideas and concepts

2 Engages in informal everyday conversations 3 Beginning to contribute to whole class discussion 4 Understands and uses a wide range of basic vocabulary and an increasing range of

mature and subject-specific vocabulary

5 Shows understanding of most of the detail of a teacher’s oral presentation including abstract concepts, with some visual support and repetition

6 Shows understanding by responding appropriately to a variety of questions 7 Communicates meaning using extended/more complex sentences and vocabulary, with

increasing accuracy

8 Uses present simple tense appropriately and accurately (e.g. he/she/it –s, e.g. I dance but he dances)

9 Uses past simple tense regular forms (e.g. I played, I listened) and irregular forms (e.g. I bought, I caught) appropriately

10 Beginning to use a wider range of tenses (e.g. future, conditional, present and past continuous)

11 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns and prepositions with increasing accuracy

Listening and Talking STAGE 4: COMPETENT M/Y 1 Contributes to whole class discussion 2 Uses a wide range of mature vocabulary, including less common words, and subject-

specific vocabulary

3 Shows understanding of the detail of a teacher’s oral presentation, including abstract concepts

4 Shows understanding of the detail of a complex topic by responding to a variety of questions

5 Communicates meaning, including more complex ideas and concepts, using a wide range of mature vocabulary and extended more complex sentences, with accuracy

6 Speaks at length and with accuracy on curriculum topics, e.g. presentations, feedback, debates

7 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns, prepositions accurately 8 Uses past simple tense regular and irregular forms appropriately and accurately 9 Uses other tenses (e.g. conditional, future, present and past continuous) with some

accuracy

10 Uses structures to express prediction, probability and to hypothesise (e.g. might/may/could/would be)

Listening and Talking STAGE 5: FLUENT M/Y 1 Speaks fluently and accurately on a variety of topics, both informal and academic with no

more non-standard features than a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability



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Reading

Reading STAGE 1: NEW TO ENGLISH M/Y 1 Knows most English letter names and sounds 2 Understands class signs and labels in context 3 Beginning to decode text but with limited understanding 4 Beginning to read and understand simple text with some familiar vocabulary, with clear

context and visual support

5 Understands the gist of curriculum texts with clear context, visual support (pictures, diagrams etc.) and use of a dictionary or key word glossary

6 Understands a range of basic vocabulary and beginning to recognise some subject-specific vocabulary

Reading STAGE 2: EARLY ACQUISITION M/Y 1 Knows all letter names and most sounds 2 Decodes text with some accuracy and understanding 3 Reads and understands some information in curriculum texts, with clear context and

visual support

4 Understands a range of basic vocabulary, some mature vocabulary and an increasing range of subject-specific vocabulary

5 Beginning to use contextual clues to establish meaning of unfamiliar words 6 Understands function of basic punctuation (full stop, comma, question mark, exclamation

mark, speech marks)

7 Beginning to identify common cohesive markers e.g. connectives (firstly, then, finally) and pronoun referents

8 Shows awareness of different text types 9 Beginning to use texts for research purposes with guidance and collaboration with

supportive peers

Reading STAGE 3: DEVELOPING COMPETENCE M/Y 1 Knows all letter names and all sounds 2 Decodes accurately and with understanding 3 Understands most of the detail of curriculum texts, with some support/explanation 4 Understands a wider range of mature vocabulary and subject-specific vocabulary 5 Uses contextual clues to establish the meaning of unfamiliar words 6 Understands function of a range of punctuation, including colon, semi-colon and dash 7 Makes some inferences and draws conclusions independently 8 Understands a range of cohesive markers (although, however, whilst) and can identify

some pronoun referents

9 Can identify some of the language features of different text types 10 Beginning to use text independently for some research purposes

Reading STAGE 4: COMPETENT M/Y 1 Reads unfamiliar texts fluently and accurately 2 Understands much of the detail of complex curriculum texts without visual support or

explanation

3 Understands most mature vocabulary, including less common words, and most taught subject-specific vocabulary

4 Makes most inferences independently 5 Understands most cohesive markers (nevertheless, despite, on the other hand) and

can identify most pronoun referents

6 Can identify the language features of most text types 7 Uses texts independently for most research purposes with reference to index and

glossary


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Reading STAGE 5: FLUENT M/Y 1 Reads (decodes), understands and responds appropriately to a range of age-

appropriate texts with no more errors or difficulties than a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability. Growing cultural awareness allows understanding of cultural references in texts.

Writing

Writing STAGE 1: NEW TO ENGLISH M/Y 1 Beginning to form letters and copy words (if early literacy or new alphabet/script) 2 Consistently writes from left to right (if early literacy or new alphabet/script) 3 Copies text reasonably neatly and accurately (if early literacy or new alphabet/script) 4 Writes words when spellings are given orally 5 Writes short, simple sentences with support using basic punctuation (capital letter, full

stop)

6 Writes short phrases without support 7 Uses basic vocabulary and beginning to use taught subject-specific vocabulary Writing STAGE 2: EARLY ACQUISITION M/Y 1 Writes familiar words using phonic knowledge, with some inaccuracies 2 Writes short, simple sentences with limited but correct sentence structure, with some

inaccuracies (e.g. omission, word order)

3 Uses basic punctuation (capital letter, full stop, comma, question & exclamation mark, speech marks) independently

4 Uses basic vocabulary, some mature and subject-specific vocabulary 5 Writes a short paragraph with support 6 Uses present simple tense appropriately (he/she/it –s, e.g. I dance but he dances) with

some inaccuracies

7 Beginning to use past simple tense regular verbs (e.g. I played, I listened) and common irregular verbs (e.g. I went, I did, I had, I got)

8 Uses basic connectives (e.g. and, but) to build longer sentences 9 Beginning to use plurals, articles, pronouns, prepositions, though with some omission

and inaccuracies

10 Beginning to monitor own writing for spelling and omissions with support

Writing STAGE 3: DEVELOPING COMPETENCE M/Y 1 Writes unfamiliar words using phonic knowledge, with increasing accuracy 2 Writes a longer text with paragraphing, supported by prompts/frames/ models 3 Uses a range of punctuation including colon, semi-colon, dash 4 Uses a wider range of mature vocabulary and taught subject-specific vocabulary 5 Uses a range of structures to write longer, more complex sentences 6 Uses present simple tense appropriately and accurately (e.g. he/she/it –s, e.g. I dance

but he dances)

7 Uses past simple tense (regular and irregular forms) appropriately and accurately (e.g. played, listened and caught, bought)

8 Beginning to use a wider range of tenses (e.g. future, conditional, present and past continuous)

9 Uses plurals, articles, pronouns, prepositions with increasing accuracy 10 Monitors own writing for spelling, grammar and omissions with support

Writing STAGE 4: COMPETENT M/Y 1 Writes with accuracy and at length using language features appropriate to the text type 2 Texts have logical overall structure and paragraphing 3 Uses a wide range of mature vocabulary including less common words and subject-

specific vocabulary


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4 Uses a wide range of structures to write longer and more complex sentences 5 Moves between simple tenses appropriately 6 Uses other tenses (present/past continuous, present/past perfect, conditional) mostly

appropriately and with increasing accuracy

7 Uses a range of punctuation appropriately and effectively 8 Independently monitors own writing for spelling, grammar and omissions Writing STAGE 5: FLUENT M/Y 1 Copes competently with the writing demands of all areas of the curriculum with no more

errors or difficulties than a monolingual speaker of English of similar age and ability. Demonstrates age-appropriate control of language (vocabulary, structures and punctuation) to produce a variety of text types



EAL Profile of Competence – Guidance and Glossary

Based on work of City of Edinburgh EAL Service1* – on Education Scotland web site Sept 2012: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/e/genericresource_tcm4545206.asp

GUIDANCE FOR USING THE EAL PROFILE OF COMPETENCY

QI 3.5 Assessment as part of teaching

‘The school has robust procedures in place for monitoring the English language development of bilingual learners, for example a language profile tracking progress in key aspects of English (reading, writing, talking and listening), assessment of the pupil’s stage of English language acquisition.’

Inclusion and Equality Part 4: Evaluating educational provision for bilingual learners, HMIE 2006 (p.17)

See also QI 5.3 Meeting Learning Needs and QI 5.4 Assessment for Learning How Good is our School? The Journey to Excellence: Part 3, HMIE 2007

What is the EAL Profile of Competence?

The EAL Profile of Competence is a set of descriptors of significant steps in the acquisition of English in the 3 skill areas, namely Listening & Talking, Reading, Writing. (Whilst these skill areas mirror the 3 lines of development for Literacy across Learning, the focus here is on the development of English language rather than a set of literacy skills.) The Profile enables class, subject and support teachers to assess the receptive and expressive English language skills of bilingual pupils and provides a framework for:

• monitoring and tracking the English language development of bilingual learners

• identifying areas for development and planning support

• assigning a stage of English language acquisition (scotXed Level of English 1-5) (see below)

Timescale for progression and factors affecting language development

Research shows that progression from Stage 1 (New to English) to Stage 5 (Fluent – in social and academic English) can take from 5 to 10 years. The rate of progression is dependent on a range of factors including pupil motivation, age, level of competence in first (and other) languages, previous educational experience, general cognitive ability, personality and home educational values and support. In addition, progress is dependent on the school ethos, the knowledge and expertise of the staff in relation to the use of effective strategies of support and the maintenance of high expectations of pupil progress. Progress is also influenced by the pupil’s entry point to the Scottish school system.

As an approximate guide, a bilingual pupil who has no other additional support needs (emotional, social or learning) may take approximately 6 - 18 months to pass through Stage 1, 6 – 18 months to pass through Stage 2, 2 – 3+ years to pass through Stage 3, and similarly 2 - 3+ years for Stage 4. It is common for a newly arrived pupil to pass through a ‘silent period’, which may last for 6+ months.

1 City of Edinburgh EAL Service based their EAL Profiles of Competence and assessment process on original work carried out by EAL teams in the English Language Service, London Borough of Newham 1996-1999 and the Language Development Service Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea 1999-2001.

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If a pupil is making unusually slow progress, this may be an indication that the pupil has another additional support need and further holistic assessment may be necessary in order to identify the nature of the need and appropriate support. Please seek advice from the EAL team at ASN Outreach : [email protected] .

Transition

The Profile of Competence should form part of the pupil’s record and move with them as they progress through their education. It is a key document for transition.

Setting up an EAL Profile of Competence

Profiles should be set up and updated in collaboration with an EAL teacher. This can be scheduled into the school’s ASL planning processes. Achievement of a descriptor should be based on evidence from formative and summative assessment.

• Photocopy or create an electronic copy of the Profile document for each learner. • Enter the pupil information at the top of each sheet. • Enter the date in the right-hand column when a descriptor has been achieved. If not achieved, leave

blank. • Update the tracking grid twice a year (recommended).

Assigning a Level/Stage of English as an Additional Language

A single level/stage is required for the EAL Service database, SEEMIS and scotXed. It is important that this information is accurate. As individual learners are likely to show characteristics of more than one stage at one time across the three skill areas (L&T, R, W), a judgment is usually needed as to which level/stage best describes a learner’s language development. Where there is doubt schools should consult with their EAL teacher [email protected] .




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EAL PROFILE OF COMPETENCE - GLOSSARY

article: the, a/an

cohesive marker:

a word or phrase which helps the sentence or text ‘hang together’, eg. Sequential markers (firstly, then, lastly etc.); marker indicating contrast (however, on the other hand etc.); marker indicating support (moreover, furthermore etc). Pronouns are also cohesive markers as they refer to nouns within the sentence or in a previous sentence.

connective: a word which is used to join pairs of nouns/adjectives/adverbs/verbs/phrases/clauses e.g. and, but, both …and …, or, however, although, unless, because

Context: 1. background information which can help to make sense of new learning. (eg. learning about evacuation makes sense when the context of WWII has been clearly established.)

2. the words/sentences around a word/phrase in a text which can help to establish meaning

contextual information:

see 1 above. This context can be established through visuals (objects, pictures, illustrations, diagrams), recent experience (eg. class visit to the beach as an introduction to the topic of ‘the sea’), activating prior learning.

decodes: reads a word (aloud) using phonic knowledge (knowledge of sound-symbol correspondence)

identifies: selects a word from those presented or within a sentence

inference: secondary meaning which can be understood without being expressed. eg. They buttoned up their coats, pulled their woolly hats over their ears and stepped out into the blizzard. It was winter time and very cold.

preposition: normally placed before a noun or pronoun; can express time (at, on, by, before, in, from, since, for, during, until, after); travel and movement (from, to, at, in, by, out etc.); position (on, under, above, below, between etc.)

pronoun: a word that stands in place of a noun e.g. I/me/my/mine, we/us/our/ours, they/them/their/theirs

questions (graded)

yes/no: e.g. Does Stirling have a castle? Is it hot today?

either/or: e.g. What’s this: a pen or a pencil? What’s the weather like today: hot or cold?

closed: e.g. When was Mary Queen of Scots born? What is the chemical symbol for water?

simple open: e.g. How do you make a pot of tea?

open: e.g. What is the role of the United Nations? How are earthquakes caused?

understands / shows understanding:

How do we know that the learner understands? Check comprehension/understanding by asking appropriately graded questions (see ‘questions’)

visual support: objects, pictures, illustrations, diagrams. Also facial expression, gesture, mime. Essential for supporting comprehension.


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vocabulary:

basic: everyday, common words (e.g. box, sun, red, need, make, a lot)

mature: some mature words are used less frequently; some are more abstract. (e.g. cube, sphere, vermillion, require, create, an abundance). Often a basic word will have a ‘mature’ equivalent. If this is the case, the learner of EAL will usually acquire the basic word first.

subject-specific: often technical words which are only used in specific subject areas (e.g. species, photosynthesis, cytoplasm, morain, fartlek (training))

text type: eg. list, letter, scientific report, newspaper article, discursive essay, poem, song lyrics

Appendix 5: Additional Enrolment Information for EAL Pupils

Stirling Council Education

ASN Outreach Service

Additional Enrolment Information for EAL Pupils School:

Pupil name:

DOB:

Date of Enrolment:

Arrival Date in UK:

Place of birth:

Home language:

Previous schools attended both in the UK and abroad (with dates): Details of any extended absences: Name/address of parents/carers:

Is an interpreter required for meetings? Which language(s)?

Does pupil live with parents or carers? School correspondence should be sent to:

Name and age of siblings: Language(s) spoken at home by pupil: Language(s) used by family members to child: Can child speak/ understand (aurally)/read /write in English, in Home language or another language? Give details) English

Speak: understand (aurally)

Read:

Write:

Home language(name) Speak:

understand (aurally) Read: Write:

Other language(s) (name)

Speak:

understand (aurally) Read:

Write:

Festivals observed and arrangements required: Religion: Particular dietary requirements: Details of any school/class child attends in the community (address and contact person: Home language class

Community School:

Religious class:

Mosque/Other

Other information:

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Guidance on Introductory Meeting for Parents with EAL

When new families arrive to enrol children in school there is generally a sharing of information between parents and school. If it is known that parents have a limited knowledge of English and have different cultural experiences of education, it is essential to request the presence of an interpreter at an initial meeting in order to ease transition and ensure shared information is accurate and ultimately useful for all concerned. Information to share at initial meeting would include: Parents to School:

• Clarification of names, which name the child prefers to be known by and pronunciations. • Age of pupil (occasionally inaccurate ages are given when parents feel it may be

beneficial for children to enrol in younger stage).

• Medical requirements if any.

• Languages spoken at home.

• Ability of pupil in home language(s) – is child fluent and articulate?

• Previous educational history – schools attended and languages of learning.

• Ability and particular subject preferences – How did the pupil perform in school(s) in mother tongue? (Reading, writing, maths etc. Average; Above average; Below Average?).

• Experiences of English – has the pupil learned any English? If so, where and for how

long?

• Have there been any developmental/academic concerns expressed about pupil?

• Has the pupil required/received any additional support? If so, what form did support take and from whom?

• Is pupil outgoing/shy/sociable?

• Does pupil have any particular interests, hobbies, talents?

• Does family/pupil have friends in school?

• Does family have any suggestions to help pupil settle in school? (Optional)

• Would family be interested in sharing cultural experiences in school? (Optional)

• Does the pupil attend any additional classes (e.g. Mosque school, English classes etc)


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School to Parents:

• Name of school and telephone number. • Name of Headteacher, Class teacher, Administrator and any key staff who will be

working with pupil regularly- with photographs if possible. • School hours – also delivery of child to and from school.

• Lunchtime routines – dinners (content and cost), packed lunch option.

• Break – snack, play.

• Attendance – not optional, procedures for non-attenders.

• Class routines – subjects taught.

• School uniform.

• PE – days and requirements.

• Assemblies.

• RE – inclusion of all encouraged.

• Any other information required by parents.

In order to help parents remember all information, interpreter should write notes in first language.



Lesson Planning for EAL pupils

This planning grid is an example of good practice and is designed to be shared with pupils, ideally in advance, so they can research the lesson content in their own language before the class. You should feel free to adapt the content to suit your own subject area. We would welcome examples of your planning grids so these can be shared with other staff – please email to [email protected]. Subject: Topic: Lesson: Key Vocabulary: Key Points: - - - Task:

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