EAL Policy

(English as an additional language)

Policy details

• Date created - 01/06/2024
• Next review date - 01/09/2025
• Policy owner - Elizabeth Clewlow

Statement of Intent

In this policy, the term ‘English as an Additional Language’ (EAL) refers to students whose main language at home is a language other than English. Students with EAL will face various challenges throughout their academic life. Their aptitude for English will vary, but many will encounter barriers to learning, accessing the curriculum, and reaching their full potential. Students with EAL must learn in and through another language. Additionally, they may come from different cultural backgrounds to their peers and face different expectations of language, education, and learning. Research suggests that those new to English will acquire conversational fluency within two years, but will need five years or longer to achieve competence in academic English.

This policy has been established to ensure all students with EAL at Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams are given the best chance possible to reach their full potential.

Aims

We aim to:

• Welcome the cultural, linguistic, and educational experiences students with EAL contribute to the school.
• Ensure strategies are in place to support students with EAL.
• Enable students with EAL to become confident and acquire the language skills needed to reach their full academic potential.

Strategic Objectives

Our strategic objectives are to:

• Provide a welcoming atmosphere for newly arrived students with EAL.
• Assess the skills and needs of students with EAL.
• Gather accurate information regarding children’s backgrounds, cultures, and abilities.
• Equip teachers and support staff with the necessary skills, resources, and knowledge to support students with EAL.
• Use all available resources to raise the attainment of students with EAL.
• Systematically monitor students’ progress and adapt policies and procedures accordingly.
• Maximise opportunities to model the fluent use of English.

• Ensure students with EAL are acknowledged for their skills in their own languages.

Teacher Responsible for Students with EAL

The teacher responsible for students with EAL is Mrs L. Pheasey. Her responsibilities include:

• Coordinating the efficient timetabling of students with EAL.
• Overseeing the assessment and targeting of children with EAL.
• Ensuring the procurement and appropriate use of resources to support students with EAL.
• Aiding staff in effective communication with parents and finding translators where appropriate.
• Exploring various possibilities to ensure important information is shared with parents.
• The induction of newly arrived students.
• Conducting initial assessments of students with EAL.
• Teaching small groups of students with EAL.
• Providing classroom support.
• Liaising with teaching staff.
• Advising on strategies to support and include students with EAL.
• Providing advice regarding inclusive curriculum materials.
• Advising on ways to differentiate work for students with EAL.
• Encouraging and supporting students to maintain and develop their first language.
• Facilitating students’ use of first language national examinations.
• Developing relationships between the school and parents of students with EAL.
• Securing and providing training to ensure staff development, including INSET courses.
• Acting as consultants to staff on language-related issues.
• Acting as consultants to staff on equal opportunity and race equality issues.

Role of School Staff Members

All staff members have a responsibility to ensure the development of students with EAL. They will meet this responsibility by:

• Ensuring all written work includes the technical requirements of language as well as the meaning.
• Providing a good model of spoken English.
• Where possible, using a variety of types of text to explore their subject and through the varied use of English.
• Ensuring the inclusion of students with EAL in their classrooms.
• Identifying students with EAL who are experiencing difficulties and ensuring intervening measures are taken to aid the student.

Support

Where a student with EAL is assessed as having little to no English, support will be provided in the form of induction classes. These classes focus on practical, everyday English. The induction period typically lasts six weeks but may vary depending on students’ progress.

In-class support and small group work is utilised as soon as the student can be successfully integrated into the classroom environment. The student will still spend time with their intervention teacher on a daily basis.

Inclusion

The school utilises a strategy of inclusion and the positive and effective use of language. The strategy includes the following principles:

• There is an understanding throughout the school, for both staff and students, that a limited knowledge of English does not reflect a lack of ability or knowledge. Appreciating a student’s ability to speak their own first language is essential for building their confidence and self-esteem.
• The language development of students is the responsibility of the entire school community.
• Mainstream and support departments will work together to ensure optimal outcomes are achieved.
• Diversity will be valued and classrooms will be socially inclusive.
• Teachers will be knowledgeable about students’ abilities in English and use their knowledge to inform lesson planning.
  

Initial Assessments

The school will undertake a timely initial assessment to gauge students’ English abilities in an informal manner that does not make the student feel isolated or inferior.

The assessment will be carried out by a teacher with EAL experience using the British Picture Vocabulary Test.

Completed assessments are held on the student’s profile and an initial report is written to demonstrate need.

Teachers of the student will be allowed access to the assessment to inform their teaching and lesson planning.

The student and the parents of the student may view the assessment at any time.

Classroom Practice

Teachers have high expectations of all students, regardless of gender, ethnicity, social background, or English ability.

Classroom activities will be matched to students’ needs and abilities.

Teachers will consider common misconceptions and language barriers,and clarify meanings accordingly.

Where possible, the following practices will be utilised to improve students’ literacy:

• Utilisation of the student’s first language expertise.
• The provision of writing frames.
• The use of props.

Language skills will be developed through:

• Collaborative activities involving spoken communication.
• Feedback opportunities and conversations.
• Good models provided by peers.
• Grouping students to develop language skills.
• ‘Assessment methods will allow students to show what they can do in all curriculum areas.
• Bilingual dictionaries are available to aid students with EAL.
• Visual supports are used where possible.

Prior to any one-to-one support, the student is informed of the purpose of the session and the objectives.

Access to the Curriculum 

The needs of students with EAL are considered by teachers when planning lessons. When planning lessons, teachers will ensure that:

• The language and learning demands of the curriculum are analysed and support is provided.
• Visual support is utilised to provide greater understanding of key concepts.
• There are opportunities for students to use their first language in the classroom.
• The support requirements of students with EAL are identified and the support is made available.
• Staff training will be delivered annually to support delivery of the curriculum to EAL students.

Working with Parents and Carers

Liaison with parents is vital to the creation of a strong home/school partnership, which can ensure the development of students with EAL. To aid this partnership, the school will:

• Actively seek to put parents at ease by providing a welcoming environment conducive to productive discussions.
• Provide interpreters for meetings when needed.
• Ensure the language used in letters to parents is clear and straightforward.
• Where appropriate, have teachers read through the letter with children before sending the letter home, to ensure the message is clear.
• Where necessary, ensure translations of school documents are carried out and provided to parents of students with EAL.
• Encourage parents to attend parents’ evenings and participate in school functions.
• Invite parents to school to help with class activities, such as cooking, reading, and class outings, where appropriate.
• Encourage parents to become involved with homework through shared reading schemes and language-based homework.
• Plan activities in a way that ensures they do not clash with religious/community commitments.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

A child is not regarded to have SEN solely because their home language is different from the language in which they are taught at school.

A proportion of students with EAL may have one or more types of SEN and it is imperative that this is identified at an early stage.

Assessments of SEN of students with EAL will involve EAL specialists along with SEN specialists.

Where appropriate, the school will arrange an assessment in the child’s first language.

SEN support will be decided on an individual basis in the manner outlined within the school’s SEND Policy.

The school will ensure that the parents or carers of a student with SEN are not prevented from presenting their views throughout the process and are clearly informed at every stage.

Monitoring Progress

The monitoring of students’ progress is shared between all teachers, both mainstream and EAL support.

Individual student profiles are updated following assessments and reviewed on a termly basis to identify and address problems.

Students are also encouraged to set their own targets and objectives to bolster self-esteem and increase accountability.

Policy Review

This policy is reviewed every two years by the teacher responsible for EAL students and the headteacher.

The scheduled review date for this policy is September 2025.