English as an Additional Language Primary Professional Development Service

Overview of day 1 first and second language acquisition role of the language support teacher English language proficiency benchmarks assessment case studies speaking and listening activities Primary Professional Development Service

Key messages The childs culture and first language should be respected at home and in school. Assessment is most useful when it informs teaching and learning. Listening, speaking, reading and writing should be taught in an integrated manner. Primary Professional Development Service

Language acquisition and learning In the classroom context language and learning are inextricably linked. First Steps Oral Language Resource Book, First Steps PD, p 199 Primary Professional Development Service

First language acquisition Why? urge to communicate and interact When? age language exposure need to communicate How? words combine to make phrases combine to make sentences Primary Professional Development Service

Stages of first language acquisition Cooing Addition of morphemes First words Complex constructions Transformations Babbling One-word utterances Primary Professional Development Service

Second language acquisition Why? need to communicate and interact When? age of learner later - more intentional and conscious less time available How? not part of learners primary cognitive development (unless very young) develops in stages transfer of grammatical properties and skills from first language Primary Professional Development Service

Een appel is rood, den zon is geel den hemel is blauw een blad is groen een wolk is wit… en de aarde is bruin Welke kleur de liefde ? Primary Professional Development Service

Common underlying proficiency Surface features of L1Surface features of L2 Cummins 1980 Primary Professional Development Service

Second language acquisition: <7 years may experience silent phase Primary Professional Development Service

Silent Phase most learners begin their acquisition with this phase in which they speak very little if at all engage in private speech/self talk – important survival phrases and language chunks can last up to one year language is acquired subconsciously and informally. Primary Professional Development Service

Second language acquisition: <7 years may experience silent phase similar development to first language acquisition performance gap to others is minimal will develop grammar independently as the language improves may not have reading or writing skills in their first language. Primary Professional Development Service

Second language acquisition: > 7 may experience silent phase and may use code- switching may have some interference from language transfer may have reading and writing skills in their first language are developing higher-order thinking skills need to develop capacity to think in English (inner-speech). Primary Professional Development Service

Importance of first language It is important that children experience a good model of language at home to aid cognitive development Use of the first language should be encouraged at home and in school. Primary Professional Development Service

Language proficiency Social/Conversational Language (formerly BICS) Academic Language Proficiency (formerly CALP) Primary Professional Development Service

Social/Conversational Language Academic Language Proficiency language of social interactionlanguage of learning develops very quicklydevelops more slowly phonological/syntactic/ lexical skills in interpersonal contexts manipulate/reflect on language outside interpersonal contexts context-embeddedcontext-reduced needs non-verbal support for understanding higher-order thinking and problem solving Primary Professional Development Service

Successful EAL provision The most successful learners are likely to be those who are constantly interacting with and through the target language, receiving and expressing meanings that are important to them Little, 1991 Primary Professional Development Service

Principles of EAL teaching interactive hands-on (contextualised) collaborative purposeful practice discussioncross-curricular meaningful differentiation recognition of diversity assessment

Communicative approach the needs of the child communication realistic language functions provision of language child-centred content and materials active learning variety of activities and games Primary Professional Development Service

Lets Rap! Up and down, and in front and behind and up and down, and in front and behind And around (2, 3) and around (2, 3) To my left, to my right, to my left, to my right. Touch your knees ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) Up and down, and in front and behind and up and down, and in front and behind Tsshhhhhhhh (fading for 16) Primary Professional Development Service

Mapping activity Positional/Directional Language Primary Professional Development Service

Structure of the language lesson Pre-communicative Phase : - motivation, input and practice Communicative Phase: - role play, communication exercises and social interaction Post-communicative Phase : - analysis, identification, recycling Primary Professional Development Service

Principles of EAL teaching interactive hands-on (contextualised) collaborative purposeful practice discussioncross-curricular meaningful differentiation recognition of diversity assessment

Role of Language Support Teacher Circular 0053/2007 In collaboration with parents and class teachers, language support teachers identify pupils requiring additional support, administer the assessment materials developed by Integrate Ireland Language and Training, devise appropriate language programmes, deliver the programmes and record and monitor pupils progress. Primary Professional Development Service

Objective of language support The principal objective of the language support programme is to integrate the pupil as quickly as possible into all mainstream learning and activities of the school. Up and Away p. 20 Primary Professional Development Service

To promote the pupils development of English language proficiency in order that he/she can gradually gain access to the curriculum. To deliver a language programme which is based on the primary curriculum to prepare and support the child in : accessing classroom learning socialising with peers ( Up and Away p. 5) Role of Language Support Teacher Primary Professional Development Service

Organisation of support It is recommended that pupils receive additional language support teaching in the classroom or in small withdrawal groups in addition to the support they receive from the class teacher. Circular 0053/2007: Determined by the needs of the child Primary Professional Development Service

Models of support Withdrawal Pupils are withdrawn in groups based on: age class level assessment of individual pupils needs. In-Class Support/Team Teaching Two or more teachers working together to plan, conduct and evaluate the learning activities for the same group of learners. A balanced approach between a withdrawal model and in-class support model is recommended. Primary Professional Development Service