1. English as an Additional Language
Primary Professional Development Service

2. 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 2

3. Key messages
The child’s 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. Stages of first language acquisition
Cooing
Babbling
First words
One-word utterances
Addition of morphemes
Transformations
Complex constructions

7. 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 learner’s primary cognitive development (unless very young)
develops in stages
transfer of grammatical properties and skills from first language

8. 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 ?

9. Common underlying proficiency
Surface features of L1
Surface features of L2
Cummins 1980

10. Second language acquisition: <7 years
may experience silent phase

11. 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. 11

12. 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.

13. 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).

14. 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.

15. Language proficiency Social/Conversational Language (formerly BICS)
Academic Language Proficiency (formerly CALP)

16. Social/Conversational Language Academic Language Proficiency
language of social interaction
language of learning
develops very quickly
develops more slowly
phonological/syntactic/ lexical skills in interpersonal contexts
manipulate/reflect on language outside interpersonal contexts
context-embedded
context-reduced
needs non-verbal support for understanding
higher-order thinking and problem solving

17. 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

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

19. 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

20. Let’s Rap! Up and down, and in front and behind and
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)
Tsshhhhhhhh (fading for 16) 20

21. Mapping activity
Positional/Directional Language

22. 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

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

24. 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’.

25. 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

26. Role of Language Support Teacher
To promote the pupil’s 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)

27. 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

28. In-Class Support/Team Teaching
Models of support
Withdrawal
Pupils are withdrawn in groups based on:
age
class level
assessment of individual pupil’s 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.