1. EAL support in British Schools
Whole School and
Cross-Curricular Issues
EAL support in British Schools

2. Hendon School Facts & Figures
Difference between EAL and SEN
UK Primary School integration system
UK Secondary Schools integration system
Teaching Tips

3. EAL students in Hendon School
100 Hendon EAL pupils currently not attaining their intellectual ability
Most Hendon pupils are bilingual
Ethnicity Survey: each category represented

5. EAL and SEN
EAL pupils should work at correct intellectual level (even if English language not yet proficient)
Withdrawals from class - only necessary when pupils cannot follow lesson at all
(e.g. RE, History, English and MFL)
EAL pupils eventually catch up with peers
(and sometimes overtake them)

6. EAL students in Primary School
Local Primary has fewer than 2 mother tongue English speakers per class
Pupil’s mother tongue is given status
Pupils have varying forms of extra support
Recent new arrivals predominantly come from Poland, Somalia and Portugal

7. Teaching Tips EAL pupils need context embedded lesson
Visual support is very helpful to convey
meaning
EAL pupils initially go through silent phase (usually lasting roughly 6 months)
Pupils acquire colloquial language within 2 years, academic language takes much longer (usually 5-7 years)

8. Teaching Tips
Greet EAL pupils warmly with correctly spelt / pronounced name and eye contact
Involve EAL pupil in lesson as much as possible (e.g. let them give out books/materials)
Find them a buddy (ideally with same language) encourage use of bilingual dictionaries
Create activities where pupils interact

9. Why offer GCSEs and A-Levels in Community Languages?
Getting a GCSE is motivating for youth.
Many pupils may otherwise never acquire literacy skills in the language they speak
It is a concrete affirmation of their ability to use their heritage language proficiently

10. “There is more to education than just exam results - including self-esteem, identity, valuing cultural heritage.”

11. and another nice quote…
“Given appropriate school experiences and intervention and high expectations by their teachers, they – bilingual learners – can and do achieve at the same levels as their peers who are already familiar with the language of the school.”