EAL
At Northmead Junior School, the intent is to deliver English curriculum which is accessible to all and that will maximise the outcomes for every child so that they know more, remember more and understand more about the world around them. We believe that children should consider themselves world citizens, they should appreciate that others speak different languages and live in different cultures. This includes the growing number of children and adults within our own school. Through games, reading and conversations children should be given the chance to enjoy experiencing a new language and to explore different topics in that language. we strongly believe that children should learn about diverse cultures and to be able to compare it with British culture. We aim to inspire pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. Our curriculum will equip pupils to take their first steps on the journey of learning a new language
Implementation
How are interventions implemented for EAL?
Our EAL support teaching assistant often works in partnership with class teachers, influencing mainstream teaching and learning strategies, providing additional resources, and targeting individuals at early stages of English who need focused support.
During the termly review sessions EAL children are discussed. This focused discussion allows teachers and to consider carefully what support needs to be put in place.
Our EAL team helps with:
- Reading, spelling and writing intervention for those who need it most
- Additional support in class
- Pre-teaching vocabulary groups and verb tense groups to support children in their writing.
- Informing the parents about the different ways in which they can also impact their children’s learning.
Key skills:
1. Vocabulary – Pre-teach vocabulary sessions support in this area. The children are able to explore new vocabulary by looking at the sounds, syllables, what it is, visuals, how it fits in a sentence etc. There is a focus on upcoming topic words for English but other sessions focus on topic areas or maths.
2. Reading – children are all assessed when they join the school both in a reading assessment and by reading to an adult. For those that struggle with the reading, reading groups are formed to develop this area.
3. Verb tenses – an intervention was set up to look at the verb tenses and support children in being able to use the appropriate tense in their writing. A focus on the irregular words supports the children in their writing.
4. Maths understanding of problems - Pre-teach vocabulary sessions support in this area. The children are able to explore mathematical vocabulary by carefully considering the meaning of the words and the synonyms.
5. Spelling – when looking at the vocabulary that is coming up, the children consider the spelling and the sounds used in the words.
6. Writing – pre-teaching of vocabulary, verb tenses and spellings helps to support the children in developing their writing.
Our staff use key visuals e.g. pictures, photos, drama; spoken instructions to reinforce the visual support. They build strong links with home through the use of photos, keyword sheets and translations where possible.
Pupils learn independently, as a whole class, in pairs and in groups. Teachers promote an inclusive environment in class, using a variety of learning aids. Pupils are encouraged to share languages and cultural and religious aspects with their peers to develop awareness of different languages and cultures.
The EAL team is committed to developing their own expertise through external agencies and disseminating information and support to staff through staff training.
Useful websites links to support your child:
BBC Learning English - Homepage
British Council | The UK's international culture and education ...
Topmarks: teaching resources, interactive resources ...