English as an Additional Language Action Plan
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English as an Additional Language (EAL) Action Plan
Contents
SECTION PAGE
1. Introduction 3
2. Aims of Action Plan 3
3. The Context of the School 3
4. Key Principles 5
5. Roles and Responsibilities 6
6. Teaching and Learning 7
7. Assessment 7
8. Admitting New Pupils 8
9. Staff Development 9
10. Appendices 9
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Introduction
All pupils need to feel safe, accepted and valued in order to learn. For pupils who are learning
English as an additional language, this includes recognising and valuing their home language and
culture. As a school, we are aware that bilingualism is a strength and that EAL pupils have a valuable
contribution to make. We take a whole school approach, including ethos, curriculum, education
against racism and promoting language awareness.
We recognise Literacy as the bedrock of learning. When reading and writing skills are strong,
understanding and communication is easier. Every student who understands and can communicate
our curriculum will have every chance of having a better life. Therefore, this school is committed to
making appropriate provision of teaching and resources for pupils for whom English is an additional
language.
Aims of Action Plan
The school is committed to ensuring that all our learners including EAL learners, feel safe and know
that they are valued.
This plan aims to outline key principles that we as a school abide to support our EAL learners. This
includes all teachers acting as language teachers, and that we as a school look to develop bilingual
learners and not simply monolingual English learners.
Roles & responsibilities for EAL provision is also to be outlined in this plan, so that clear lines of
communication can be established and maintained.
The plan also aims to outline teaching & learning strategies, so that targeted support and
intervention can be applied effectively where needed.
Finally, the plan aims to provide a framework for language assessment and monitoring, so that
needs of individual students can be supported from when they first arrive with us.
The Context of the School
Of our 2115 students 124 are classified as EAL, giving a share of approx. 6% EAL amongst our
total student population.
EAL STUDENTS BY YEAR
Year 14
Year 13 1% Year 7
14% 19%
Year 12
6%
Year 11
11% Year 8
19%
Year 10
16% Year 9
14%
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First Language
English
Arabic
Urdu
Ukrainian
Bulgarian
Greek
Russian
Spanish
Tamil
Polish
Chinese
Hindi
Slovak
French
Chinese (Cantonese)
Hungarian
Turkish
Information not obtained
Other Language
Amharic
Classification Pending
Romanian (Romania)
Vietnamese
Pashto/Pakhto
Other than English
Thai
Lithunanian
Portuguese
Japanese
Panjabi
Tagalog/Filipino
Persian/Farsi
Farsi/Persian (Any Other)
0 5 10 15 20 25
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
Hong Kong, 3
Bulgaria, 3
Saudi Arabia, 3
Greece, 3
Not Yet Obtained, 4
Egypt, 6
Ukraine, 7
United Kingdom, 53
Pakistan, 11
Others, 20
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Home Language
Classification Pending
English*
Urdu
Arabic
Chinese
Spanish
Greek
Polish
Tamil
Turkish
Pashto/Pakhto
Russian
French
Japanese
Tagalog/Filipino
Hungarian*
Amharic
Hindi
Panjabi
Romany/English Romanes
Vietnamese
Portuguese
Persian/Farsi
0 5 10 15 20 25
Key Principles
Identify key principles which underpin all your work with EAL learners. These are principles which
underpin all your work in school. Choose from the list below or create your own:
• Our children with EAL are entitled to opportunities for educational success that are equal to
those of our English speaking children.
• Children with EAL are not a homogenous group: their needs vary according to a range of
factors. We provide a range of teaching and learning activities to meet curriculum demands
and different learning needs/ styles.
• Well planned mainstream lessons in appropriately organised mainstream classrooms
provide the best environment for acquisition of English by children with EAL.
• The bi/multilingualism of our children and staff enriches our school and our community.
• To become fully competent in the use of curriculum/academic English is a long process,
therefore children require long term support.
• Having a home language other than English is not a ‘learning difficulty’. A clear distinction
should be made between EAL and Special Educational Needs (SEN). Children with EAL
are not placed on the SEN record, unless they have SEN.
• It is important that children with EAL are provided with opportunities to use their home or
first language where appropriate.
• Language develops best when used in purposeful contexts across the curriculum.
• Effective use of language is crucial to the teaching and learning of every subject.
• The language demands of learning tasks need to be identified and included in planning.
• Teachers and Teaching Assistants play a crucial role in modelling curriculum language.
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• The focus and timing of additional support is an integral part of curriculum and lesson
planning.
• Although many children acquire the ability to communicate on a day to day basis in English
quite quickly, the level of language needed for academic study is much deeper and more
detailed, and can require continuing support for up to ten years.
• Language is central to our identity. Therefore, teachers need to be aware of the importance
of pupils’ home languages and to build on their existing knowledge and skills.
• Many concepts and skills depend on and benefit from well-developed home language and
literacy in home language enhances subsequent acquisition of EAL.
• All languages, dialects, accents and cultures are equally valued.
Roles and Responsibilities
Our EAL Lead for Student Support is Mitch Trainor (Deputy Head and DSL).
Our EAL Lead for Student Experience is Helen Savory (Assistant Headteacher with whole school
responsibility for Literacy).
Our EAL Coordinator is Jurgita Azhar (TA), supported by Brad Evans (MFL Teacher and EAL
Champion) and Rachel Cope (MFL Teacher and Trust-Wide EAL Lead).
All teachers are language teachers and there is a collective responsibility, held by all staff, to identify
and remove barriers that stand in the way of the learning and success of EAL learners and to support
their language development.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching strategies follow the principles of the TEAL teaching charter and are used to
ensure that the principles outlined in the section above are translated into practice in the
classroom and that EAL learners are well supported across the curriculum.
• Classroom activities use appropriate materials and support to enable all pupils to participate
in lessons.
• Scaffolding is provided for language and learning when required, eg talk frames, writing
frames, sentence builders.
• Pupils have access to effective staff and peer models of spoken language.
• Additional visual support is provided, eg posters, pictures, photographs, objects,
demonstration, use of gesture.
• Additional verbal support is provided, eg repetition, modelling, peer support.
• EAL learners are encouraged to use their first language, when appropriate, for learning.
• Steps are taken to ensure the cognitive challenge remain appropriately high for EAL
learners and is not reduced because the English language demand has been reduced.
• Key language features of each curriculum area, eg key vocabulary, uses of language, forms
of text, are identified.
• Enhanced opportunities are provided for speaking and listening, including both process and
presentational talk, and use made of drama techniques and role play.
• Use is made of collaborative activities that involve purposeful talk and encourage and
support active participation.
• Discussion is provided before, during and after reading and writing activities.
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• Specialist EAL support is available for new arrivals from qualified staff who have received
appropriate training and support.
• Any withdrawal of EAL learners is for a specific purpose, is time based and linked to the
work of the mainstream class.
• Class/subject teachers plan collaboratively with EAL support teachers or teaching
assistants.
• 20 min EAL Intervention Sessions are run every morning during Tutor time. These cater for
Advanced, Intermediate and Elementary levels. Their main focus is on Grammar and
Vocabuly expansion.
• EAL lessons take place once a week (Mondays). These cater for Elementary, Intermediate
and Advanced levels, and also offer 1:1 tution. The timetable is alternating each week in
order the students do not leave the same lesson in order to attend EAL lesson. For these
lessons the students are placed in groups no bigger than 3 students per session.
• 1:1 EAL support in English, Maths, Science, and other lessons based on the individual
student's needs.
EAL Assessment
‘Assessment for learning has been defined as “the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for
use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they
need to go and how best to get there”.’ (Ofsted 2003)
The following four principles underpin the Key Stage 3 National Strategy:
• expectations;
• progression;
• engagement;
• transformation.
These are key to effective assessment for all pupils.
Effective assessment for all pupils should:
• recognise what pupils can do and reward achievement;
• be based on different kinds of evidence;
• be a valid reflection of what has been taught or covered in class;
• be reliable in terms of enabling someone else to repeat the assessment and obtain
comparable results;
• be manageable, both in terms of the time needed to complete the task, and in providing
results which can be reported or passed on to other teachers.
Assessing and tracking new arrivals
‘There is every reason to expect that literate older pupils, even those starting school with “no
English”, may leap the early National Curriculum English levels within the first term of schooling.’
(QCA 2000)
As the largest number of EAL pupils are admitted throughout Key Stage 3, it is particularly important
that these pupils’ needs are accurately and rapidly assessed so that their learning opportunities can
be appropriately planned for. In addition, their progress needs to be closely monitored to ensure that
their progression is maintained.
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• On admission to school, EAL learners’ performance in reading, writing, speaking and listening is assessed using
‘EAL Star’ Assessment Tool and Bell Foundation’s Placement Test.
• Student’s EAL profile is created and kept in EAL folder (://Staffshare) for the easy access by all those involved
in teaching and providing support.
• KS3 also undertake a reading and spelling (CAT) assessment shortly after arriving in school which provides
background information and assesses their writing levels as per National Curriculum, should this information
not already be available.
• KS4 students following assessment with a level 3 or below put onto a bespoke timetable, this is decided in
collaboration with the English department and may result in a reduced combination of GCSE examinations.
This rapid assessment ensures that pupils’ curriculum offer and support is carefully targeted to meet
individuals’ needs. Support is systematically allocated depending on pupils’ levels of English
language. Pupils who are assessed as having reading and/or writing skills level 3 or below are
placed on an induction timetable which closely shadows the mainstream Key Stage 3/4 curriculum
offer. Once pupils reach level 4 in reading and/or writing, they are placed on a regular school
timetable but are supported in class by the EAL department with limited additional support lessons
for specialist teaching.
The majority of pupils are admitted into the mainstream timetable immediately following the initial
assessment and some spend less time on an induction timetable; these are pupils who are able to
draw on existing literacy skills in their first language and so make rapid progress in English. Termly
assessments are completed for all these pupils by the EAL department and shared with teaching
staff. This ensures that their progress is maintained and teaching is appropriately targeted. The few
pupils requiring longer than six months in the induction group are also referred to the learning
support department for special needs assessment.
Other support available from the EAL department at lunchtimes may potentially include:
• Key Stage 4 partnership teaching (EAL specialist teacher and/or subject specialist);
• Key Stage 4 option support (2 periods of withdrawal per week for specialist EAL input).
• Key Stage 3 & 4 lunchtime support provided by sixth form students in homework club.
In a minority of cases where pupils do not make expected progress, despite evidence of appropriate
planning, teaching and assessment for learning, further investigation may be necessary to pinpoint
any special educational needs. It is important that any such underlying learning difficulties are
recognised so that appropriate support can be given.
Where assessment of a pupil’s English suggests an underlying difficulty with language, it will be
essential to cross-check with specialist bilingual teachers, community contacts and teachers of
special needs. A clearer identification of underlying difficulties may be made through the process of
asking questions, collecting evidence and planning support. Better assessment decisions will result
when fuller information about the pupil’s learning at school.
Admitting New Pupils
In addition to the school admission’s plan, the following measures are in place for EAL pupils:
• New pupil induction packs are given to EAL pupils joining South Hunsley. This pack
includes a visual timetable for new arrivals and ensures that parents who are not familiar
with the English education system understand the school's expectations of pupils and
parents, including behaviour and rewards.
• The EAL coordinator will work with EAL pupils to find out about the pupil's linguistic
competencies in different languages, their previous educational experience, special
interests, family and biographical background and home languages.
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• This information is passed on to all the staff who will work with that pupil (via SIMs and
staffshare.
• EAL pupils work with a ‘buddy’ as part of the school 'buddying' system with training and
rewards for 'buddies'.
Staff Development
EAL professional development sits alongside our provision for all vulnerable students, with EAL
learners being identified through our MintClass seating plan system (including information sharing
on first language). Throughout the year colleagues regularly review their class profiles and include
strategies for EAL learners as appropriate.
Our teaching and learning briefings and weekly bulletins also regularly include professional
development on supporting EAL learners. The programme uses an evidence based approach
included the use of resources from The Bell Foundation.
The School Improvement Plan makes reference to EAL learners within our focus of continually
enhancing whole-school literacy so that it supports understanding and communication and
responsibility for the progress and well-being of EAL learners lies with all staff.
APPENDICES
• Reference to other school policies should be made where appropriate, e.g. Assessment,
Home-School Policy, Behaviour Policy, Teaching and Learning, Equality Policy.
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