Supporting EAL (English as an Additional Language) students in schools can be challenging, but there are several strategies that can help. Our new course “Supporting the Teaching and Learning of EAL students” has great insight into what is needed to support EAL students.
Here are some ways that schools can support EAL students:
1. Provide English language support
EAL students need support to develop their English language proficiency. Schools can provide additional language classes, language support groups, or one-on-one tutoring to help students improve their language skills.
2. Create a welcoming environment
EAL students may feel isolated or excluded in school. Schools can create a welcoming environment by celebrating diversity, encouraging participation, and promoting positive relationships among students. Simple ways you can do this include learning the correct pronunciation of their name and how to say hello in their language. Maslow before Blooms!!
3. Understand the Silent Phase
The silent period is a phase that all EAL learners that are new to English will experience in some shape or form. It can last anything up to a year and during this time EAL learners will spend much of their time in your classrooms acclimatising to their new environment and receiving a lot of input in a number of ways. As teachers the expectation should not be that learners are producing language. Just because they are silent, does not mean they are not learning or that they are not able. It is a stage of language acquisition.
4. Use visuals and other aids
EAL students may struggle to understand complex or abstract concepts. Teachers can use visuals, diagrams, and other aids to help students understand key concepts. Ways to do this include simple visuals of key commands for the classroom like break time, group work and reading time. Our CPD course shares examples of these visuals.
5. Encourage peer support
Peer support can be a valuable resource for EAL students. Schools can encourage peer mentoring or buddy systems, where EAL students are paired with a fluent English-speaking student who can provide support and friendship.
6. Home Language is valued
Allow students to use their home language with other students in their classroom who share the language. Encourage assignments and work where home language can be used.
“Each pupil’s home language is the default medium of her self-concept, her self-awareness, her consciousness, her discursive thinking, and her agency. It is thus the cognitive tool that she cannot help but apply to formal learning, which includes mastering the language of schooling“. (Prof. David Little)
7. Provide cultural support
EAL students may come from different cultural backgrounds with different expectations and norms. Schools can provide cultural support by educating teachers and students about different cultures, encouraging cultural diversity, and providing resources for students and families. A way to be culturally responsive and supportive is to have an inclusive school calendar that celebrates diverse events.
8. Use differentiated instruction
Differentiated instruction is a teaching strategy that recognizes that students learn in different ways and at different paces. Teachers can use differentiated instruction to accommodate the learning needs of EAL students, providing extra support and guidance where needed.
9. Assess EAL students' needs
Schools can assess the needs of EAL students by conducting language proficiency tests, reviewing academic records, and consulting with families. This information can be used to develop individualized learning plans for EAL students. It is important not to rush into this and assess the child too early. Remember, think Maslow before Blooms!
10. Embrace technology
An array of tech tools are available to support schools to enhance communication with EAL students and parents – some free and many are low-cost! Our EAL CPD course shares these tools and explains how to use them. A fantastic way to support EAL families is to translate school communication.
Overall, supporting EAL students in schools requires a collaborative effort between teachers, management, students, and families. By providing a welcoming environment, and using differentiated instruction, schools can help EAL students thrive.
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