Schools across the country are fully stretched supporting pupils with additional needs, and on the ground TAs and teachers often lack time to support EAL pupils in their classes. Too often these young people fail to engage in meaningful learning or build peer friendships because of this lack of resource.
We are piloting an approach to peer learning using our book series, ‘Practise Your English for Young People’. The contents cover a full range of relevant target language for life at school and in the wider world, with sound files to help with pronunciation.
Early findings suggest that giving classmates time to help EAL pupils practice English using the book together is a fast track to building friendships, social inclusion and engagement in whole class learning activities. With a small amount of direction, young people are able to use either translated editions of the book or English only with digital translation tools to support speaking and reading skills. The topics naturally lead to discussions about life at school and the wider world.
we offer online and live CPD for TAs, S&L specialists, SENCOs, teachers and leaders, introducing proven approaches to teaching EAL in a school context, building confidence, peer friendships and wellbeing. The focus is on developing spoken language, layering key literacy skills as you go.
We are currently developing a ‘train the trainer’ programme, allowing this approach to be rolled out across academy trusts or LA schools.
What school leaders say
‘How many Headteachers have sat in a room with a parent who doesn’t speak English, trying and failing to explain key cultural differences in the UK? The translated Welcome to the UK books are really helpful in our environment.’
