Page 13 - 1.Felicity Online policies 2021

§ ensure that differentiated work,’ suited to the child’s intellectual ability is provided, being
mindful of the particular level of English usage.
The SENco will:
§ access the English language performance and progress of EAL pupils
§ support EAL pupils in gaining access to the curriculum
§ work in partnership with form teachers and support staff to tailor curriculum content and
delivery to the needs of all the pupils in class
§ make the curriculum accessible through the provision of differentiated materials
Practitioners should note the following points when supporting pupils with EAL
Learning an additional language is a long-term process. While social fluency may be
acquired within two years, it may take EAL pupils years to gain the skills and understanding
to participate fully in an educational system, in-line with mother tongue speakers of English.
At Felicity’s Fledglings we believe that language learning is most successful, for both EAL
speakers and early bilingual learners where:
§ it is taught within the context of the EYFS curriculum
§ oral language is central to all curriculum work.
the informed contribution of parents to their children’s education is seen as vital to the
children’s progress
Nursery ethos
§ recognise the child’s mother tongue – this doesn’t mean they have ‘no’ language, they
have a different language/s;
§ make your classroom socially and intellectually inclusive, valuing cultural differences and
fostering a range of individual identities;
§ boost the pupils’ self-esteem – remember, they have the potential to become bilingual
adults but it takes time to become fluent in an additional language, with a good command
of the range of language needed for academic success;
Identifying pupils’ strengths
§ pupils from other language backgrounds have a wide variety of cultural, linguistic and
educational experiences; see the cultural differences brought by the pupil to the class as a
bonus and use this in your teaching.
Expectations
§ have high expectations – expect pupils to contribute and to give you more than one-word
answers;
§ most bilingual pupils are capable of high achievement, even when they are beginners in
English;
§ the literacy goals in English are the same for all pupils; many bilingual pupils will also
become literate in one or more other languages;
§ the process of becoming literate in either a first or an additional language has both
similarities and differences – knowledge of the particular features of the child’s mother
tongue can help.
Teaching and learning strategies
§ ensure that EAL pupils are set appropriate and challenging learning objectives;
§ recognise that EAL pupils need more time to process answers;
§ talking about language and literacy with peers and adults is essential – it helps pupils to
use their home language when talking about literacy, even when their goal is literacy in
English;