EAL

EAL- English As An Additional Language

At St Stephen’s, we value and celebrate the diversity of languages and cultures within our community. All pupils need to feel safe, accepted and valued in order to learn effectively and become successful members of society. In order to ensure the best outcomes for our children and the rapid acquisition of the English language, we use a range of strategies to support pupils.

We strongly believe that engaging teaching and learning for all is the key to securing achievement for every child. Through immersive curriculum activities, learning is context based and pupils are given a wide variety of exciting challenges and experiences to develop their vocabulary in English and therefore rapidly acquire the English language. Our school environment is immersed with vocabulary including bilingual labels, to make every child and family feel welcomed at our school.

Provision for EAL learners

Pupils who are learning English as an additional language have a dual task at school: to learn English (language) and to learn through English. For this reason, EAL teaching aims to teach English using the mainstream curriculum as the context, which include:

Providing specialist teaching support for newer arrivals through our New to English programme, run by our EAL Team and HLTA’s.
Providing continuing support for more advanced learners by using a range of resources for example, scaffolding speaking and writing through speaking and writing frames and drama techniques.
Providing opportunities for EAL learners, at all levels, to be given opportunities to grow their English vocabulary range - this is achieved through planning and learning mats.
Monitoring EAL attainment and progress, with a focus on the acquisition of vocabulary in English for each topic.
Assessing learners’ proficiency and literacy in their first language and establishing what prior subject knowledge and experience they have in other subjects.
Providing regular training for all staff on the needs of EAL learners
ensuring all lessons are context based and that learning is immersive and meaningful.

EAL websites, platforms and apps

Please see the list below which provides links to various websites, platforms and apps. This is to help support you and your children at home. Please sign up for free and learn English together with your child at home.

EAL: Website Links
Name of website	Link	What you will find
Bell Foundation	https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/our-work/with-schools/	Resources and guidance Training Strategies for providing effective support to EAL children in the classroom.
British Council LearnEnglish Kids	https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/	Free online games, songs, stories and activities for children. For parents, we have articles on supporting children in learning English, videos on using English at home and information about English courses for your child.
British Council	https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/fun-games/games	Learning games
Anglomaniacy	https://anglomaniacy.pl/	This is a site for children who are learning English as a second/additional language. Lots of online lessons, activities, games, songs and hundreds of printable worksheets that can help with learning English.
Breaking News English	https://breakingnewsenglish.com/#google_vignette	Free, ready-to-use ESL lesson plans based on the latest breaking news. 7 different levels available across different activities. Therefore suited to different pupils at different levels of EAL acquisition. Activities are designed to be teacher led but tasks included could be undertaken by individuals. New lessons uploaded every 2 days. Each lesson includes a 26-page PDF containing all-skills activities, 5-speed listening, multi-speed scrolled reading, interactive dictation, 30+ online quizzes… and more.
Games to Learn English	https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com/	A website with games to learn English. It is not focussed on curriculum content but rather focussed on English language learning. It can help to provide primary learners with exposure to listening whilst also allowing them to play games to practice vocabulary and grammar.
Twinkl	https://www.twinkl.co.uk/ https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/inclusion-teaching-resources/eal-inclusion-teaching-resources	Break down language barriers with Twinkl EAL. Seamlessly integrating into lessons, our whole-school, multilingual resources go beyond teaching—guiding every stage of your child’s language learning journey.
Duolingo	https://www.duolingo.com/	Free to sign up. Duolingo uses a gamified approach to language learning, with lessons that incorporate translating, interactive exercises, quizzes, and stories. It also uses an algorithm that adapts to each learner and can provide personalized feedback and recommendations.

EAL: Apps
Name of website	Link	What you will find
Flash Academy App	https://flashacademy.com/	Free resources available Sign up for a free trial *Will require subscription FlashAcademy is an award-winning education technology company that enables independent learning of English for speakers of other languages through fun and engaging lessons, with support in 48 languages. The app provides a wide spectrum of interactive tasks with instant feedback and tailored vocabulary (including curricula-oriented) to support children from beginner to advanced levels.
British Council App	https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/apps	Improve your English with our fun and exciting learning apps! Designed for all the family, our games, podcasts, videos and quizzes will help you learn English at home or on the move.
British Council	Timmy's First English Words (age 3- 6)	App developed by the British Council that offers a great way to learn new words through sets of interactive animations.
	Timmy's Learning New Skills (age 3- 6)	Another British Council app with fun songs, stories and games
	Word Fun World, Cambridge
Talk English	App	The TalkEnglish app can help children become comfortable with conversing in English. ECP holds conversations with children to help them improve their vocabulary, correct pronunciation and construct sentences. The app’s over 200 different conversation lessons consist of listening exercises, voice recordings and speaking activities.
Monkey Puzzles	App	ESL children practice their English vocabulary as they play mini games with this app from Cambridge English. In this simplified, more fun and student-friendly version of Duolingo, children read and spell simple words to score points and unlock levels to progress.