EAL

The English as an additional language department (EAL)

The EAL Department is responsible for teaching and assessing students who have been in the UK for five years or fewer. The students may speak one or more other languages at home. Students learning English as an additional language receive a range of support depending on their level of English.

Assessment

Students’ English language proficiency is assessed by the EAL department on entry to the school in Year 7. In this initial assessment process, students with a possible special educational need may also be identified and referred to the SEND department.

Results of the assessments are shared with their teachers.

The EAL department uses the following levels to keep track of each student’s progress in English language development.

Support for the students is provided in different subjects. Some students may also benefit from a smaller English language or literacy class. These are small classes (from 3 to 12 students) which help students develop their English and understanding of the curriculum. Students are invited to these interventions according to their specific requirements and their progress is monitored closely. The aim is for each student to become a proficient, independent user of English.

Language and Literacy Classes

Interventions KS3

Read Write Incorporated (RWI)

After the Year 7 assessments have been completed by the EAL and SEND departments in September, those EAL students who have a reading age below 8:06 will join RWI. This is timetabled for seven hours over two weeks. The programme focuses on phonics, text comprehension and writing. A small group of students in Year 7 and  8 will also follow the RWI comprehension programme. The programme is taught by teachers and teaching assistants from the EAL and English departments.

Skills for Writing

Year 8 and 9 students, who have completed the RWI programme, and require further support with writing, move onto the Skills for Writing programme which consists of six units focusing on various fiction and non-fiction texts.

Interventions KS4

Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language (5 lessons)

This two year GCSE course is aimed at students whose first language is not English, but who use it as a lingua franca or language of study. It is for students who would benefit from further development of English for academic purposes. The four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening are examined.

KS3 and KS4

English Language Induction Groups
These classes are for students who are at the early stages of learning English and may have had interruptions to their formal education. The Cambridge English materials are used. There is  a focus on curriculum content and an emphasis on speaking and listening, reading and sentence construction.

Lunchtime Study (KS3 and KS4)

EAL Study Club is available every lunchtime and is run by EAL teachers. Students may receive help with topics they have learnt in class or begin home learning tasks. They have access to a computer.

Useful Links

English for young people: Learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org

English for Adults: English for adults - BBC Teach

English pronunciation : www.howjsay.com