English is the medium of communication and learning at QK.

The EAL department is here to support students in learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). When students come to the school their English language support needs are assessed and, if support is necessary, they are placed in the appropriate group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is my child assessed for EAL when they join the school?

We carry out an assessment of each student to see how much English and Maths they know. At first a student may be reluctant to talk, so we observe them over a period of time in their mainstream classroom to assess what they already know. To measure progress we use the National Curriculum levels for speaking, listening, reading and writing.

How much support will my child receive?

The number of periods a student receives depends on their level of English. Stage One learners (beginners) receive approximately 5-10 periods of in-class and/or after school each week and Stage Two learners receive 2-3 periods of in-class support.

New Arrivals start their education at QK in Access Group, a sustainable and supportive environment in which National Curriculum is tailored and delivered to suit the needs of early stage learners. The compact course focuses on developing the core skills of writing and reading, listening and speaking and includes: English, Maths, Science, ICT, Literacy, Enrichment & Enhancement, Citizenship, Music and BTEC Hospitality.

Differentiation of key resources allows students to access the curriculum before a phased reintegration into the mainstream classroom takes place. Further mainstream support may vary depending on the subjects from which they are withdrawn.

How long will the support last?

This depends on the progress your child makes. We carry out regular assessments during the year to find out whether your child is ready to join the mainstream curriculum. Each child’s English will develop at a different pace, so we assess individual learners rather than the whole EAL cohort.

When will I receive reports about my child’s progress?

EAL reports are given to parents at the same time as other reports. Parents’ and Carers’ Evenings and Progress Review Days are arranged with EAL teachers at the same time so you can meet all your child’s teachers. However, you can contact the school to make an appointment to see us to talk about your child’s progress at any other time. We are happy to meet with you to talk about any concerns you have.

How you can help your child

• Try to provide opportunities for your child to use English outside of the school.
• Invite an English speaking friend to play, watch an English DVD or look at one of the English websites we recommend. Actually, watching English TV is also recommended!
• After school clubs are a great way to learn English in an informal way (choose from KS3 and KS4 After-school Study Clubs)
• Try to make friends with English speakers yourself, so you can learn English in a social context.
• The school EAL Study Club, which is run by the EAL specialist teachers, is a good source of films, tapes and other resources for English practice.
• Don’t put pressure on your child to speak English with you. Maintaining your home language is important – research shows that good development of your home language helps you to learn a second language successfully.
• Encourage your child to go on reading in your home language, if they can.
• Don’t compare your child to others – everyone learns English at a different rate!
• Don’t try to correct your child’s English directly. Making mistakes is natural and if they are corrected, they might not want to speak. If you can, you might rephrase what they say e.g. ‘I goed to school’- respond with: ‘Oh yes, you went to school’.
• Ask your child to talk about the subjects they are learning in school in your home language. This develops their vocabulary.
• EAL students will bring home reading books. Check that they understand what they are reading by asking questions – either in English or in your home language. It is useful for the teacher if you can write a comment in their Reading Diary.
• If you want to help your child learn the alphabet, teach them the letter sounds as well as the letter names.
• Ask us for other ideas for how to help!

What the research tells us

Knowing two languages gives children many advantages, but learning a new language takes time. At first, a child may just want to listen in class and not talk. This ‘silent period’ is natural during the first stages of learning a new language. Children need the time to process input without anxiety. They should, however, be encouraged to speak and write when they are more confident, as ‘comprehensible output’ is needed for language to be acquired.

EAL learners generally develop conversational fluency within a year or two. This involves use of high frequency words and simple grammatical constructions. Discrete language skills (e.g. knowledge of the letters of the alphabet, the ability to decode written words into appropriate sounds, conventions about spelling and punctuation) can be acquired at a relatively early stage in an EAL student’s language learning but they do not generalise to academic language proficiency.

Academic Language Proficiency is the ability to understand and produce increasingly complex oral and written language. Learning this academic English is the key to success at school. Research has repeatedly shown that EAL students usually require at least 5 years of exposure to academic English to catch up to native-speaker norms. Extensive reading of text is crucial for the expansion of vocabulary and the development of academic language proficiency. That is why we are always telling our students to read!

Maintaining home language is important. Bilingualism is educationally enriching and has a positive effect on academic performance.

Speaking and listening

Students learning English as an additional language:

• need to listen and tune into English being used in context
• may be silent for a time – this does not mean they are not learning!
• need lots of opportunities to talk.

Reading and writing

• Students who are literate (can read and write) in their first language will make rapid progress – even if their language has a different script
• Students who are not literate in their first language will be learning to read and write in English as they are learning to speak.

Using a dictionary

A bilingual dictionary (especially an electronic one) can be useful when you start to learn English. However, translating every word slows you down. Once a child has passed the ‘beginner’ stage, an English dictionary can be used to check definitions and spellings.

Useful resources

Here are some websites with games and activities to teach your child English:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/
http://a4esl.org/
http://www.world-english.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
http://www.englishclub.com/learn-english.htm
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/contents07writingwords.htm
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/beginners/index.htm
http://www.ilovelanguages.com/
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/
http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/index.asp

Useful websites for parents

A website that gives you access to important information about working and living in the UK:
http://www.myukinfo.com/

Online background information tool for parents in different community languages:
http://newarrivals.segfl.org.uk/

A useful website for parents to help in understanding the curriculum in the UK:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/SchoolLife/index.htm

This website has information on the school curriculum, activities for home learning, parental involvement and much more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/school_education/

The website offers access to a range of activities and links that relate to different subject areas. This can enable you to support your children's learning in a fun way:
http://www.atschool.co.uk/about.asp

Translated help documents for New Arrival families:
http://microsites.segfl.org.uk/view_page.php?id=601