English as an Additional Language

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Overview of day 1

•first and second language acquisition

•role of the language support teacher

•English language proficiency benchmarks

•assessment

•case studies

•speaking and listening activities

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Key messages

•The child’s culture and first language should be respected at home and in school.

•Assessment is most useful when it informs teaching and learning.

•Listening, speaking, reading and writing should be taught in an integrated manner.

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Language acquisition and learning‘In the classroom context language and learning are inextricably linked.’ First Steps Oral Language

Resource Book, First Steps PD, p 199

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First language acquisitionWhy?• urge to communicate and interact

When? • age• language exposure• need to communicate

How?• words • combine to make phrases • combine to make sentences

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Stages of first language acquisitionCooing

Addition of morphemes

First words

Complex constructions

Transformations

Babbling

One-word utterances

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Second language acquisition

Why? • need to communicate and interact

When? • age of learner• later - more intentional and conscious• less time available

How?• not part of learner’s primary cognitive development

(unless very young)• develops in stages • transfer of grammatical properties and skills from first

language

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Een appel is rood, den zon is geel

den hemel is blauw een blad is groen een wolk is wit…

en de aarde is bruin

Welke kleur de liefde ?

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Common underlying proficiency

Common underlying proficiency

Surface features of L1

Surface features of L2

Cummins 1980

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Second language acquisition: <7 years•may experience silent phase

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Silent Phase•most learners begin their acquisition with this

phase in which they speak very little if at all

•engage in private speech/‘self talk’ – important survival phrases and language chunks

•can last up to one year

• language is acquired subconsciously and informally.

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Second language acquisition: <7 years•may experience silent phase•similar development to first language

acquisition•performance gap to others is minimal•will develop grammar independently as

the language improves•may not have reading or writing skills in

their first language.

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Second language acquisition: >7•may experience silent phase and may use

code-switching•may have some interference from language

transfer•may have reading and writing skills in

their first language•are developing higher-order thinking skills•need to develop capacity to think in

English (inner-speech).

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Importance of first language

• It is important that children experience a good model of language at home to aid cognitive development

• Use of the first language should be encouraged at home and in school.

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Language proficiency

• Social/Conversational Language (formerly BICS)

• Academic Language Proficiency (formerly CALP)

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Social/Conversational

Language

Academic Language

Proficiencylanguage of social interaction language of learning

develops very quickly develops more slowly

phonological/syntactic/ lexical skills in interpersonal

contexts

manipulate/reflect on language outside

interpersonal contexts

context-embedded context-reduced

needs non-verbal support for understanding

higher-order thinking and problem solving

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Successful EAL provision

The most successful learners are likely to be those who are constantly interacting with and through the target language, receiving and expressing meanings that are important to them

Little, 1991

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Principles of EAL teaching

interactive

hands-on(contextualised)

collaborative

purposeful practice

discussion cross-curricular

meaningful differentiation recognition of

diversity

assessment

Communicative approach

•the needs of the child

•communication

•realistic language functions

•provision of language

•child-centred content and materials

•active learning

•variety of activities and games

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Let’s Rap!Up and down, and in front and behind and up and down, and in front and behind

And around (2, 3) and around (2, 3)To my left, to my right, to my left, to my right.

Touch your knees ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)Touch your knees ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Up and down, and in front and behind and up and down, and in front and behind

Tsshhhhhhhh (fading for 16)

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Mapping activity

Positional/Directional Language

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Structure of the language lessonPre-communicative Phase : - motivation, input and practice

Communicative Phase: - role play, communication exercises and social

interaction

Post-communicative Phase : - analysis, identification, recycling

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Principles of EAL teaching

interactive

hands-on(contextualised)

collaborative

purposeful practice

discussion cross-curricular

meaningful differentiation recognition of

diversity

assessment

Role of Language Support Teacher

Circular 0053/2007

‘In collaboration with parents and class teachers, language support teachers identify pupils requiring additional support, administer the assessment materials developed by Integrate Ireland Language and Training, devise appropriate language programmes, deliver the programmes and record and monitor pupils’ progress’.

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Objective of language support

The principal objective of the language support programme is to integrate the pupil as quickly as possible into all mainstream learning and activities of the school.

Up and Away p. 20

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To promote the pupil’s development of English language proficiency in order that he/she can gradually gain access to the curriculum.

To deliver a language programme which is based on the primary curriculum to prepare and support the child in :• accessing classroom learning • socialising with peers (Up and Away p. 5)

Role of Language Support Teacher

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Organisation of support

‘It is recommended that pupils receive additional language support teaching in the classroom or in small withdrawal groups in addition to the support they receive from the class teacher’.

Circular 0053/2007:

Determined by the needs of the child

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Models of support

Withdrawal

Pupils are withdrawn in groups based on:• age• class level • assessment of individual pupil’s needs.

In-Class Support/Team

Teaching

Two or more teachers working together to plan, conduct and evaluate the learning activities for the same group of learners.

A balanced approach between a withdrawal model and in-class support model is

recommended. Primary Professional Development Service