100 Ideas for Supporting Learners with EAL

Abstract

Schools often need reassurance when dealing with learners of English as an additional language (EAL) new-arrival learners tend to cause the most concern. Yet experience shows that most learners settle quickly and make rapid progress when practitioners develop inclusive approaches to teaching and learning. Paradoxically, research has shown that those we need to worry more about are advanced EAL learners, those who have been in the system from birth or for many years. These learners might appear to be coping well but could actually be underachieving in relation to their cognitive and academic potential. It can be useful to group EAL learners into three distinct categories based upon their English-language profi ciency.