EAL
English as an Additional Language
Key Stage 3
An English as an additional language intervention group is offered for each year group at Key Stage Three for students who need support with English. The intervention group provides support to new arrivals and advanced learners of English. Students are all supported with curriculum subjects in intervention groups. Some students are given additional one to one time to support with reading, speaking and listening and homework support is offered to all students. There is a homework club which all EAL students are welcome to attend.
In intervention lessons students are taught English as a Second Language. Every lesson has a speaking, listening, reading and writing focus to ensure that students are taught new vocabulary and keywords to enhance their understanding.EAL students are also offered weekly literacy support to assist them with reading aloud so they can develop pronunciation, stress and intonation when speaking.
In Year 8 EAL students are pre-taught vocabulary and concepts for reading Macbeth.
Interactive activities and grammar games can be accessed on these links:
www.esolcourses.com
www.learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-and-vocabulary
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish
Key Stage 4
English as an additional language is taught at Key Stage 4 in an option block with the opportunity to complete Cambridge International Examination Board (CIE) IGCSE in English as a Second Language (count-in oral). This exam course is equivalent to a GCSE. Advanced learners are provided with weekly lessons and also prepare for this examination.
Students are taught English as an additional language via this curriculum and lessons are carefully differentiated to meet the different levels of English acquisition in this class. As with Key Stage 3, each lesson is comprised of speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
The IGCSE in English as a Second Language consists of a Reading & Writing examination (70% of the final grade), Speaking examination (15% of the final grade) and Listening examination (15% of the final grade).
Students are also supported in class, with homework clubs and extra options are available for support with if they need it.
Further information regarding the IGCSE in English as a Second Language can be found at the link below regarding the exam course.
www.cambridgestudents.org.uk/subjectpages/english/igcsesl
Home Languages
All bilingual students are offered ‘home language’ examinations where possible at GCSE – information will be sent out during the Autumn term. The Netherhall school staff can offer support with French, German and Spanish in addition to guidance on examination procedures for the entire home languages offered. A home languages evening provides further information on examination procedures. These evenings are held annually in September.
English Beginners
Much more support is given to EAL Beginners in addition to the intervention class run for each year group. A six week induction programme is offered twice a week to further support students new to the UK. All students are fully immersed in the national curriculum and are supported by staff and their buddies. One to one weekly sessions are offered to support EAL students with reading to assist with speaking skills.
New Arrivals
The Netherhall School and The Oakes College welcomes many students every year from all over the world. Many of these students need support to learn English when they arrive and to settle into school life. All of our students are assigned buddies (many of whom speak the same language and/or were once new arrivals to the UK themselves) to help them settle in and make friends in their first few weeks. All members of staff provide support to our students. EAL testing is conducted on arrival at the school. Cognitive Ability Tests (CATS) testing is conducted within the first term when the child has settled into the school. Students are placed in classes according to their previous school levels and their cognitive ability.
All staff are provided with information about a new student before they start at the school. Extra provision is made to support new students who need additional support. This is an informal session with the Lead Teacher of EAL so students can discuss any worries or concerns they might have. The EAL classroom is always open to students who would like support.
Parents
The Netherhall School staff are multi-lingual and are happy to help parents or make phone calls home. Languages spoken by staff include Danish, French, German, Polish, Spanish and Turkish. In addition, The Netherhall School runs a Young Interpreters scheme at KS3, KS4 and KS5 for bilingual students who help students and parents settle into the school. Guided tours of the school can be offered in a variety of languages.
Equally, the Lead Teacher of EAL has helped parents with advice, filling in forms, interpreting at meeting.
If you would like to help your child at home please use the links above, encourage your child to watch English TV programmes, listen to radio programmes in English, read magazines and newspapers in English. Please provide your child with a bilingual dictionary to support their learning. Excellent resources for bilingual students can be purchased from www.grantandcutler.com
Teaching & Learning
The Lead Teacher of EAL also provides training for teachers and PGCE students in how to best teach and support EAL students so the teachers can scaffold resources and use a variety of differentiating techniques to ensure that all students can access the lesson and meet learning aims. This includes staff training, workshops and one to one support for staff to learn about how to best support students in their classrooms. The English level of students is reassessed every half term in terms of reading & writing, speaking and listening skills and this data is tracked and monitored to ensure that all students are making good progress. This information is shared with all staff. The Netherhall School and Sixth Form Centre strives to ensure that all students are provided with personalised support tailored to their individual levels of English, ability, educational need and background.
The Lead Teacher of EAL operates across the school supporting both students and staff, across the curriculum and pastorally. The Netherhall School and Sixth Form Centre is a diverse community and it is an exciting and vibrant school to work in. We celebrate bilingualism do our best to support our students.