EAL; Exploring Linguistic Development

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• EAL Exploring Linguistic Development Engaging
  Participation
• Parminder Assi and Ruth Murad

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• Newman University College
• strong track record in development of EAL/ITE
  (received TDA funding to develop a PGCE with
  English as an Additional Language option route
  in 2008).
• this course has enabled expansion of provision to
  an Undergraduate Option module in EAL and to
  develop a network of partnership schools to
  support specialism (TDA bid).

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Critical, reflective, proactive teachers

• Situated responses sensitive to localised
  needs, based on guiding principles
• (Kumaravadivelu 200323)

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ROLE OF TEACHER ROLE OF TEACHER ROLE OF TEACHER ROLE OF TEACHER
PASSIVE CONFORM REFLECTIVE REFORM TRANSFORM ANTIRACIST
Primary Role Conduit Facilitator Change Agent
Source of knowledge Professional Knowledge Research of experts personal knowledge and guided action research of teacher self exploratory research by teacher
Goal of teaching Maximising content knowledge through prescribed activities Maximising learning opportunities through problem solving maximising socio-political awareness through problem solving
Primary players Experts teachers Teachers experts learners Teachers experts learners communities
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Kumaravadivelu B, (2003) Beyond Methods
Microstrategies for Language Teaching New Haven
CT and London Yale University Press
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• Aims
• provide opportunities for beginning teachers to
  learn from, and work with, effective teachers and
  practitioners on the teaching, learning and
  assessment of EAL pupils
• provide excellent modeling of professional
  practice, and help to plan for support/ progress
  in EAL through subjects, main stream teaching,
  one to one tuition and small group teaching.

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• What has worked well in past in Newman/ school
  partnership
• support of new arrivals
• Links between SEN and EAL
• PGCE students working with newly arrived
  children on initial assessment

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Strategies

• team teaching
• engaging pupils in dialogue and discussion
• observation
• preparatory teaching to support children in
  better accessing a lesson
• resource provision and development collecting,
  suggesting, modifying or designing specific
  resources
• monitoring progress

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Social/cultural issues Range scope of
languages covered everything from Urdu and
Mandarin to Tegrini. Empowerment of parents
(particularly mothers) in supporting childrens
development.

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HOW?

• Video conferencing between school EAL specialists
  and Newman PG students to analyse pedagogical
  approaches to EAL in the classroom.
• Development of a Virtual Learning Environment
  area for students and wider EAL community to
  share and sustain best practice