English as an Additional Language (EAL) at AIS
Definition of EAL learners
EAL support at the Atherton International School (AIS) recognises the contribution of our EAL learners to the education of all learners. As such, and in the context of our ever-changing world, the interaction between learners from different geographical, national, ethnic and linguistic experiences is an acknowledgement of our school's mission and vision. EAL support offers a support network to promote learners' enjoyment of learning while they face the challenges of striving to achieve their personal academic potential, enabling them to develop the skills to be confident, global citizens, who are able to interact with the English-speaking community of the world.
Goals of EAL Support
AIS’s EAL goals are:
- That learners develop proficiency in English to enable them to effectively participate in mainstream academic activities.
- That learners develop the confidence and skills necessary to become fully integrated in the social life of the school.
- That the staff provides support for the social and emotional needs of EAL learners.
- That class teachers and EAL support teachers collaborate on lesson planning to reinforce, support, and differentiate class work and home learning so that the lesson learning targets are made achievable by all learners.
Assessment for Support
All learners whose first language is not English are assessed to ascertain their EAL proficiency and support needs. The AIS Application Form completed by parents provides a profile of the learner’s prior language learning. New EAL learners are assessed by the EAL team using an in-house tool based on the Bell Foundation (UK) Assessment Framework (2021). When assessment is complete, EAL learners are allocated to an AIS Level. They are placed into one of four Levels, with Phases 1 - 3 being offered various types of additional support by EAL teachers directed towards them meeting the year level Learning Goals and Targets. Classroom teachers plan for the learning of Level 4 learners through differentiation independently from EAL teachers. Level 4 is the exit pathway from EAL support.
How much support will students be offered?
Support models are determined by each learner's language proficiency level and age. The amount of support offered depends on learner needs and the resources available at AIS. This support will take the form deemed most appropriate by the EAL and classroom teachers, but will include in-class and/or withdrawal support.
EAL support is available to children from Year 1 to Year 12. Children in the Early Years are not considered, as language development is at an early stage for all children at this age. When in-class (push-in) support is provided, EAL teachers support EAL learners in regular class periods, giving them the opportunity to learn and engage with the everyday curriculum. The EAL teacher and the class teacher plan differentiated lessons beforehand to ensure that all individual needs are met and that lesson Learning Targets and home learning are made accessible to all learners. In some cases, learners may need to receive withdrawal (pull-out) support sessions to improve basic English skills allowing them to access the curriculum. In these small group sessions, learners are given more opportunity to practise and gain confidence in the four domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
At AIS, we recognise that the orientation of English language learners’ social and learning needs changes with age. With English language learners in Years 1 - 4, the goal of EAL classes is to increase proficiency across all English language skills with a focus on basic literacy skills as indicated by assessment. Young learners often make great progress due to their age and ability to quickly learn an additional language, which assists them to more easily achieve the IPC Learning Goals and Targets of the relevant year level. Beyond Year 4, EAL support becomes increasingly designed to help learners who need extra support to develop the English language skills required to achieve content literacy. There is a recognition that these EAL learners need to feel included both inside and outside their classrooms. As such, the support programme seeks to assist the learners in a more personalised, small-group learning environment within the mainstream classroom. In addition, if it is believed necessary, Phase 1 learners will be withdrawn to receive support outside the mainstream classroom.
EAL support is available to children from Year 1 to Year 12. Children in the Early Years are not considered, as language development is at an early stage for all children at this age. When in-class (push-in) support is provided, EAL teachers support EAL learners in regular class periods, giving them the opportunity to learn and engage with the everyday curriculum. The EAL teacher and the class teacher plan differentiated lessons beforehand to ensure that all individual needs are met and that lesson Learning Targets and home learning are made accessible to all learners. In some cases, learners may need to receive withdrawal (pull-out) support sessions to improve basic English skills allowing them to access the curriculum. In these small group sessions, learners are given more opportunity to practise and gain confidence in the four domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
At AIS, we recognise that the orientation of English language learners’ social and learning needs changes with age. With English language learners in Years 1 - 4, the goal of EAL classes is to increase proficiency across all English language skills with a focus on basic literacy skills as indicated by assessment. Young learners often make great progress due to their age and ability to quickly learn an additional language, which assists them to more easily achieve the IPC Learning Goals and Targets of the relevant year level. Beyond Year 4, EAL support becomes increasingly designed to help learners who need extra support to develop the English language skills required to achieve content literacy. There is a recognition that these EAL learners need to feel included both inside and outside their classrooms. As such, the support programme seeks to assist the learners in a more personalised, small-group learning environment within the mainstream classroom. In addition, if it is believed necessary, Phase 1 learners will be withdrawn to receive support outside the mainstream classroom.
| AIS EAL Policy 2022-23.pdf |
