English+as+an+Additional+Language+Case+Study

During our stay in Aberdeen, we spent some time looking at the English as an Additional Language (EAL) Service, to find out how learning is personalised for those with English as a second language.


====We interviewed Carole Simpson the head of the EAL service along with Nora Ashton a full time EAL teacher. We also spent some time observing the provision of support offered by the service and speaking to some students about their experiences of having received support.====

**EAL Service Background and Context**
====The EAL service helps bilingual pupils in primary and secondary schools run by Aberdeen City Council, who are speakers/writers of more than one language and who need support with English. The vision of the service is to:====

====//"Ensure inclusion, equal opportunity and success for pupils with a first language other than English within Aberdeen City Schools through partnership, collaborative working and shared responsibility"//====

====The Service was established in 1972 with only one part time teacher. This was a result of Asian families moving to Aberdeen, related to the restaurant trade. The need for the service grew further when oil became a predominant industry in Aberdeen, thus prompting an influx of oversees workers. Today, with the opening of EU borders, the service mainly deals with pupils moving to Scotland from European Countries in particular Poland. However pupils referred to the service are from an array of backgrounds with native languages including Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese and Urdu.==== ====The service currently supports 2451 pupils spread across Aberdeen City. When broken down these figure equate to approximately 9% of all pupils in secondary school and 14% of those in primary education. In the schools which we were based during our time in Aberdeen, Bridge of Don Academy had 58 pupils who had at one time been referred to the service, with Old Machar Academy having 54 students.====

====The EAL service offers a varying degree of support dependent on the level of the pupil. Beginners can attend specialised classes outside of their school in an EAL unit for several mornings or afternoons a week. The rest of the time they remain in their mainstream classes which is initially challenging but allows the pupils to learn English more quickly when based in an English medium classroom. The main aim of the EAL unit is to concentrate on the level of English needed to succeed across the academic curriculum at school and for social survival. Pupils usually work in small groups and learning is context, theme and activity based to guide the acquisition of the wide vocabulary needed in order for bilingual pupils to reach their full potential.====

====EAL unit have stopped, the EAL Service teachers work in schools helping pupils with their English across the curriculum. This support tends to be provided in the pupil's own classroom. Most support is provided directly through the EAL teachers, however there is also some specific technology such as electronic dictionaries and various cd games for language.====

====Whilst in Bridge of Don Academy we observed several mainstream English classes, where an EAL teacher was present supporting the pupils with addional language needs. The class teacher led the lesson, teaching the students about a poem called the Highwayman. Whilst this was going on, the EAL teacher went around the class giving assistance to the EAL pupils.====

====The support offered by the EAL Service is an example of Personalised Learning because it is helping to support a specific learning need for certain pupils who could struggle to meet their potential otherwise. Obviously language support and curriculum access is a key need for those who are supported by the service, however there are also a number of associated challenges that they may face.====

====“//Very often I feel I deal with their personal issues, so obviously settling in may be sometimes a big issue because they have come from a different country, a different culture. Sometimes they feel very lonely especially if they are in a school where there are not many speakers of their own language”.// **Nora Ashton, EAL Teacher, Aberdeen City Council**====

====Those who come to Scotland with limited English often encounter associated social problems and can initially struggle to make friends due to the language barrier. According to Nora Ashton, in her experience boys often find it easier to socialise at first due to interactng through sports and football.====

====//“ It takes some time to think about but the reality is that the language is a difficulty, socialising is really a major struggle that everyone could probably face”//. **EAL Student, Bridge of Don Academy**====

====According to Nora Ashton, another issue is that some of the pupils who come to Scotland were excellent pupils in their own country, however because of their language difficulties they suddenly start to struggle in a way that they haven't experienced before. This can leave pupils feeling stupid, self conscious and embarrassed. An EAL student described their own frustration about being in this situation by stating:====

====Furthermore, in some cases pupils may be struggling with other learning needs which teachers and other professionals might see as being associated with their level of English when in fact it is an unrelated learning difficulty. In some cases pupils fail to get support for these other needs due to them going unoticed.====

====Finally the EAL service also work in conjunction with both other agencies and parents with one of the aims of the service being to take account of the views of parents and school communities, representing an example of Strong Partnerships beyond the classroom within Personalised Learning.====