Session 2

• Mathematics
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Element 12 - English as an additional language

Session 2 - Independent study session 

[e-mail] 

T - level in Education & Early years 

ZE30801

Learning objectives 

By the end of the session, all learners will be able to:

1. Explain how home language affects education and development. 
2. Explore how having English as an additional language may impact learning and development. 
3. Attempt assessment practice point questions to support own knowledge.

Assessment practice - *Connect to last session*

When completing any element revision is essential and key!

1. What are the features of the silent / receptive stages of language acquistion?
2. Explain how age mught be a factor in the acquisiton of language?

How to support children with English as an additional language

The role of parents and carers.

• Children with additional language at home may need more time to settle in, this may because the language forms restrictions on their confidence.
• It is suggested for parents to talk to children about their nursery routines and discuss different ways to support them.
• Different songs, stories and music can contribute to inclusive practice.

• Your role as a practitioner is to ensure you are role model to these children, noting what children already know and what they need to build on. 
• Children will be more likely to copy and repeat the more they hear specific words. 
• Some children may experience the silent period' this occurs for up to 6 months. This starts when children are in a different environment, they start to absorb and listen to the language around them.

Helping children understand the setting, consider having:

• A visual timetable-introduced as it is happening.
  
• Feelings or emotions picture cards so children can label their own and others emotions.
• Photographs of areas, resources, peers and staff to support children to plan their session with an adult.
• Story and song props used as often as possible.
  
• Phonetically spelt key words in home languages to help you

How home language affects education and development

Acquiring language occurs in stages of language acquisition (we covered this last week). 

Children who have not yet fully mastered one language(could be any) do not have the grammatical competency to develop the foundations of another language.

Once children have mastered the acquisiton of their primary language they then have the linguistic capability to learner another language.

This could be simultaneously or sequentially. (we covered this last week).

As a practitioner it is important to recognise how a child or young person's home language enables them to develop secure relationships in their home environment.

A strong home language will enable a child to feel confident and happy in their environment, it will also provide them the foundations of linguistics they need. 

How children and young people learn a curriculum

What does the EYFS (2024) state? - Page 16

English as an Additional Language

(1.14) For children whose home language is not English, providers may take reasonable steps to provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning, supporting their language development at home.

(1.15) Providers must ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language during the EYFS 2024, ensuring children are ready to benefit from the opportunities available to them when they begin Key Stage 1.

When assessing communication, language, and literacy skills, practitioners must assess children’s skills in English. 

If a child does not have a strong grasp of English language, practitioners must explore the child’s skills in the home language with parents and/or carers, to establish whether there is cause for concern about language delay.

How children and young people learn a curriculum

It is important to consider children and young people learn a primary language but when this is not always English then the progress and and assessment checks completed by practitioners can be seen a little differently. 

When children are able to speak another language it means they have developing linguistics of language however may struggle to understand concepts in the English language. 

The practitioner will need to make a judgement based on their best knowledge of the child in question. 

We have to be mindful children who are bilingual or multilingual are still achieving but you may notice children are exceeding in other milestones such as: mathematics.

Difficulty understanding the curriculum

Some children and young people may encounter barriers and struggles when developing their vocabulary and technical words which can impact their participation in activities. 

They may be certain terms they may not have come across before or they may confuse certain words when using them in context. 

It is important to thinking about strategies and techniques to support children with reading out loud and comprehension.

Some subjects such as mathematics and science can deem to be more stressful.  

Understanding communication needs for children 

Unequal proficiency 

Proficiency - Having developing knowledge in a specific skill. 

Unequal proficiency - Not demonstrating the same level of knowledge of skills as other due to an arising  barrier. 

(English may not be the first language).

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When children have unequal proficiency in their language and communication development this may mean they have learnt perhaps to speak the foundations of English language but may not be able to read and write in English yet.

This can be considered an educational barrier if children are not supported, when children are supported they will develop competencies. 

Assessment task 

Spend time working on you early intervention plan