According to government statistics, in the school year 2022/23, 22% of children in state-funded primary schools were known or believed to have a first language that is "other than English". In our increasingly linguistically super-diverse classrooms, how do we make sure that all students feel that their language is valued? How do we support pupils with different levels of English and make them feel included in the class community - and help them access the curriculum?Dr Eowyn Crisfield, a specialist in language acquisition and development, delves into the fascinating world of multilingual education. Throughout the episode, Dr Crisfield shares her wealth of knowledge on supporting children who speak multiple languages or are learning English as an additional language (EAL). The conversation emphasises the importance of understanding and valuing the diversity of languages among students. Eowyn also discusses practical resources and strategies, such as the Wollow and WAMCam resources, to create a curriculum that respects and represents the cultural backgrounds of all children. (00:40) - Eowyn discusses specific strategies for supporting EAL students. (05:53) - Eowyn confronts the challenges and misconceptions around the topic of EAL education. (11:03) - Eowyn and Ed explore how other countries support EAL students, with a particular focus on comparing efforts in the UK to abroad. (23:14) - Ed brings up the often-held belief that children up to a certain age can learn languages far easier than older language learners, leading to a fascinating discussion on the validity of that statement. (27:15) - Eowyn looks five years into the future and talks about the positive changes that we can make to achieve positive outcomes for EAL students. (43:37) - Eowyn presents practical tips and advice that teachers can implement right now, to improve the standard of education for EAL students.About our guestDr Eowyn Crisfield is a specialist in language acquisition and development. She works with families, schools and governmental organisations to develop ethical and holistic approaches to supporting multilingual children. Her research focuses on equal access to learning and language development for all students and on appropriate and effective professional development for teachers working with language learners. She is the author of the recent book ‘Bilingual Families: A Practical Language Planning Guide (2021) and co-author of “Linguistic and Cultural Innovation in Schools: The Languages Challenge” (2018, with Jane Spiro). Connect with Eowyn Crisfield.Key takeawaysUnderstand and be curious about the diversity of languages among students in your school. Foster an environment where multilingualism is seen as a valuable skill.Utilise resources such as WoLLoW and WAM, which are designed to help schools in their journey of supporting multilingual students.Encourage parental involvement to boost the 'street cred' of a child's native language. For instance, invite them to do a story time in their language.Be prepared to adapt the curriculum that appreciates the range and variety of heritage and backgrounds of the pupils in the class.Advocate for the need for schools to have a staff member specialised in bilingualism and the need for the Department of Education to track students' English proficiency.Quotes"Every child who comes in the door has the opportunity to thrive in a curriculum that's designed to meet their needs." - Eowyn Crisfield"[Successful schools] just absolutely designed their curriculum to fit their kids rather than trying to make their kids fit a curriculum that doesn't work for them." - Eowyn Crisfield"Everything the child brings is considered as an asset and then how do we leverage those assets for them to feel comfortable, secure and then learning well in their environment." - Eowyn Crisfield"Without that kind of core of understanding within schools of what are the lived experiences of children who are learning English as an additional language, a lot of really unfortunate things happen for those children." - Eowyn CrisfieldResource recommendationsCrisfield Educational Consulting. Blogs and services to support schools.Bell Foundation.Tools, resources and training for teaching EAL.National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC). Events, professional network and publications for teaching English as an additional language (EAL).Bennett, T. and Chalmers, H. (2022). The researchED Guide to English as an Additional Language: An evidence-informed guide for teachers. John Catt Educational. Available here.We Are Multilingual (WAM). Research-based materials designed to inspire language learning. The World of Languages and Languages of the World (WoLLoW). Curriculum designed to promote language teaching and learning.What will you take away?Download the Hamilton Brookes' Primary Pledge card to continue the conversation with your teaching community. Share your pledge card by tagging ...
