Description

Comparing the Measuring Stick to the Measured: Supporting EAL Pupils’ Writing Development
Johanna Funk

The Impact of Synthetic Phonics on Teaching Children with English as an Additional Language to Read – a Case Study
Anne Hardy

Government education policy currently seems intent on making EAL learners invisible and so NALDIC is particularly delighted to launch EAL MATTERS, our new online publication, with two papers that highlight bilingual learners’ distinctive needs in such central areas as writing, reading and assessment. As yet another ‘new’ National Curriculum lumbers into place it is essential that we are reminded that in the absence of an EAL curriculum and assessment system bilingual learners are always going to be at a disadvantage if we fail to understand that progress might proceed differently for them.

Johanna Funk and Anne Hardy both draw on case studies of EAL learners in schools to ensure we do not lose sight of the realities of the classroom and draw on a wide body of research and point to concrete alternatives to show us what we might be doing better to ensure the best possible outcomes for our students. Johanna’s paper focuses on EAL writing development and Anne’s looks at the efficacy of using synthetic phonics with EAL learners.