Description

This edition of NALDIC Quarterly focuses on the current roles of teachers and teaching assistants in supporting the learning and language development of bilingual learners in our schools. Over the last 50 years in the UK we have seen considerable developments in policy and provision for EAL learners with corresponding developments in training and practice. Many EAL specialists have been able to provide the advice, guidance and training necessary to ensure that EAL learners have been able to effectively develop the social and academic language skills necessary to access the curriculum and achieve their potential in the education system. Many of these specialists have also drawn on their knowledge of theory and effective pedagogic approaches to teach EAL learners in collaboration with their mainstream colleagues. At the same time many mainstream teachers have developed their knowledge, understanding and practice to ensure their pedagogic approaches meet the needs of all their students. A number of schools have developed their policy and provision to ensure that it reflects an understanding of the cognitive and linguistic benefits of bilingualism, the need for appropriate language teaching and demonstrates a commitment to social and academic inclusion. A commitment to supporting the professional development of all staff has been an underpinning factor in these schools.

Contents

Editorial (page 2)
Carrie Cable

View from the Chair (page 3)
Amy Thompson

Policy, practice, research – EAL specialists and support staff in schools (page 4)
Nicola Davies

The role of an Ethnic Minority Achievement Co-ordinator (page 7)
Raymonde Sneddon

A bilingual nursery nurse (page 9)
Interview by Carrie Cable and Leena Helavaara Robertson

Combining the roles of EAL and mainstream teacher (page 12)
Interview by Frank Monaghan

The roles of EAL teaching Assistants (page 16)
Interviews by Catharine Driver and Manny Vazquez

NALDIC Online survey (page 19)
Carrie Cable

Participant perspectives on the impact of EAL CPD (page 20)
Anwar Khan

Working in Partnership (page 24)

Dyslexia and literacy difficulties in multilingual contexts (page 25)
Deirdre Martin

NALDIC News (page 32)

Book reviews (page 42)
Louise Wheeler and Nicola Davies