Best Practice

EAL and SEND: Seven principles for ensuring inclusive and integrated provision

EAL In the classroom Parental engagement Whole-school issues Vulnerable children
A number of EAL pupils will also have SEND. How can primary schools best support these learners and address both their linguistic and special needs? Glynis Lloyd offers guidance, some practical ideas, and seven key messages
Image: Adobe Stock

Learners who use English as an additional language (EAL) are a diverse group, who come from a range of social, economic, and geographical backgrounds.

As in all learner populations, a small proportion of children using EAL also have SEND. How can teachers support those learners and address both their linguistic and special needs so that they can reach their full potential?

 

Key message 1: Learning EAL is not a SEND

It bears repeating that learning EAL is not a SEND. With accurate and holistic assessment, target-setting, and adaptive teaching with language support, learners using EAL can learn English as they access the full curriculum and achieve academic success.

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