Overview

last updated:July 2009

The RfT summary looked at the study Raising the Achievement of Bilingual Learners in Primary Schools: Evaluation of the Pilot/Programme

Why is the issue important?
In many local authorities and schools there are significant numbers of children from ethnic minority backgrounds for whom English is an additional language (EAL). There is plenty of evidence that lack of fluency with English is a barrier to learning for many of these children.

What did the study find out?
The study found that the programme helped pupils with EAL:

• to be more confident and to have higher expectations of themselves
• to ask more questions and ‘expect to understand’
• to be more prepared to use their home language in school; and
• to be more ‘on task’ and focused.

How was this achieved?
In this RfT, we look at the importance of creating effective action plans that included accessible targets, making appropriate resources available, effective targeting and monitoring, appropriate and effective organizational and managerial structures for developing and supporting teaching and learning in the schools. Teaching approaches that made language development a priority were also critical to the success of the programme.

How was the research designed to be trustworthy?
Local authority personnel and practitioners were consulted in 21 schools within seven local authorities through interviews and visits. There were follow-up visits to 13 of the schools and visits to a further four schools.

What are the implications?
The research showed the importance of:

• teachers encouraging children to develop their language skills in their home and engaging parents to help them develop the skills, such as reading in their home language
• teachers deploying strategies that provided effective support for speaking and listening among EAL learners such as guided reading, reading buddies, speaking frames, for example; and
• schools offering CPD for mainstream teachers in relation to the learning of EAL pupils, informed and provided by EAL specialists.

What do the case studies illustrate?
The case studies show, for example, how:

• teachers and EAL specialists collaborated to plan and deliver effective teaching to EAL learners 
• parents and other adult volunteers were helped to become more confident and proficient in reading with learners, including those with EAL; and
• how a school organised an effective, whole-school approach to the teaching and learning of EAL pupils.