As with all EAL pupils, schools need to find out as much as they can about the pupil’s prior educational experiences. Most EAL pupils will have had different learning experiences to those in the UK, many will have learned using different strategies and learned completely different topics; some groups of EAL pupils will have gaps in their education. It is important to know each child’s starting point and plan accordingly.
- Some UASC may have limited first language literacy and will need support to learn how to read and write through their new language with specialist EAL/literacy teachers.
- Pre- literate learner’s will need more support to access mainstream, they may also be unused to formal education and may need support to learn how to be learners.
- Secondary teachers in particular may not have enough knowledge or expertise in teaching reading and may well need further training and/or specialist support and advice.
Research teaching and learning for pre-literate EAL students
This is a very under researched area of work in the UK, the research studies listed below are mostly based in Australia, NZ and US and are mainly focussed on pre-literate adult refugee students, however, many of the issues raised and strategies/resources discussed are relevant to the pre/low literate UASC we have been working with.
- Adult refugee learners with limited literacy: needs and effective responses, John Benseman
- Approaches to teaching low literacy refugee-background students, Windle & Miller
- Working With Adult English Language Learners With Limited Literacy: Research, Practice, and Professional Development. Burt, Peyton, & Schaetzel
- Reaching Below Level ELL’s Reading Comprehension, Braunworth & Franco
Other useful links
- New to ESOL Guidance: teaching and learning materials for learners – Education and Training Foundation
- New to ESOL and new to literacy learning report – Education and Training Foundation
- Guidelines – Learners with limited first language – The Bell Foundation
- Readers for pre-literate EAL – Bow Valley Readers
- Making it Real booklet – Teacher’s book pre-literate EAL – Tacoma Community House Training Project
- EAL resources for pre-literate learners – Atlas and Hamline University