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English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Deptford Green is a culturally diverse school. Over 50 languages are spoken at home among our pupils, who come from different ethnic backgrounds.

Languages spoken at Deptford Green

  1. Spanish
  2. Cantonese
  3. Dutch/Flemish
  4. French
  5. Italian
  6. Lithuanian
  7. Mandarin
  8. Polish
  9. Portuguese
  10. Somali
  11. Arabic
  12. Tamil
  13. Turkish
  14. Vietnamese
  15. Yoruba

The English as an Additional Language (EAL) department’s aim is to support and extend the language development of all bilingual/multilingual pupils. For early stage language learners, we endeavour to equip them with basic literacy skills through an intensive induction programme. For more advanced language learners, we support them in their mainstream classrooms in both 1:1 sessions and in their mainstream classrooms in order to ensure they can fully access core National Curriculum subjects, particularly in English, Mathematics, and Science.

We want all EAL pupils to:

  • Feel welcome, motivated and supported by the department and the school
  • Enjoy learning English
  • Be increasingly confident, competent and independent listeners, speakers, readers and writers
  • Make good progress in English in relation to challenging and achievable targets.
  • Have access to the curriculum in all subject areas

Department Contact Details

The EAL Department is run by the EAL Coordinator Mr Almeida alongside Ms Fernandez (High Level Teaching Assistant).

Mr Fabian Almeida
lalmeida@deptfordgreen.co.uk

Department Telephone:  07956148469 

Ms Laura Fernandez
lfernandez@deptfordgreen.co.uk

 

Support within the EAL Department

We have created our own EAL Curriculum from scratch, as there is no standard National EAL curriculum. It's aim is to support EAL students through a tailored programme of subject related skill acquisition to enable pupils to fully access the mainstream curriculum thus paving the way for a smooth integration into British society.

Support is offered at a range of levels and individual needs are considered. Depending on their level of English, students may receive individual, or small group lessons to develop fluency in reading, writing or speaking and always following the mainstream TMP (term medium plan). All students receive support in our EAL Homework Club at lunchtime. 

For students who are new to the UK, we have developed a support system which we hope will help the students to settle in as quickly possible:

  • On arrival: We do the admissions interview with new EAL arrivals; then we test students' English and keep them with us in EAL for lessons until they have a full timetable. We take this opportunity to get to know more about the additional issues that they may have as they are usually new in the country (e.g. SEN conditions, family background, cognitive and emotional problems, economic issues, etc.) We also give parents our EAL contact (if they are not fluent in English) so they can contact us if they need to get in touch with the school.
  • EAL Staff: The new students are introduced to the EAL staff who will be working with them. As well as developing and improving their use of English, we attach great importance to the students' well-being. We work from a room which is usually open to students before school, at break time and lunchtime.

KS3 Standard EAL Students 

These students attend a provision which reflects the mainstream English curriculum but differentiated with abridged resources, activities and strategies.

As for the rest of mainstream subjects, 'New to English' and 'Early Acquisition' students (Band A and B) are withdrawn from Humanities to build up vocabulary and specific subject related terminology (using Flash Academy).

SEN-EAL students: These students work with our High-Level Teaching Assistant Laura Fernandez to improve literacy and numeracy (also using IDL) as the language barrier prevents them from accessing SEN mainstream provision. This is individually planned (based on each EAL-SEN student's needs).

*Both IDL and Flash Academy are used strictly as complimentary tools to learning, never as replacement to mainstream curriculum delivery.

We also collaborate with other specialists to expedite support for our vulnerable EAL students who also have other learning requirements (for example, dyslexia, or other more complex needs).

KS4 Standard EAL Students 

At this stage, if we are certain that the student will fail to attain the English GCSE qualification due to the language barrier or any other reason, namely arriving late in Y10 or Y11, lack of educational background, undiagnosed SEN, among others, they will work towards acquiring a standardised GCSE qualification for English (AQA English Functional Skills Level 1 or 2). We use presentations, debates, past papers, components (topics) and literacy platforms (IDL and Flash Academy).

EAL students Band C & D who have returned to mainstream lessons, have full access to an ample range of digitalised adapted materials to facilitate their understanding and learning.

The EAL specialist work with abridged materials on the topics that are being covered in mainstream lessons.

Resources used:

  • Graphic novels
  • Audibles
  • Abridged versions
  • Summaries
  • Bilingual versions
  • Comics
  • Booklets
  • Revision guides
  • Worksheets
  • Movies (with subtitles)
  • Knowledge organisers
  • Writing/speaking programmes

and more

The Giver (Graphic Novel) Y7

Othello (Subtitled Movie) Y8

Of Mice and Men Y9

(Translated version) 

OMAM Chapter

1 booklet

 

Conflict Poetry (Y10) Revision guide adapted

All these materials are also available online (Microsoft Teams) so that students can access them from home.

Both KS3 & KS4 receive support in lessons (especially in mathematics and science) as part of our extended department outreach.

We also offer the 'EAL break and lunch club' in which EAL learners can complete their homework with our assistance.

Buddies: new students are introduced to a buddy in their tutor or year group who look after them whilst they settle in. The buddies show their new friends around school and take care of them during breaks and lunchtimes so that they are never alone. The 'buddies' are always excellent role model students and fluent in English.

Pastoral and safeguarding links:

We work alongside pastoral teams (KS3 & KS4) to ensure that non-english speaking students and parents are fully aware of our Behaviour For Learning Policy. We support interpreting in meetings, translating students' statements, school letters to parents, liaising with parents to tackle emergent behaviour and attendance issues and monitor students' interactions within as well as outside of school.

We have implemented our EAL Parents Event to ensure non-English speaking parents are updated on the most important events and information in our school. 

Safeguarding:

We form very close bonds with our students and their families which means that they tend to disclose safeguarding issues to us. As are result, we can intervene when they are complex situations stopping the students from progressing well in school, hence ensuring that the students flourish. If needs be, we refer students to Place2Be for counselling and support.

We support with admission meetings. By reducing language misunderstandings, our department helps the school to streamline the enrolment process.

  • Extracurricular activities: It is important for us to encourage our students to take part in a variety of extracurricular activities. We organise educational visits to museums and other institutions around London.
  • Support in exams: if the student has been in England for less than two years, they may be allowed to have 15% extra time in their exams, plus the use sofa a bilingual dictionary (for most subjects). Students can also have access to a supported small room rather than sit in the main exam hall.