Discuss How Children with English as an Additional Language (Eal) Can Be Included Within the Daily Mathematics Lesson

References: ………………………………………………………………………………………….16-17 Appendix 18 E.A.L. stands for English, as an Additional Language. It is an additional in school support provided for children whose first language is not English. If children are not supported to develop English, they are less likely to be able to participate fully in mathematics lessons, and so will have fewer opportunities to make progress in the subject. Whilst this may seem like a generic statement, there is various research into how additional language learners develop language and the impact it can have on the individual learning. Jim Cummins is an expert on bilingual education and second language acquisition. He draws the distinction between two differing kinds of language ability. Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) describes social language used for day-today communication. It takes around two years for people from different linguistic backgrounds, to comprehend social language readily. EAL leaners employ BIC skills when they are in a meaningful social context, such as on the playground, in the lunchroom, on the school bus, at parties or playing sports. Social interactions are usually context embedded, or rather, where there are cues that help to reveal the meaning such as a specific environment. If communication takes place in a playground for example, this can help a child with EAL, recognise through observing others’ reactions the appropriate language being used. However, whilst it helps, it does not mean the child will be able to talk fluently in a more academic situation, when higher order thinking skills are required such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) refers to formal academic language. This includes anything from speaking, listening, reading, and writing about subject area content material. This level of language is essential for children to achieve in the classroom environment and can take five to seven years, for an EAL leaner to become competent in the language. It is essential that teachers use a variety of strategies in their teaching, to ensure that EAL learners are being included into their mathematics lessons, at all times. Baker (2006) stresses, ‘BICS is said to occur when there are contextual supports and props for language delivery.’ (Baker, 2006, p.174) Therefore, non-verbal support by teachers can help to secure understanding for EAL learners, for example, using gestures with face and hands, or writing on PowerPoint and worksheets. The use of concrete rather than abstract starters, may allow EAL students greater access to the beginning of the lesson. E.g. matching words to pictures or grouping similar words. If language that is supported by contextual clues in the environment, helps the second language learner make meaning from the spoken, or written word, (Improving Second Language Education, 2011) then the use of objects, visual aids, such as a laminated pictures to signify different equipment or key words, such as mass, capacity at the very beginning of topic ‘measurement’ for example, pictures, charts and props should be utilized in every mathematics lesson. This piece of research was intended to highlight that just because a child is skilled in a language demonstrating in a social context, does not mean they are fluent in academic language (CALPS) and therefore as a teacher, referring to a model such as matrix with two axes (Context-Embedded language and Context-reduced language) by Cummins, when planning would provide extra help for the EAL children in their class because the model allows for educators to see how demanding a task is.