EAL (English as an Additional Language) 

Lead Teacher of EAL: Ms Katarzyna Franas

 As a Rights Respecting School, at Bow we place our young people’s culture and identity at the heart of our curriculum. Multilingual EAL learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds are supported academically and pastorally by our team of EAL specialists and by the school as a whole.

 By encouraging some students to first work in their native language, or providing translations of key materials and subject specific vocabulary, teachers at Bow school are adapting the learning and teaching to include students who are learning English at a wide variety of levels. 

Welcoming Multilingual Learners

 New arrivals first meet with the admissions team and the Lead Teacher of EAL. Information on the school and the English education system is given in the family’s first language where possible. A child’s first day at school can be daunting, especially in a new cultural and linguistic setting. With this in mind, the EAL team runs an induction lesson and arranges for a student led tour. New students are carefully placed in a tutor group with a buddy and the Lead Teacher of EAL coordinates with the Head of Year and class teachers to make sure that students have a smooth start to their education at Bow.  

Supporting Multilingual Learners

 Those young people who are new-to-English receive intensive lessons in the four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. These lessons take the form of interventions during lesson time. 

 At Bow, we follow the research that shows that multilingual learners learn best while in their subject classes learning from expert teachers. For that reason, small group removal interventions are kept to a minimum and instead the Lead Teacher of EAL and EAL Teaching Assistants work with teachers to adapt lessons to allow multilingual learners to meet the same learning objectives as their classmates through both English and a home language. 

 Through translanguaging (using home languages together with English) in the classroom, whether via the latest technology or encouraging talk in the student’s language, teachers at Bow are affirming the young peoples’ sense of self as a multilingual learner with the skill to learn in more than one language.

 At Bow literacy, reading and vocabulary acquisition are whole school objectives. EAL students continue to be monitored and offered support up to their GCSEs with subject specific technical language. 

Our Successful Multilingual Learners

In addition to extra after school homework clubs run by the EAL team and morning and evening reading sessions, at Bow we recognise that it takes more than good grades to be World and career ready. The EAL team cares for our multilingual learners pastorally in school and helps ease communication with home. In addition, we ensure that EAL learners are given clear guidance on the next steps of further education post 16, as well as career’s advice.