Download resource

Please enter your details to download this resource
Login
 

Enter your details to access this video

Or if you already have an account login to watch the video (if you don't you can register here).
Login
Author: Val Awad, Head of Early Years, Cairo English School, Egypt
Approximate reading time: 2 minutes

As a Head of Early Years in an international school following the EYFS and IPC curriculums it has always been important to ensure that the teaching of the English language is done in the classroom without the help of specialist EAL support. Early years teachers are great physical, visual talkers!

One of the key principles of teaching in the Early Years is that bilingualism has an advantage and that as the first language it has a continuing and significant role in identity, learning and the acquisition of additional languages.

In the Early Years Department of our school, 90% of new students to FS1 and their parents are EAL in the same home language (Arabic) and are taught by a majority of overseas hired teachers who have no prior experience of this home language.

In FS1, where we accommodate children between the ages of 3 and 4 years, it is very important that we acknowledge their home language not just pay lip service to it. We do this by providing bilingual teaching assistant support and encouraging parents to continue to use their home language especially during bedtime stories and everyday life experiences. These children are still in the early stages of cognitive and academic development. Language acquisition goes hand in hand with this development, building on the skills and experiences they encounter within the setting.

The home language should be valued and we do this quite successfully at our school by having Arabic taught in the early years’ classroom as opposed to moving to an Arabic only classroom. Having displays of children’s activities and photos of them working in Arabic lessons displayed prominently in the class and encouraging the Arabic teachers to use a similar form of early years pedagogy has had a very positive impact on children’s English language acquisition. The children see daily the interactions between the English and Arabic teachers; the rapport, respect and camaraderie for each other. The use of our Early Years topics to inform Arabic planning enables children to make connections with their learning. Also using similar approaches to synthetic phonics in both languages and displayed alongside each other. This shows our EAL children that we value them, their culture and their community; the results of which are that children in foundation stage at our school grasp English more confidently and securely and at a quicker pace.

Tools to support this development:

  • Circle Time and small group activities
  • Visual stimulation
  • Props and artifacts
  • Choral assemblies
  • Rhyme and repetition as in songs and stories
  • Real life experience and connections
  • A secure and non-confrontational environment
  • Daily interactive language practice
  • Home/school connections
  • Shared Home language/English assemblies and award ceremonies
  • Home language displays not just translated labels on objects

If you are interested in working at an international school check out Teacher Horizons - a site full of helpful information!


More articles from our blog

Learners holding up their hands in class
Created: Mon 14th Oct 2024

It is difficult enough to teach a classroom of new students as a substitute teacher (or relief teacher as we call them in New Zealand), but when the class contains or is composed of English Language Learners and there has been no work set, it can make a relief lesson more of a challenge. 

SEND family
Created: Mon 16th Jun 2025

It is widely recognised that young people and their families should be at the heart of their educational journey. The phrase “nothing about us without us” simply and powerfully reflects the need to include young people and their families in decisions that affect them. Pupil voice can provide crucial insights into the needs of young people with SEND. Parents can also provide a valuable overview of a child’s needs, strengths, and challenges. Using these insights to guide learning opportunities can enhance engagement, enjoyment and, ultimately, progress.

SEND learners writing
Created: Fri 13th Dec 2024

For some learners, including those with SEND, the thought of a writing lesson can be daunting and unappealing. However, by finding creative ways to engage and 'hook' your learners, they will be more likely to feel motivated and engaged.

Tip or Idea: Start your lessons in an unusual or exciting way! Set up a scene or have props that give clues to a character or event, play an engaging video or audio clip or perhaps transform your classroom into a courtroom for a debate...

Back to Blog