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5 key reasons to assess learners’ English language proficiency in schools

Author: Iva Miteva, EAL Specialist
Created: Wed 6th Nov 2024

Importance of English language proficiency in school settings

Have you ever considered to what extent a learner’s English language proficiency level affects their academic success in English-medium school?

English language proficiency is usually measured by learners’ ability to use English effectively in different contexts, i.e. how well they can speak, listen, understand, read and write in English. 

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Teacher giving corrective feedback

Written corrective feedback: Beliefs and practices

Author: Eli Briasco, EAL specialist
Created: Sat 29th Oct 2022

Chances are, if you’ve been teaching English for a while, you’ve provided plenty of feedback to your learners on the accuracy of their writing. Prior to undertaking action research on this practice, it was evident from my observations of colleagues that there were multiple approaches and attitudes towards written corrective feedback.

Read moreDownload Indirect correction code
Teacher smiling in classroom

Early career framework and EAL

Author: Isabelle Bridger-Eames, EAL specialist
Created: Wed 27th Apr 2022

The Early Career Framework was made compulsory in the UK in September 2021. It replaces the year-long NQT period. It is a two-year programme of support and development for new teachers after they complete initial teacher training. The Framework covers 8 main areas:

Read moreDownload Early Career Framework Factsheet
Assessment on computer screen

An approach to EAL assessment

Author: Breda Matthews, EAL specialist
Created: Wed 7th Oct 2020

Assessment in an EAL context takes many forms. It can be formal (e.g. tests and examinations), informal (e.g. teacher observations) or learner self-assessment.

Read moreDownload Writing assessments

Assessment for learning: EAL learners

Author: Isabelle Bridger-Eames, EAL specialist
Created: Thu 4th Jun 2020

Effective assessment for learning (AfL) is ‘informed feedback to pupils about their work’ (Shaw, 1998). As Broadfoot et al (1999) discuss, there are five key ways in which we can enhance learning by assessment. These steps can be universally applied to all learning and all learners, and thus address the learning needs of EAL learners in physical and virtual classrooms. They are:

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Felt pens

Marking and feedback

Author: Gemma Fanning, EAL specialist
Created: Tue 19th Jun 2018

Marking and feedback is a crucial part of any teacher’s workload, and is essential for EAL learners. The importance of good-quality marking and feedback has been evidenced by many academic professionals, notably William & Black (1998) and, more recently, William (2018) and Hattie (2012). Hattie discusses the idea of rigorous approaches to marking and feedback, stating that through assessing learners, teachers themselves learn about their own impact: “As a professional, it is critical to know they impact.

Read moreDownload Correction code

ABC International School using the Learning Village

Created: Mon 6th Nov 2017

Academia Británica Cuscatleca (ABC) in El Salvador joined the Learning Village in April 2015.  However, they weren't fully active across Upper Primary until Communication Across Cultures came to their school in February this year to give an inset on EAL. 

Since then, they have used the Learning Village to support learners with accessing some of the basics of English as well as the curriculum content needed to help them to be successful in their lessons.

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Feedback

Created: Sat 28th Feb 2015

Feedback is the buzz-word and, as with most things, it is not being reinvented, but constantly readapted. In recent years, we see more formal national approach. One can become overwhelmed with the copious elements that need to be considered when feeding back to learners. 

Read moreDownload Individual Learning Goals Template

EAL assessment continuum

Created: Wed 4th Feb 2015

Including a useful EAL Progress Review and links to different EAL assessment continua

When teaching EAL, assessment procedures need to be in place in order to have a concrete analysis of student starting points.

This area is a minefield! Without other references or expertise to hand, a new teacher often turns to an expert for help… Google! Results popping up on the first page of a search shows the Oxford placement tests on the first page, but are they the answer?

Read moreDownload EAL Assessment Grid

What provision do you offer for your new arrivals?

Created: Thu 5th Jun 2014

New to English can be supported in many different ways. Here's one school's approach:

Assessment

All learning is based on assessment. Children arrive and sit a baseline assessment. After analysis of result children are provided with appropriate provision. Interim progress reports on progression in EAL, phonics and writing are reviewed every half term.

Beginners

Beginner EAL Learning Intervention (EAL Intervention)

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Do you create a School Language Profile?

Author: Jessica Tweedie
Created: Sat 17th May 2014

A School Language Profile is an invaluable tool!

In the previous article we looked at the thorny issue of EAL learners with specific learning differences (SpLD).  We discussed how identification of SpLD in EAL learners could be a long and frustrating process.  We looked at some possible, non-language based assessments.  At the end of the article we discussed the possibility of using a ‘language profile’ to help identify possible concerns at an early stage.

Read moreDownload School Language Profile Template

Assessing EAL students for Specific Learning Difficulties

Author: Jessica Tweedie
Created: Mon 5th May 2014

What tools are there if you have a sixth sense that something is not quite right?

At what point does a teacher start to question whether an EAL student’s lack of progress is due to English Language Development (ELD) issues or due to specific learning differences (SpLD).

These questions come up again and again. Learning English as an Additional Language is not a learning difficulty, however 20% of EAL students will follow the norm of having specific learning differences (Chapter 1, SFR24/2012, GovUK). Therefore, there is a possibility that an EAL student has SpLDs.

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