# data[].attributes.headline
SESS Functional Language and Communication Resource 

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SESS Functional Language and Communication Resource 

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Functional Language and Communication Resource

This will download a document onto your device.

This is a resource which teachers can use to inform the planning for, monitoring and evaluation of learners' functional language and communication development.

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Intercultural Education in the Primary School (Guidelines for Schools) 2005 *Currently being updated

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Intercultural Education in the Primary School (Guidelines for Schools) 2005 *Currently being updated

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Intercultural Education in the Primary School (Guidelines for Schools) 2005

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NEPS Embracing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Webinars

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NEPS Embracing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Webinars

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Register through Education Centres

NEPS Webinars

Target audience: Primary Teachers & SNAs

This 45-minute webinar is open to school leaders and one other member of staff, it is an invitation to reflect on cultural and linguistic diversity in Ireland and provides examples.

The content includes looking at cultural and linguistic diversity in Ireland today, the reason why it is important to promote inclusive education, key psychological constructs such as bias, stereotyping and intersectionality, inclusive language and examples of good practice in schools.

As well as listening to presentations, attendees will be encouraged to engage in self-reflection regarding their own attitudes and behaviours.

At the end of the training attendees will be supported to identify key areas for an action plan using the Wellbeing Framework for Policy and Practice.

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ESCI - Education Support Centres Ireland

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Embracing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

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NEPS Webinar Target audience: Primary Teachers & SNAs This 45-minute webinar is open to school leaders and one other member of staff, it is an invitation to reflect on cultural and linguistic…

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What is NCSE Relate ?

Our comprehensive Relate resource is designed for school staff to better understand and to reframe student behaviour. It places relationships at the heart of all support.

Relate takes a regulation-first approach in understanding and supporting students. Regulation means recognising the factors that influence our:
– Energy level
– Emotions
– Attention
– Behaviour

Relate has eight principles for understanding behaviour , and six elements  to help you and your school  respond to the needs of every students. We explain each below.

The elements of support include:
– Practical strategies
– Opportunities for reflective practice.

The resources section includes new tools, resources and videos to support you.

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Guidelines for Primary Schools Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Classes

The Revised SET Allocation Model can be used effectively to manage a school’s support for EAL learners in a flexible way.

The framework gives schools greater autonomy, flexibility and capacity to address emerging needs during the school year.

Students with the greatest levels of need should have access to the greatest level of support.

Using the CEFR results, adopt a Three-Level Approach to EAL Support  based on the Continuum of Support.

Link to SET Guidelines and supporting documentation to aid schools in supporting Children/Young people with Special Education Needs

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Guidelines for Primary Schools Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Classes

The Revised SET Allocation Model can be used effectively to manage a school’s support for EAL learners in a flexible way.

The framework gives schools greater autonomy, flexibility and capacity to address emerging needs during the school year.

Students with the greatest levels of need should have access to the greatest level of support.

Using the CEFR results, adopt a Three-Level Approach to EAL Support  based on the Continuum of Support.

Link to SET Guidelines and supporting documentation to aid schools in supporting Children/Young people with Special Education Needs

# data[].attributes.body
What is NCSE Relate ?

Our comprehensive Relate resource is designed for school staff to better understand and to reframe student behaviour. It places relationships at the heart of all support.

Relate takes a regulation-first approach in understanding and supporting students. Regulation means recognising the factors that influence our:
– Energy level
– Emotions
– Attention
– Behaviour

Relate has eight principles for understanding behaviour , and six elements  to help you and your school  respond to the needs of every students. We explain each below.

The elements of support include:
– Practical strategies
– Opportunities for reflective practice.

The resources section includes new tools, resources and videos to support you.

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Wellbeing Education

Welcome to the Wellbeing curriculum for all primary and special schools. Here you can find links to the Wellbeing specification and the Wellbeing Toolkit. You can also access useful videos, resources and information relating to Wellbeing.

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Social and Environmental Education

Welcome to the Social and Environmental Education (SEE) curriculum for all primary and special schools. Here you can find links to the SEE specification and the SEE Toolkit. You can also access useful videos, resources and information relating to SEE.

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Arts Education

Welcome to the Arts Education curriculum for all primary and special schools. Here you can find links to the Arts specification and the Arts Toolkit. You can also access useful videos, resources and information relating to Arts Education.

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Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

Welcome to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education curriculum for all primary and special schools. Within the STEM specification you will find the Science, Technology and Engineering (STE) specification, the Primary Mathematics Curriculum as well as an approach to Integrated STEM learning. You can also access the STE and Maths Toolkits, as well as further useful videos and information relating to STEM education.

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Intercultural Education in the Primary School (Guidelines for Schools) 2005 *Currently being updated

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Intercultural Education in the Primary School (Guidelines for Schools) 2005 *Currently being updated

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Intercultural Education in the Primary School (Guidelines for Schools) 2005

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Sample Google Sheets Template to make a word list of vocabulary translated in many languages

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Sample Google Sheets Template to make a word list of vocabulary translated in many languages

# data[].attributes.body
Make your own copy of the Google Sheets (like Microsoft Excel) link below.

You will have to be logged into your Gmail account to access this resource. You will be able to make many multilingual word lists that will save into your Google Drive.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fXMs_N5C3-r_cfIQUy1_3CSIftRCiXfRd-qn44_c1Ws/copy

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Guidelines for Primary Schools Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Classes

The Revised SET Allocation Model can be used effectively to manage a school’s support for EAL learners in a flexible way.

The framework gives schools greater autonomy, flexibility and capacity to address emerging needs during the school year.

Students with the greatest levels of need should have access to the greatest level of support.

Using the CEFR results, adopt a Three-Level Approach to EAL Support  based on the Continuum of Support.

Link to SET Guidelines and supporting documentation to aid schools in supporting Children/Young people with Special Education Needs

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Supporting children and young people whose home language is neither Irish nor English Guide for Gaeltacht and Irish-medium schools (April 2026)

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Supporting children and young people whose home language is neither Irish nor English Guide for Gaeltacht and Irish-medium schools (April 2026)

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This guide provides practical suggestions to support leaders, teachers, and practitioners in integrating newcomer learners — those with Irish and English as additional languages — into Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools. It will support schools in developing a whole-school approach, whereby all students — regardless of their language background — can access the curriculum through Irish and contribute to school life in a meaningful way.

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Developed by the Department of Education and Youth, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Oide and the National Council for Special Education

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Whole-School Curriculum Planning Guidance for all Primary and Special Schools (2026)

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Whole-School Curriculum Planning Guidance for all Primary and Special Schools (2026)

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The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for school leaders and teachers regarding whole school curriculum planning to support the enactment of the redeveloped Primary School Curriculum for primary and special schools. Curriculum planning and enactment is an important component of the overall School Plan.

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(Released April 30th, 2026) Circular Letter 0051/2026 - Implementing the Action Plan for Irish in English-Medium Schools

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(Released April 30th, 2026) Circular Letter 0051/2026 - Implementing the Action Plan for Irish in English-Medium Schools

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Implementing the Action Plan for Irish in English-Medium Schools

"7. Supporting access by all pupils to the learning of Irish The provision of inclusive education for all children and young people, including those with additional educational needs, those at risk of educational disadvantage and those from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds is a key feature of the Irish educational system. The principles of inclusion and differentiated learning apply to pupils’ engagement with all curricular areas, including Irish.

Accordingly, schools are encouraged to provide all pupils, to the greatest extent possible and in a meaningful way, with opportunities to learn Irish and to participate in Irish language and cultural activities at a level appropriate to their learning needs and to achieve a level of personal proficiency appropriate to their ability." (page 4)

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Application for temporary English as an Additional Language (EAL) support for the 2026/27 School Year (Posted April 22nd, 2026)

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Application for temporary English as an Additional Language (EAL) support for the 2026/27 School Year (Posted April 22nd, 2026)

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***Please review the Guidelines for Criteria A and Criteria B PRIOR to completing the Applications***

Please see link to the Applications to Criteria A (New Entrants) and Criteria B (Non New Entrants) here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/allocation-of-teachers-to-schools/#application-for-temporary-english-as-an-additional-language-eal-support-for-the-202627-school-year

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Circular 0025/2026 Staffing arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2026/27 (Issued March 25th, 2026)

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Circular 0025/2026 Staffing arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2026/27 (Issued March 25th, 2026)

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Page 6 (English as an Additional Language) support on Form Prim-EAL 2026/27 Form Prim-EAL 2026/27 (online form

) See the entry below for the Online Applications for Criteria A (New Entrants) and Criteria B (Non-New Entrants) at this link: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/allocation-of-teachers-to-schools/#application-for-temporary-english-as-an-additional-language-eal-support-for-the-202627-school-year

Page 13 & 14 Additional Allocations for Schools with High Concentrations of Pupils that require Language Support (EAL)

Application Process: Schools with pupils with EAL needs should complete the Form Prim-EAL 2026/27 to apply for EAL Support. This form will be available via an online link which schools will be notified about through the OLCS application after the Easter break. Schools will be notified of dates for completion at this time. For any queries in relation to this, schools can contact primarystaffingappeals@education.gov.ie

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Inspection for improvement: findings from follow-through inspections of provision for English as an additional language (EAL), September – December 2024

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Inspection for improvement: findings from follow-through inspections of provision for English as an additional language (EAL), September – December 2024

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Inspection for improvement: findings from follow-through inspections of provision for English as an additional language (EAL), September – December 2024

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In September and October 2023, the Inspectorate conducted eighty-three incidental inspections, in forty-seven primary schools and thirty-six post-primary schools. These inspections focused on provision for English as an additional language (EAL). The report arising from the inspections, Meeting Additional Language Needs: Whole-school and Classroom Approaches for Inclusive Language Learning,[1] was published in February 2024 and is discussed in Chapter 10 of the Inspectorate Report (2021–2023) and Thematic Review [2].

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SESS Functional Language and Communication Resource 

# data[].attributes.subject
SESS Functional Language and Communication Resource 

# data[].attributes.body
Functional Language and Communication Resource

This will download a document onto your device.

This is a resource which teachers can use to inform the planning for, monitoring and evaluation of learners' functional language and communication development.

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The Primary Language Toolkit supports teachers in using the Learning Outcomes by providing practical support in planning for, and providing rich language learning experiences for children. The three components of the toolkit are described in the following section – Examples of Children’s Language Learning, Progression Continua and Support Materials for Teachers.

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Language Curriculum

Welcome to the Language curriculum for all primary and special schools. Here you can find links to the Language specification incorporating English, Irish and Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), and the Primary Language Toolkit. You can also access useful videos, resources and information relating to Languages.

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Using Draw and Tell App to Assess Oral Language for EAL Learners

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Using Draw and Tell App to Assess Oral Language for EAL Learners

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Digital Technology for Oral Language Assessment at Trinity Primary School, Tuam

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NEPS Support and Development for Schools (School Year 2025/26)

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NEPS Support and Development for Schools (School Year 2025/26)

# data[].attributes.body
A list of supports for schools from NEPS (School Year 2025/26)

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Leading and Supporting the Inclusion of EAL Learners in Primary Schools (2025-2026 Professional Learning Experience) 

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Leading and Supporting the Inclusion of EAL Learners in Primary Schools (2025-2026 Professional Learning Experience) 

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Leading and Supporting the Inclusion of EAL Learners in Primary Schools 2025/26

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Considerations and Advice to Support the Placement of Children and Young People in Classes and Year Groups in Primary and Post-Primary Schools

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Considerations and Advice to Support the Placement of Children and Young People in Classes and Year Groups in Primary and Post-Primary Schools

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Guidelines for Primary Schools Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Classes

The Revised SET Allocation Model can be used effectively to manage a school’s response to students’ EAL needs in a flexible way.

The framework gives schools greater autonomy, flexibility and capacity to address emerging needs during the school year.

Students with the greatest levels of need should have access to the greatest level of support.

Using the CEFR results, adopt a Three-Level Approach to EAL Support  based on the Continuum of Support.

Link to SET Guidelines and supporting documentation to aid schools in supporting Children/Young people with Special Education Needs

# data[].attributes.headline
NEPS Embracing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Webinars

# data[].attributes.subject
NEPS Embracing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Webinars

# data[].attributes.body
Register through Education Centres

NEPS Webinars

Target audience: Primary Teachers & SNAs

This 45-minute webinar is open to school leaders and one other member of staff, it is an invitation to reflect on cultural and linguistic diversity in Ireland and provides examples.

The content includes looking at cultural and linguistic diversity in Ireland today, the reason why it is important to promote inclusive education, key psychological constructs such as bias, stereotyping and intersectionality, inclusive language and examples of good practice in schools.

As well as listening to presentations, attendees will be encouraged to engage in self-reflection regarding their own attitudes and behaviours.

At the end of the training attendees will be supported to identify key areas for an action plan using the Wellbeing Framework for Policy and Practice.

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ESCI - Education Support Centres Ireland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embracing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

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NEPS Webinar Target audience: Primary Teachers & SNAs This 45-minute webinar is open to school leaders and one other member of staff, it is an invitation to reflect on cultural and linguistic…

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Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

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Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

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Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

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Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

# data[].attributes.headline
Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

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Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

# data[].attributes.body
Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

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Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

# data[].attributes.headline
Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

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Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

# data[].attributes.body
Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

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Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

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Standardised Testing for EAL Learners in Primary Schools (updated May 2025)

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Standardised Testing for EAL Learners in Primary Schools (updated May 2025)

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Circular 0022/2023

Circular

0022/2023

Information in relation to Standardised Testing and Other

Matters

Academic Year 2022/23 and Subsequent Years

As per circular 56/2011

‘Students may  be  excluded  from  standardised  testing  if  in the  view  of  the  school principal  they  have  a  learning  or  physical  disability  which  would  prevent  them  from attempting  the  tests  or,  in  the  case  of  migrant  students,  where  the  level  of  English required in the test would make attempting the  test inappropriate’

. Information is also available at https://www.tests.erc.ie/test

Principals should use their professional judgement and consider the need for  exemption from or inclusion in testing on a case-by-case basis. There will be learners who due to their level of language proficiency will be able to access standardised testing within their first year in Ireland, others will need more time if their progress in English language development is below what would be expected or if their schooling has been interrupted by accommodation issues/lack of school places/other wellbeing factors.

Updated with Circular 0025/2025 https://www.into.ie/app/uploads/2025/03/0025_2025.pdf

(Page 4)

"In the case of migrant pupils:

• Some may be ready for standardised tests within their first year in Ireland.

• Others will need more time if their progress in English language development is slower or if their education has been disrupted by accommodation issues, lack of school places, or other wellbeing factors."

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Department of Education Good Practice Video for Parents (March 2025)

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Department of Education Good Practice Video for Parents (March 2025)

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Nurturing English as an additional language:  Parents

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Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

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Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

# data[].attributes.body
Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

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Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

# data[].attributes.headline
Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

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Department of Education: Good Practice Video for Primary Schools (March 2025)

# data[].attributes.body
Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

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Nurturing English as an additional language - Primary schools

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Google Lens is a digital tool that allows you to translate text and from a website. It will read text out to the learner in many languages.

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Immersive Reader is a digital reading tool that can be used to support access to text for EAL learners.

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Immersive Reader for Google using the Helperbird Extension

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Immersive Reader for Google using the Helperbird Extension

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Helperbird is an extension that allows you to access Immersive Reader through Google Chrome

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This video demonstrates how to use Google Translate Side panel, a tool to support EAL learners in classrooms

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This website provides an opportunity for inclusion by providing an option to Translate each page into the home language of EAL learners as well as offering the reading material in 3 reading levels.

The example above is a piece about St. Patrick. This resource is available on the Scoilnet website.

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Educational Provision for Children from Ukraine,International Protection Applicants and Children with Recognised Status - Guidance for Primary Schools September 2023

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Educational Provision for Children from Ukraine,International Protection Applicants and Children with Recognised Status - Guidance for Primary Schools September 2023

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Educational Provision for Children from Ukraine,

International Protection

Applicants and Children with

Recognised Status

Guidance for Primary Schools

September 2023

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SEN Supports for Ukrainian and International Protection Students with Special Educational Needs

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SEN Supports for Ukrainian and International Protection Students with Special Educational Needs

# data[].attributes.headline
SEN Supports for Ukrainian and International Protection Students with Special Educational Needs

# data[].attributes.subject
SEN Supports for Ukrainian and International Protection Students with Special Educational Needs

# data[].attributes.body
This PowerPoint (available in many languages at this link: https://mylanguage.ca/resources.html) encourages families to 'Hold On' to their home language/s.

Very useful to share with families at school open days, coffee mornings, etc.

# data[].attributes.body
This PowerPoint (available in many languages at this link: https://mylanguage.ca/resources.html) encourages families to 'Hold On' to their home language/s.

Very useful to share with families at school open days, coffee mornings, etc.

# data[].attributes.body
This PowerPoint (available in many languages at this link: https://mylanguage.ca/resources.html) encourages families to 'Hold On' to their home language/s.

Very useful to share with families at school open days, coffee mornings, etc.

# data[].attributes.body
This PowerPoint (available in many languages at this link: https://mylanguage.ca/resources.html) encourages families to 'Hold On' to their home language/s.

Very useful to share with families at school open days, coffee mornings, etc.

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Book Creator can support teachers to develop literacy for EAL learners.

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Migration: Schools of Sanctuary - Terms and Facts

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Migration: Schools of Sanctuary - Terms and Facts

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From the Schools of Sanctuary Programme, this infograph defines the types of migration.

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From the Schools of Sanctuary Programme, this infograph defines the types of migration.

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Primary In-School Support 2027/27 Portal Open in September 2026

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Primary In-School Support 2027/27 Portal Open in September 2026

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Click here to apply for In-School Support (Principals Only)

Primary In-School Supports available to schools in 2026/27 can be accessed through the link here: https://oide.ie/schools-support/primary-in-school-support/

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Sample Google Sheets Template to make a word list of vocabulary translated in many languages

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Sample Google Sheets Template to make a word list of vocabulary translated in many languages

# data[].attributes.body
Make your own copy

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Bell Foundation: Great Ideas (Strategies for EAL Learners)

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Bell Foundation: Great Ideas (Strategies for EAL Learners)

# data[].attributes.body
The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL.

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Explore our policy recommendations for breaking down language barriers
in schools, adult education, and the criminal justice system.

View our policy work

The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL.

Many of the teaching resources on this website refer to various tried and tested approaches and strategies which are recommended for EAL learners.

In this section of the website the rationale behind these methodologies and why they are called 'Great Ideas' are explained.

The majority of these approaches can be used with everyone in the class, but they are particularly important for EAL learners because they provide a rich context, additional support, opportunities for collaborative learning and exploratory talk, and all the important features of good practice in meeting the educational needs of EAL learners.

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EAL Strategies and Great Ideas - The Bell Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
EAL Strategies and Great Ideas The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL. Many of the teaching resources on this website refer to various tried and tested approaches and strategies which are recommended for EAL learners.

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Bell Foundation: Great Ideas (Strategies for EAL Learners)

# data[].attributes.subject
Bell Foundation: Great Ideas (Strategies for EAL Learners)

# data[].attributes.body
The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Explore our policy recommendations for breaking down language barriers
in schools, adult education, and the criminal justice system.

View our policy work

The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL.

Many of the teaching resources on this website refer to various tried and tested approaches and strategies which are recommended for EAL learners.

In this section of the website the rationale behind these methodologies and why they are called 'Great Ideas' are explained.

The majority of these approaches can be used with everyone in the class, but they are particularly important for EAL learners because they provide a rich context, additional support, opportunities for collaborative learning and exploratory talk, and all the important features of good practice in meeting the educational needs of EAL learners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
EAL Strategies and Great Ideas - The Bell Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
EAL Strategies and Great Ideas The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL. Many of the teaching resources on this website refer to various tried and tested approaches and strategies which are recommended for EAL learners.

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EAL Learners with limited home language literacy

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EAL Learners with limited home language literacy

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Children and young people may arrive in Irish schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

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Children and young people may arrive in English schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

Who are the learners using EAL with limited experience of schooling or literacy?

In English schools there are particular groups of learners who are more likely to fall into this category, for example:

Roma from Eastern Europe, e.g. Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania

Refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea Bissau

It may be difficult to identify these learners from ethnic data alone; recognising key language groups as potentially vulnerable may be helpful, e.g. Lingala, Somali, Pashto, Portuguese. Further information can be found in ' English as an Additional Language (EAL) and educational achievement in England: An analysis of the National Pupil Database ' Professor Steve Strand, University of Oxford.

Research also shows that children from particular language groups (i.e. Pashto, Panjabi, Turkish, Portuguese, Czech and Slovak) are associated with under-attainment at Key Stage 2; Pashto speakers who arrive late in Key Stage 4 continue to have extremely low attainment. Further information can be found in ' Educational Outcomes of Children with English as an Additional Language ' Jo Hutchinson, Education Policy Institute.

In many cases, these learners join schools that already have a diverse range of EAL learners so the challenge for school staff is to think about how to support the additional needs this group has.

Planning whole-school provision

When planning the school's approach to supporting EAL learners, and ensuring that those with limited first language literacy are identified and provided for, the following should be considered:

It is important to have a sensitive initial interview and a process of identifying needs. See also 'New Arrivals' and 'Assessing EAL Learners'.

Those with limited first language literacy will need an opportunity to learn with specialist EAL/literacy support in a smaller group some of the time. See also 'Integrating students using EAL into mainstream lessons'.

It is important to recognise that the learner's progress in the mainstream will be slower at first; their support needs will be greater and support will be required for a longer time

Children and young people who are unused to formal education may need mentoring or coaching support to think of themselves as learners in a formal school setting. They will also need support with unfamiliar learning tasks.

Secondary teachers in particular may not have enough knowledge or expertise in teaching initial reading and may well need further training and/or specialist support and advice

Key messages for teachers

When considering how best to support EAL learners with limited first language literacy, there are various key messages for teachers to bear in mind:

Children and young people with low levels of literacy may already be very skilled oral learners

These learners may have advanced skills in different areas (e.g. caring for animals, sports, music and emotional literacy); plan opportunities to showcase these

They need to be given opportunities to experience success in school; plan scaffolded tasks which are challenging yet achievable

Learners will have different prior knowledge to schooled EAL learners. It is important not to assume any knowledge or skills (holding a pencil, using a ruler, cutting shapes) and equally not to assume a lack of knowledge or skill.

Learners with low levels of literacy need to be presented with a focused range of input with strong visual support or related to concrete experience, so as to ensure that the meaning of any reading or writing task is very clear

Research tells us that reading builds on oral language competence and so learning to read requires making links between the spoken language and the writing system (Abbot, 2013). This means that reading and writing tasks should focus on words and phrases that the learner already knows in spoken English.

Curriculum content gives a really useful context that can give meaning to a reading and/or writing task. For example, the learner may have learned some vocabulary connected with making a simple electrical circuit during the lesson (e.g. bulb, switch, wire, crocodile clip) and could then be given a reading/writing task focused on the initial sounds, e.g. matching the letters b, s, w and c to picture flashcards of those words.

A strong emphasis should be placed on these children and young people learning about learning, including thinking about themselves as learners, and school/classroom routines. The Education Endowment Foundation provide useful recommendations for teaching self-regulated learning and metacognition here.

Learners with a low level of literacy will need frequent repetition and revision to secure new learning in new contexts

Learners with a low level of literacy are likely to need lots of concrete, kinesthetic, activity-based learning activities. Pictures and objects can be quite culturally specific which may make them more confusing concrete activities.

It is important to provide extensive modelling of all classroom and learning activities, and provide lots of support and scaffolding for writing

Modified texts are likely be required in order to focus on essential features

The challenge of learning to read in an additional language

There are a range of different skills needed to acquire literacy, some of the most important are:

Graphophonic skills - learning to recognise words or letter combinations to decode new words

Semantic skills - using understanding of the text to supply a word that makes the rest of the sentence make sense

Syntactic skills - using knowledge about the language of the text to understand what kind of word will fit

Bibliographic skills - using experience of particular written genres to predict a word or check it makes sense

Learners who have limited literacy skills in their first language have to make up ground in all of these dimensions. In the long term, they should be able to build on their first language skills to help them, and EAL learners tend to have greater phonological awareness than their peers (Edwards 2013).

It is important that literacy support for EAL learners should not focus entirely on phonics. 'The research is telling us that attention to phonics should not take place in isolation from activities that promote vocabulary building, meaning-making and comprehension' (Edwards 2013). Further research and advice on interventions to raise achievement in English language and/or literacy in pupils with EAL can be found in this review by Victoria Murphy.

Sample tasks to try in mainstream lessons

Here are a few tasks that might be appropriate for EAL learners with limited literacy in mainstream classes:

Learners copying short texts to recognise features of written language and practise motor skills

Teachers or peers reading aloud all new texts in class

Using word-recognition activities such as subject-related wordsearches, cloze tasks

Learners finding and underlining required key words in longer texts

Teachers paying explicit attention to layout: headings, diagrams, bullet points, use of colour in textbooks, etc.

Teachers demonstrating word attack skills, sounding out initial letters, breaking longer words into syllables

Regular reminders about punctuation, especially securing full stops and capital letters

For further ideas, see also the Great Ideas page on Directed Activities Relating to Text (DARTs).
References
Abbot, M., 2013, What makes reading difficult for EAL students? NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp 5-14

Edwards, V.,2013, The politics of phonics, implications for bilingual learners, NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp15-20

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learners with Limited First Language Literacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guidance helps schools and teachers support EAL learners with limited first language literacy.

# data[].attributes.headline
EAL Learners with limited first language literacy

# data[].attributes.subject
EAL Learners with limited first language literacy

# data[].attributes.body
Children and young people may arrive in Irish schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children and young people may arrive in English schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

Who are the learners using EAL with limited experience of schooling or literacy?

In English schools there are particular groups of learners who are more likely to fall into this category, for example:

Roma from Eastern Europe, e.g. Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania

Refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea Bissau

It may be difficult to identify these learners from ethnic data alone; recognising key language groups as potentially vulnerable may be helpful, e.g. Lingala, Somali, Pashto, Portuguese. Further information can be found in ' English as an Additional Language (EAL) and educational achievement in England: An analysis of the National Pupil Database ' Professor Steve Strand, University of Oxford.

Research also shows that children from particular language groups (i.e. Pashto, Panjabi, Turkish, Portuguese, Czech and Slovak) are associated with under-attainment at Key Stage 2; Pashto speakers who arrive late in Key Stage 4 continue to have extremely low attainment. Further information can be found in ' Educational Outcomes of Children with English as an Additional Language ' Jo Hutchinson, Education Policy Institute.

In many cases, these learners join schools that already have a diverse range of EAL learners so the challenge for school staff is to think about how to support the additional needs this group has.

Planning whole-school provision

When planning the school's approach to supporting EAL learners, and ensuring that those with limited first language literacy are identified and provided for, the following should be considered:

It is important to have a sensitive initial interview and a process of identifying needs. See also 'New Arrivals' and 'Assessing EAL Learners'.

Those with limited first language literacy will need an opportunity to learn with specialist EAL/literacy support in a smaller group some of the time. See also 'Integrating students using EAL into mainstream lessons'.

It is important to recognise that the learner's progress in the mainstream will be slower at first; their support needs will be greater and support will be required for a longer time

Children and young people who are unused to formal education may need mentoring or coaching support to think of themselves as learners in a formal school setting. They will also need support with unfamiliar learning tasks.

Secondary teachers in particular may not have enough knowledge or expertise in teaching initial reading and may well need further training and/or specialist support and advice

Key messages for teachers

When considering how best to support EAL learners with limited first language literacy, there are various key messages for teachers to bear in mind:

Children and young people with low levels of literacy may already be very skilled oral learners

These learners may have advanced skills in different areas (e.g. caring for animals, sports, music and emotional literacy); plan opportunities to showcase these

They need to be given opportunities to experience success in school; plan scaffolded tasks which are challenging yet achievable

Learners will have different prior knowledge to schooled EAL learners. It is important not to assume any knowledge or skills (holding a pencil, using a ruler, cutting shapes) and equally not to assume a lack of knowledge or skill.

Learners with low levels of literacy need to be presented with a focused range of input with strong visual support or related to concrete experience, so as to ensure that the meaning of any reading or writing task is very clear

Research tells us that reading builds on oral language competence and so learning to read requires making links between the spoken language and the writing system (Abbot, 2013). This means that reading and writing tasks should focus on words and phrases that the learner already knows in spoken English.

Curriculum content gives a really useful context that can give meaning to a reading and/or writing task. For example, the learner may have learned some vocabulary connected with making a simple electrical circuit during the lesson (e.g. bulb, switch, wire, crocodile clip) and could then be given a reading/writing task focused on the initial sounds, e.g. matching the letters b, s, w and c to picture flashcards of those words.

A strong emphasis should be placed on these children and young people learning about learning, including thinking about themselves as learners, and school/classroom routines. The Education Endowment Foundation provide useful recommendations for teaching self-regulated learning and metacognition here.

Learners with a low level of literacy will need frequent repetition and revision to secure new learning in new contexts

Learners with a low level of literacy are likely to need lots of concrete, kinesthetic, activity-based learning activities. Pictures and objects can be quite culturally specific which may make them more confusing concrete activities.

It is important to provide extensive modelling of all classroom and learning activities, and provide lots of support and scaffolding for writing

Modified texts are likely be required in order to focus on essential features

The challenge of learning to read in an additional language

There are a range of different skills needed to acquire literacy, some of the most important are:

Graphophonic skills - learning to recognise words or letter combinations to decode new words

Semantic skills - using understanding of the text to supply a word that makes the rest of the sentence make sense

Syntactic skills - using knowledge about the language of the text to understand what kind of word will fit

Bibliographic skills - using experience of particular written genres to predict a word or check it makes sense

Learners who have limited literacy skills in their first language have to make up ground in all of these dimensions. In the long term, they should be able to build on their first language skills to help them, and EAL learners tend to have greater phonological awareness than their peers (Edwards 2013).

It is important that literacy support for EAL learners should not focus entirely on phonics. 'The research is telling us that attention to phonics should not take place in isolation from activities that promote vocabulary building, meaning-making and comprehension' (Edwards 2013). Further research and advice on interventions to raise achievement in English language and/or literacy in pupils with EAL can be found in this review by Victoria Murphy.

Sample tasks to try in mainstream lessons

Here are a few tasks that might be appropriate for EAL learners with limited literacy in mainstream classes:

Learners copying short texts to recognise features of written language and practise motor skills

Teachers or peers reading aloud all new texts in class

Using word-recognition activities such as subject-related wordsearches, cloze tasks

Learners finding and underlining required key words in longer texts

Teachers paying explicit attention to layout: headings, diagrams, bullet points, use of colour in textbooks, etc.

Teachers demonstrating word attack skills, sounding out initial letters, breaking longer words into syllables

Regular reminders about punctuation, especially securing full stops and capital letters

For further ideas, see also the Great Ideas page on Directed Activities Relating to Text (DARTs).
References
Abbot, M., 2013, What makes reading difficult for EAL students? NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp 5-14

Edwards, V.,2013, The politics of phonics, implications for bilingual learners, NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp15-20

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learners with Limited First Language Literacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guidance helps schools and teachers support EAL learners with limited first language literacy.

# data[].attributes.headline
EAL Learners with limited home language literacy

# data[].attributes.subject
EAL Learners with limited home language literacy

# data[].attributes.body
Children and young people may arrive in Irish schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children and young people may arrive in English schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

Who are the learners using EAL with limited experience of schooling or literacy?

In English schools there are particular groups of learners who are more likely to fall into this category, for example:

Roma from Eastern Europe, e.g. Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania

Refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea Bissau

It may be difficult to identify these learners from ethnic data alone; recognising key language groups as potentially vulnerable may be helpful, e.g. Lingala, Somali, Pashto, Portuguese. Further information can be found in ' English as an Additional Language (EAL) and educational achievement in England: An analysis of the National Pupil Database ' Professor Steve Strand, University of Oxford.

Research also shows that children from particular language groups (i.e. Pashto, Panjabi, Turkish, Portuguese, Czech and Slovak) are associated with under-attainment at Key Stage 2; Pashto speakers who arrive late in Key Stage 4 continue to have extremely low attainment. Further information can be found in ' Educational Outcomes of Children with English as an Additional Language ' Jo Hutchinson, Education Policy Institute.

In many cases, these learners join schools that already have a diverse range of EAL learners so the challenge for school staff is to think about how to support the additional needs this group has.

Planning whole-school provision

When planning the school's approach to supporting EAL learners, and ensuring that those with limited first language literacy are identified and provided for, the following should be considered:

It is important to have a sensitive initial interview and a process of identifying needs. See also 'New Arrivals' and 'Assessing EAL Learners'.

Those with limited first language literacy will need an opportunity to learn with specialist EAL/literacy support in a smaller group some of the time. See also 'Integrating students using EAL into mainstream lessons'.

It is important to recognise that the learner's progress in the mainstream will be slower at first; their support needs will be greater and support will be required for a longer time

Children and young people who are unused to formal education may need mentoring or coaching support to think of themselves as learners in a formal school setting. They will also need support with unfamiliar learning tasks.

Secondary teachers in particular may not have enough knowledge or expertise in teaching initial reading and may well need further training and/or specialist support and advice

Key messages for teachers

When considering how best to support EAL learners with limited first language literacy, there are various key messages for teachers to bear in mind:

Children and young people with low levels of literacy may already be very skilled oral learners

These learners may have advanced skills in different areas (e.g. caring for animals, sports, music and emotional literacy); plan opportunities to showcase these

They need to be given opportunities to experience success in school; plan scaffolded tasks which are challenging yet achievable

Learners will have different prior knowledge to schooled EAL learners. It is important not to assume any knowledge or skills (holding a pencil, using a ruler, cutting shapes) and equally not to assume a lack of knowledge or skill.

Learners with low levels of literacy need to be presented with a focused range of input with strong visual support or related to concrete experience, so as to ensure that the meaning of any reading or writing task is very clear

Research tells us that reading builds on oral language competence and so learning to read requires making links between the spoken language and the writing system (Abbot, 2013). This means that reading and writing tasks should focus on words and phrases that the learner already knows in spoken English.

Curriculum content gives a really useful context that can give meaning to a reading and/or writing task. For example, the learner may have learned some vocabulary connected with making a simple electrical circuit during the lesson (e.g. bulb, switch, wire, crocodile clip) and could then be given a reading/writing task focused on the initial sounds, e.g. matching the letters b, s, w and c to picture flashcards of those words.

A strong emphasis should be placed on these children and young people learning about learning, including thinking about themselves as learners, and school/classroom routines. The Education Endowment Foundation provide useful recommendations for teaching self-regulated learning and metacognition here.

Learners with a low level of literacy will need frequent repetition and revision to secure new learning in new contexts

Learners with a low level of literacy are likely to need lots of concrete, kinesthetic, activity-based learning activities. Pictures and objects can be quite culturally specific which may make them more confusing concrete activities.

It is important to provide extensive modelling of all classroom and learning activities, and provide lots of support and scaffolding for writing

Modified texts are likely be required in order to focus on essential features

The challenge of learning to read in an additional language

There are a range of different skills needed to acquire literacy, some of the most important are:

Graphophonic skills - learning to recognise words or letter combinations to decode new words

Semantic skills - using understanding of the text to supply a word that makes the rest of the sentence make sense

Syntactic skills - using knowledge about the language of the text to understand what kind of word will fit

Bibliographic skills - using experience of particular written genres to predict a word or check it makes sense

Learners who have limited literacy skills in their first language have to make up ground in all of these dimensions. In the long term, they should be able to build on their first language skills to help them, and EAL learners tend to have greater phonological awareness than their peers (Edwards 2013).

It is important that literacy support for EAL learners should not focus entirely on phonics. 'The research is telling us that attention to phonics should not take place in isolation from activities that promote vocabulary building, meaning-making and comprehension' (Edwards 2013). Further research and advice on interventions to raise achievement in English language and/or literacy in pupils with EAL can be found in this review by Victoria Murphy.

Sample tasks to try in mainstream lessons

Here are a few tasks that might be appropriate for EAL learners with limited literacy in mainstream classes:

Learners copying short texts to recognise features of written language and practise motor skills

Teachers or peers reading aloud all new texts in class

Using word-recognition activities such as subject-related wordsearches, cloze tasks

Learners finding and underlining required key words in longer texts

Teachers paying explicit attention to layout: headings, diagrams, bullet points, use of colour in textbooks, etc.

Teachers demonstrating word attack skills, sounding out initial letters, breaking longer words into syllables

Regular reminders about punctuation, especially securing full stops and capital letters

For further ideas, see also the Great Ideas page on Directed Activities Relating to Text (DARTs).
References
Abbot, M., 2013, What makes reading difficult for EAL students? NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp 5-14

Edwards, V.,2013, The politics of phonics, implications for bilingual learners, NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp15-20

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learners with Limited First Language Literacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guidance helps schools and teachers support EAL learners with limited first language literacy.

# data[].attributes.headline
EAL Learners with limited home language literacy

# data[].attributes.subject
EAL Learners with limited home language literacy

# data[].attributes.body
Children and young people may arrive in Irish schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children and young people may arrive in English schools with limited experience of schools and no literacy, or limited literacy in any language, including their first language.

These children face other challenges besides that of learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). In addition to the fact that all EAL learners are learning English and learning through English at the same time, those with limited literacy in their first language may also be tackling:

Learning an additional language without literacy support

Developing initial literacy in an additional language

Socialisation into formal schooling for the first time

Who are the learners using EAL with limited experience of schooling or literacy?

In English schools there are particular groups of learners who are more likely to fall into this category, for example:

Roma from Eastern Europe, e.g. Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania

Refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea Bissau

It may be difficult to identify these learners from ethnic data alone; recognising key language groups as potentially vulnerable may be helpful, e.g. Lingala, Somali, Pashto, Portuguese. Further information can be found in ' English as an Additional Language (EAL) and educational achievement in England: An analysis of the National Pupil Database ' Professor Steve Strand, University of Oxford.

Research also shows that children from particular language groups (i.e. Pashto, Panjabi, Turkish, Portuguese, Czech and Slovak) are associated with under-attainment at Key Stage 2; Pashto speakers who arrive late in Key Stage 4 continue to have extremely low attainment. Further information can be found in ' Educational Outcomes of Children with English as an Additional Language ' Jo Hutchinson, Education Policy Institute.

In many cases, these learners join schools that already have a diverse range of EAL learners so the challenge for school staff is to think about how to support the additional needs this group has.

Planning whole-school provision

When planning the school's approach to supporting EAL learners, and ensuring that those with limited first language literacy are identified and provided for, the following should be considered:

It is important to have a sensitive initial interview and a process of identifying needs. See also 'New Arrivals' and 'Assessing EAL Learners'.

Those with limited first language literacy will need an opportunity to learn with specialist EAL/literacy support in a smaller group some of the time. See also 'Integrating students using EAL into mainstream lessons'.

It is important to recognise that the learner's progress in the mainstream will be slower at first; their support needs will be greater and support will be required for a longer time

Children and young people who are unused to formal education may need mentoring or coaching support to think of themselves as learners in a formal school setting. They will also need support with unfamiliar learning tasks.

Secondary teachers in particular may not have enough knowledge or expertise in teaching initial reading and may well need further training and/or specialist support and advice

Key messages for teachers

When considering how best to support EAL learners with limited first language literacy, there are various key messages for teachers to bear in mind:

Children and young people with low levels of literacy may already be very skilled oral learners

These learners may have advanced skills in different areas (e.g. caring for animals, sports, music and emotional literacy); plan opportunities to showcase these

They need to be given opportunities to experience success in school; plan scaffolded tasks which are challenging yet achievable

Learners will have different prior knowledge to schooled EAL learners. It is important not to assume any knowledge or skills (holding a pencil, using a ruler, cutting shapes) and equally not to assume a lack of knowledge or skill.

Learners with low levels of literacy need to be presented with a focused range of input with strong visual support or related to concrete experience, so as to ensure that the meaning of any reading or writing task is very clear

Research tells us that reading builds on oral language competence and so learning to read requires making links between the spoken language and the writing system (Abbot, 2013). This means that reading and writing tasks should focus on words and phrases that the learner already knows in spoken English.

Curriculum content gives a really useful context that can give meaning to a reading and/or writing task. For example, the learner may have learned some vocabulary connected with making a simple electrical circuit during the lesson (e.g. bulb, switch, wire, crocodile clip) and could then be given a reading/writing task focused on the initial sounds, e.g. matching the letters b, s, w and c to picture flashcards of those words.

A strong emphasis should be placed on these children and young people learning about learning, including thinking about themselves as learners, and school/classroom routines. The Education Endowment Foundation provide useful recommendations for teaching self-regulated learning and metacognition here.

Learners with a low level of literacy will need frequent repetition and revision to secure new learning in new contexts

Learners with a low level of literacy are likely to need lots of concrete, kinesthetic, activity-based learning activities. Pictures and objects can be quite culturally specific which may make them more confusing concrete activities.

It is important to provide extensive modelling of all classroom and learning activities, and provide lots of support and scaffolding for writing

Modified texts are likely be required in order to focus on essential features

The challenge of learning to read in an additional language

There are a range of different skills needed to acquire literacy, some of the most important are:

Graphophonic skills - learning to recognise words or letter combinations to decode new words

Semantic skills - using understanding of the text to supply a word that makes the rest of the sentence make sense

Syntactic skills - using knowledge about the language of the text to understand what kind of word will fit

Bibliographic skills - using experience of particular written genres to predict a word or check it makes sense

Learners who have limited literacy skills in their first language have to make up ground in all of these dimensions. In the long term, they should be able to build on their first language skills to help them, and EAL learners tend to have greater phonological awareness than their peers (Edwards 2013).

It is important that literacy support for EAL learners should not focus entirely on phonics. 'The research is telling us that attention to phonics should not take place in isolation from activities that promote vocabulary building, meaning-making and comprehension' (Edwards 2013). Further research and advice on interventions to raise achievement in English language and/or literacy in pupils with EAL can be found in this review by Victoria Murphy.

Sample tasks to try in mainstream lessons

Here are a few tasks that might be appropriate for EAL learners with limited literacy in mainstream classes:

Learners copying short texts to recognise features of written language and practise motor skills

Teachers or peers reading aloud all new texts in class

Using word-recognition activities such as subject-related wordsearches, cloze tasks

Learners finding and underlining required key words in longer texts

Teachers paying explicit attention to layout: headings, diagrams, bullet points, use of colour in textbooks, etc.

Teachers demonstrating word attack skills, sounding out initial letters, breaking longer words into syllables

Regular reminders about punctuation, especially securing full stops and capital letters

For further ideas, see also the Great Ideas page on Directed Activities Relating to Text (DARTs).
References
Abbot, M., 2013, What makes reading difficult for EAL students? NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp 5-14

Edwards, V.,2013, The politics of phonics, implications for bilingual learners, NALDIC Quarterly Vol. 13 No. 1 pp15-20

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learners with Limited First Language Literacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guidance helps schools and teachers support EAL learners with limited first language literacy.

# data[].attributes.body
From Circular 0025/2026  (1.6 Additional Allocations for Schools with High Concentrations of Pupils that require Language Support (EAL) - Page 13

"Role of the class teacher: The class teacher has primary responsibility for the education of all pupils in their classes. Accordingly, they should ensure that they prepare their lessons carefully to address the diverse language needs within the classroom. Consideration should be given to pupils’ language needs in support of their overall classroom participation (or BICS needs) as well as the need to appropriately structure learning experiences to support pupils’ understanding of curriculum concepts (CALP).

Role of the EAL support teacher: EAL language support teachers provide support and reinforcement to the pupil’s language learning both in mainstream settings, through team teaching approaches or through support lessons, if required. They may find themselves supporting the pupil’s BICS/CALP to varying degrees depending on overall language progression and need. This may include shorter periods of focus primarily BICS and/or CALP needs as well as more sustained periods on CALP development in particular given its necessity for widespread curriculum access and understanding."

# data[].attributes.body
From Circular 0025/2026  (1.6 Additional Allocations for Schools with High Concentrations of Pupils that require Language Support (EAL) - Page 13

"Role of the class teacher: The class teacher has primary responsibility for the education of all pupils in their classes. Accordingly, they should ensure that they prepare their lessons carefully to address the diverse language needs within the classroom. Consideration should be given to pupils’ language needs in support of their overall classroom participation (or BICS needs) as well as the need to appropriately structure learning experiences to support pupils’ understanding of curriculum concepts (CALP).

Role of the EAL support teacher: EAL language support teachers provide support and reinforcement to the pupil’s language learning both in mainstream settings, through team teaching approaches or through support lessons, if required. They may find themselves supporting the pupil’s BICS/CALP to varying degrees depending on overall language progression and need. This may include shorter periods of focus primarily BICS and/or CALP needs as well as more sustained periods on CALP development in particular given its necessity for widespread curriculum access and understanding."

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Sample Google Sheets Template to make a word list of vocabulary translated in many languages

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Sample Google Sheets Template to make a word list of vocabulary translated in many languages

# data[].attributes.body
Make your own copy of the Google Sheets (like Microsoft Excel) link below.

You will have to be logged into your Gmail account to access this resource. You will be able to make many multilingual word lists that will save into your Google Drive.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fXMs_N5C3-r_cfIQUy1_3CSIftRCiXfRd-qn44_c1Ws/copy

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When using Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot, the above document will be helpful is creating useful prompts to create lesson planning ideas.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on Colourful Semantics, these FREE Lessons (on Power Point Presentations, focus on Grammar, Syntax and Morphology.

Highly recommended for students in whole class, small groups and individually.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 2022, a group of teachers and school leaders from 17 different primary schools across Australia participated in The Syntax Project, facilitated by Stephanie Le Lievre from Serpentine Primary School (WA).

Teachers were accepted into the project if they had experience with an explicit-instruction model and could demonstrate an understanding/experience with syntax level instruction.

All Lesson objectives were allocated to individuals based on experience/expertise and the grade they were currently teaching.

All lessons submitted went through a review process by one of our project moderators:

All lessons were created in teachers' own time. They are being shared freely to encourage professional collaboration amongst teachers and schools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Syntax Project - The Grammar Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2022, a group of teachers and school leaders from 17 different primary schools across Australia participated in The Syntax Project, facilitated by Stephanie Le Lievre from Serpentine Primary School (WA). Teachers were accepted into the project if they had experience with an explicit-instruction model and could demonstrate an understanding/experience with syntax level instruction.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on Colourful Semantics, these FREE Lessons (on Power Point Presentations, focus on Grammar, Syntax and Morphology.

Highly recommended for students in whole class, small groups and individually.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 2022, a group of teachers and school leaders from 17 different primary schools across Australia participated in The Syntax Project, facilitated by Stephanie Le Lievre from Serpentine Primary School (WA).

Teachers were accepted into the project if they had experience with an explicit-instruction model and could demonstrate an understanding/experience with syntax level instruction.

All Lesson objectives were allocated to individuals based on experience/expertise and the grade they were currently teaching.

All lessons submitted went through a review process by one of our project moderators:

All lessons were created in teachers' own time. They are being shared freely to encourage professional collaboration amongst teachers and schools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Syntax Project - The Grammar Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2022, a group of teachers and school leaders from 17 different primary schools across Australia participated in The Syntax Project, facilitated by Stephanie Le Lievre from Serpentine Primary School (WA). Teachers were accepted into the project if they had experience with an explicit-instruction model and could demonstrate an understanding/experience with syntax level instruction.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on Colourful Semantics, these FREE Lessons (on Power Point Presentations, focus on Grammar, Syntax and Morphology.

Highly recommended for students in whole class, small groups and individually.

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In 2022, a group of teachers and school leaders from 17 different primary schools across Australia participated in The Syntax Project, facilitated by Stephanie Le Lievre from Serpentine Primary School (WA).

Teachers were accepted into the project if they had experience with an explicit-instruction model and could demonstrate an understanding/experience with syntax level instruction.

All Lesson objectives were allocated to individuals based on experience/expertise and the grade they were currently teaching.

All lessons submitted went through a review process by one of our project moderators:

All lessons were created in teachers' own time. They are being shared freely to encourage professional collaboration amongst teachers and schools.

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The Syntax Project - The Grammar Project

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In 2022, a group of teachers and school leaders from 17 different primary schools across Australia participated in The Syntax Project, facilitated by Stephanie Le Lievre from Serpentine Primary School (WA). Teachers were accepted into the project if they had experience with an explicit-instruction model and could demonstrate an understanding/experience with syntax level instruction.

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Inspectorate Report Meeting Additional Language Needs: Whole-school and Classroom Approaches for Inclusive Language Learning

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Inspectorate Report Meeting Additional Language Needs: Whole-school and Classroom Approaches for Inclusive Language Learning

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Needs: Whole-school and

Classroom Approaches for Inclusive

Language Learning

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Inspectorate Report on The Quality of Education for Children and Young People from Ukraine 

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Inspectorate Report on The Quality of Education for Children and Young People from Ukraine 

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The Primary Curriculum Framework forms the basis for high-quality learning, teaching, and assessment for all children attending primary and special schools. It reflects our shared understanding of, and trust in, the many positive features of education in our primary and special schools while providing the blueprint for guiding the enhancement of primary and special education for the coming years.

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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Link to PPT with the embedded links.
Websites and/or the associated Apps to support the language development of EAL Learners in all the languages in their Linguistic Repertoire.

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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Link to PPT with embedded links to Websites  and/or the associated Apps to support the language development of EAL Learners in all the languages in their Linguistic Repertoire.

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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Link to PPT with embedded links to Websites  and/or the associated Apps to support the language development of EAL Learners in all the languages in their Linguistic Repertoire.

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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List of AI Websites/Apps for Language Development

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Link to PPT with the embedded links.
Websites  and/or the associated Apps to support the language development of EAL Learners in all the languages in their Linguistic Repertoire.

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PEaCH: Guide for Educators - How to support multilingual children 

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PEaCH: Guide for Educators - How to support multilingual children 

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PEaCH: Guide for Educators - How to support multilingual children

The aim of the guide is to help teachers create a welcoming atmosphere and a supportive environment for bilingual and multilingual children in the classroom. It explains why this is vital for the success of the children in the classroom or group and have collected easy-to-implement activities for different age groups for teachers to try out straight away.

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Translanguaging: A CUNY-NYSEIB Guide for Educators

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Translanguaging: A CUNY-NYSEIB Guide for Educators

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This guide provides concrete strategies for experimenting with translanguaging in their classrooms.

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Translanguaging: A CUNY-NYSEIB Guide for Educators

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Translanguaging: A CUNY-NYSEIB Guide for Educators

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This guide provides concrete strategies for experimenting with translanguaging in their classrooms.

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This website provides an opportunity for inclusion by providing an option to Translate each page into the home language of EAL learners as well as offering the reading material in 3 reading levels.

The example above is a piece about St. Patrick. This resource is available on the Scoilnet website.

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Prof. David Little and Dr. Déirdre Kirwan (PPLI)

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The Intercultural Guidelines for Schools, Language and Languages in the Primary School: Some Guidelines for Teachers (PPLI)

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The Intercultural Guidelines for Schools, Language and Languages in the Primary School: Some Guidelines for Teachers (PPLI)

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These guidelines are designed to help you respond to the challenges of the Primary Language Curriculum, include the home languages of EAL pupils in the activities of your classrooms, and develop your pupils’ intercultural learning.

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Prof. David Little and Dr. Déirdre Kirwan (PPLI)

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The Intercultural Guidelines for Schools, Language and Languages in the Primary School: Some Guidelines for Teachers (PPLI)

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The Intercultural Guidelines for Schools, Language and Languages in the Primary School: Some Guidelines for Teachers (PPLI)

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These guidelines are designed to help you respond to the challenges of the Primary Language Curriculum, include the home languages of EAL pupils in the activities of your classrooms, and develop your pupils’ intercultural learning.

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Department of Education                             Supporting culturally and linguistically diverse learners

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Department of Education                             Supporting culturally and linguistically diverse learners

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Department of Education page that links to the variety of supports available for schools, teachers and parents who work with culturally and linguistically diverse learners, including multilingual documents in a variety of languages.

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An inclusive school culture is one that provides opportunities for EAL learners to use their home language to help them access the overall curriculum and participate fully in school life.

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Bilingual Science Glossaries in many languages

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Bilingual Science Glossaries in many languages

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Bilingual Science Glossaries

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Standardised Testing for EAL Learners in Primary Schools (updated May 2025)

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Standardised Testing for EAL Learners in Primary Schools (updated May 2025)

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Updated with Circular 0025/2025

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/circulars/information-in-relation-to-standardised-testing-and-other-matters-academic-year-202425-and-subsequent-years/

(Page 4)

"In the case of migrant pupils:

• Some may be ready for standardised tests within their first year in Ireland.

• Others will need more time if their progress in English language development is slower or if their education has been disrupted by accommodation issues, lack of school places, or other wellbeing factors."

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Information in relation to Standardised Testing and Other Matters – Academic Year 2024/25 and Subsequent Years

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This form is only for feedback relating to the current page.

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Preparation for Learning, Teaching and Assessment:     Updated Guidance for all Primary and Special Schools (2026)

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Preparation for Learning, Teaching and Assessment:     Updated Guidance for all Primary and Special Schools (2026)

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This document was first published in 2021 to support the enactment of the Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile (PLC/CTB) (2019). It provided guidance to teachers and school leaders in all school contexts outlining a renewed understanding of ‘preparation for teaching and learning’ as schools transitioned from the Primary School Curriculum (1999) to the PLC/CTB. In particular, it supported teachers in adopting the Learning Outcomes-based approach central to the PLC/CTB.

Since then, the curriculum has continued to evolve. The Primary Curriculum Framework, launched in 2023, establishes the foundation for high-quality learning, teaching and assessment for all children in primary and special schools. It reflects a shared societal vision of what a curriculum and education should provide for children in the 21st century and underpins both the redeveloped Primary School Curriculum (2025) and its associated online toolkits.

Guidance on assessment further strengthens this foundation by ensuring that assessment supports learning and progression, promotes empowerment and inclusion, and affirms the central role of teachers’ professional judgement. Preparation for Learning, Teaching and Assessment; Updated Guidance for all Primary and Special Schools reflects and responds to this renewed curriculum context.

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Lote: an online portal of books in Languages other than English for families to read at home together

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Lote: an online portal of books in Languages other than English for families to read at home together

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lote4kids.com

Access through your local public library. Link to libraries in Ireland here: librariesireland.ie

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Lote: an online portal of books in Languages other than English for families to read at home together

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Lote: an online portal of books in Languages other than English for families to read at home together

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lote4kids.com Access through your local public library*** using your library card number.

Not all public libraries are registered. Please see below to ask your local library to register.

Here is a link to find out where your local library is in Ireland: librariesireland.ie

***If your local library is not registered, you can ask them to register at this link: https://lote4kids.com/library-not-found/

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Colourful Semantics is an excellent way for all learners in your class who may have challenges with communication, but in particular, for EAL learners, to understand the semantics of English.

They offer an excellent selection of downloadable resources for Primary School children here.

Note: The resources are not free, however, as they are designed for use for students with Speech and Language Needs, often SLTs will have access to them. SLTs may be able to offer them to your school as a resource for use for your school.

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Get your students engaged and talking in all subject areas!

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Get your students engaged and talking in all subject areas!

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A series of teacher-made resources for collaborative work with small groups where all the learners can use their languages to communicate, share and enjoy learning.
Talk-for-learning is the focus in these language-rich activities for all subject areas!

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Our activities are only available here in PDF, but if you want to edit activities, you can convert PDF to Word on this site. English literature and language activities are available in editable form on the Teachit site. Mantra Books have made interactive versions.

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Our activities are only available here in PDF, but if you want to edit activities, you can convert PDF to Word on this site. English literature and language activities are available in editable form on the Teachit site. Mantra Books have made interactive versions.

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Drama and role play can be fun and used successfully in any area of the curriculum. There are many ways of using drama and role play. Some of the simplest and most flexible are:

Hot seating

Freeze frame

The teacher, or another adult, in a role

Improvising in pairs

Working in groups to devise a scene in a familiar genre, e.g. TV news item or documentary

Setting a scene involving the whole class making the whole room into e.g. The Village, The Island

Using people to represent something, e.g. make a bar chart by getting the class to lie down on the floor of the hall and drawing round them in chalk

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What are drama and role play?

Drama and role play can be fun and used successfully in any area of the curriculum. There are many ways of using drama and role play. Some of the simplest and most flexible are:

Hot seating

Freeze frame

The teacher, or another adult, in a role

Improvising in pairs

Working in groups to devise a scene in a familiar genre, e.g. TV news item or documentary

Setting a scene involving the whole class making the whole room into e.g. The Village, The Island

Using people to represent something, e.g. make a bar chart by getting the class to lie down on the floor of the hall and drawing round them in chalk

Examples of activities

Drama and role play can be used with any age group, in any subject and with EAL learners at any stage of English language proficiency. Here are a few examples:
1. Simple warm-up games:

Stand or sit in a circle and go around the group with everyone saying their name and something they like beginning with the same letter: 'My name is Parminder and I like parachuting.'  Reassure the group that drama is pretending so it does not have to be true.

One end of the room represents YES and the other end NO. Ask the class questions about how much they like different things and they can choose to stand in the middle, near the YES end, at the NO end, etc. 'Do you like chocolate?'  'Do you like school?'

The Sun Shines On. Arrange the class in a circle with one chair for each person and one person standing in the middle. The person in the middle says e.g. 'The sun shines on everyone who has a sister'. Everyone who this applies to has to get up and sit down in a different chair. The last person to sit down ends up in the middle of the circle and says, 'The sun shines on everyone who watched 'EastEnders' last night' and so on.

2. Teacher or adult in a role:

A teacher or adult in a role e.g. as a character in a story, or a witness to an event is very useful for history, geography or RE. The teacher does not have to be an expert or good actor, many drama techniques are very simple. Teachers often use drama without realising it, e.g. pretending not to understand something so that learners explain it to them. It is a good idea for the teacher to have a signal so that learners know that they are going in or out of a role, e.g. putting on or taking off a hat, a scarf or a pair of glasses.

3. What's your alibi?:

Any kind of alibi game is perfect for practising past tenses (especially past simple and past continuous). Make up any plot depending on the subject, e.g. during an experiment in the Science lab, a student scientist was injured yesterday at 4pm. The school governor responsible for Health and Safety is investigating who is responsible.

4. Reinforcing a concept:

Drama can make a concept more memorable, e.g. get the class to act out how particles behave in solids, liquids and gases.

5. Freeze frame:

When a group is performing a scene they have devised it is useful to freeze frame at a decisive point in the story to involve the rest of the class in asking questions or predicting what will happen next. Romeo and Juliet storyboard is an example of a resource where a freeze frame activity works well.

6. Hot seating:

When one learner pretends to be a character and other learners ask them questions, is great for thinking in depth about fictional characters and their motivation. This technique can be used with all age groups, whether the class is considering the actions of the Hungry Caterpillar or Hamlet. It is sometimes useful to prepare the class for the character in advance so that they have time to think of questions. For an example of a resource that could be the basis for a hot seating activity see The Stone Age.

One non-threatening way into acting is to create a character using an empty chair. Arrange the class in a circle, with an empty chair in the centre. Going around the circle, each learner supplies one piece of information about the character. E.g. 'She's 12 years old.'  'She has two sisters.'  They have to listen to each other so that they are not contradicting anything that someone else has said before. When everyone has contributed an idea, a volunteer sits on the chair and becomes that character. This can be used to create a character who witnessed a particular event in history for example, in Symptoms of the Black Death learners could role play describing a relative's symptoms to a doctor.

How drama and role play work

When using drama and role play across the curriculum it is usually the process that is more important than the actual performance

EAL learners can benefit from doing the activities with fluent English speakers and everyone can participate at their own level

EAL learners who are New to English can be included in a group, for example in a non-speaking role, or speaking in their first language. Encourage the other group members to think of creative ways to ensure the New to English learner is involved.

Top tip:  Some people find the idea of drama very alarming, so use a non-threatening warm-up exercise to relax everyone.

Why are drama and role play a Great Idea for EAL learners?

Drama is a very valuable tool for exploring issues, making learning memorable, encouraging cooperation and empathy. Drama is also great for creating an opportunity for New to English EAL learners to communicate with others.

The use of drama and role play can create an opportunity for the learner to hear and use language in a meaningful context, as recommended by Swain and Lapkin 1995. This links to Michael Halliday's theories on the importance of interaction and the negotiation of meaning to language development.

Role play demonstrates how to use language in real life with a focus on communication. Socio-cultural researchers like Neil Mercer and Gordon Wells emphasise the importance of learners being given activities that involve them working together using exploratory talk, as defined by Douglas Barnes.

Drama and role play activities in groups are inclusive and involve all learners in active participation and social interaction, the benefits of which have been highlighted by Cordon (2000), Kotler et al (2001) and Wong Fillmore and Snow (2005).

References

Cordon, R., 2000, Literacy and learning through talk: strategies for the primary classroom, Buckingham: Open University Press.

Kotler, A., Wegerif, R. and Le Voi, M. 2001, Oracy and the educational achievement of pupils with English as an additional language: the impact of bringing 'Talking Partners' into Bradford schools, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 4 (6), 403-419.

Wong Fillmore, L. and Snow, C., 2005, What teachers need to know about language, Washington DC: Centre for Applied Linguistics.

Swain, M. and Lapkin, S., 1995, Problems in output and the cognitive processes they generate: a step towards second language learning, Applied Linguistics 16 (3), 371-391.

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Drama and Role Play - The Bell Foundation

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Great Idea: Drama and Role Play Play What are drama and role play? Drama and role play can be fun and used successfully in any area of the curriculum. There are many ways of using drama and role play. Some of the simplest and most flexible are: Hot seating Freeze frame The teacher, or another ...

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“It’s very hard to know how much is the EAL and how much is the learning difficulty”: Challenges in organising support for EAL learners in Irish primary schools

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“It’s very hard to know how much is the EAL and how much is the learning difficulty”: Challenges in organising support for EAL learners in Irish primary schools

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The growth in linguistic diversity in Irish primary schools presents significant opportunities. Learners for whom English is an additional language (EAL) contribute to the rich tapestry of our classrooms. However, ensuring that their achievement is adequately supported requires attention in both policy and practice.

Part of a broader study of EAL in Irish primary classrooms, the present article reports on how teachers from seven schools went about organising support for EAL learners at a time of significant curriculum and policy change. Findings relating to the use of support hours, resourcing, special education needs and assessment are discussed.

Gardiner-Hyland, F. and Burke, P. (2018). “It’s very hard to know how much is the EAL and how much is the learning difficulty”: Challenges in organising support for EAL learners in Irish primary schools. Learn Journal, Vol. 40, Chapter 3, pp. 54-64: Dublin: Irish Learning Support Association.

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Teachers TV: Engaging Pupils Learning EAL 

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Teachers TV: Engaging Pupils Learning EAL 

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Key Points made in this video:

1. When the students arrive, the teacher takes the time to carefully ascertain the students previous languages, learning and gets to know them from a strengths-based point of view. You can do this to, by accessing the Sample EAL Data Capture Form linked here.

2. Welcome videos made by children in their home language/s to tell new families/children about the school, routines and information about the school.

3. Ask parents who are already members of the school community to work as Language Ambassadors to help newly arrived families who speak the same languages. As you will see in the link above, this is a question on the EAL Data Capture Form linked above.

4. Assign newly arrived students a few Buddies who can support them in class, in the yard and during transition times.  One may share their home language and one or both may be strong English language models.

5. Balance the time immersed in English and time in EAL groups/withdrawal.

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Teachers TV: Engaging Pupils Learning EAL

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Teachers TV: Engaging Pupils Learning EAL 

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Teachers TV: Engaging Pupils Learning EAL 

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Key Points made in this video:

1. When the students arrive, the teacher takes the time to carefully ascertain the students previous languages, learning and gets to know them from a strengths-based point of view. You can do this to, by accessing the Sample EAL Data Capture Form linked here.

2. Welcome videos made by children in their home language/s to tell new families/children about the school, routines and information about the school.

3. Ask parents who are already members of the school community to work as Language Ambassadors to help newly arrived families who speak the same languages. As you will see in the link above, this is a question on the EAL Data Capture Form linked above.

4. Assign newly arrived students a few Buddies who can support them in class, in the yard and during transition times.  One may share their home language and one or both may be strong English language models.

5. Balance the time immersed in English and time in EAL groups/withdrawal.

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Teachers TV: Engaging Pupils Learning EAL

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Bilingual Russian/English Science  Glossaries

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Bilingual Russian/English Science  Glossaries

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Bilingual Russian Science  Glossaries

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Bilingual Ukrainian/English Science Glossaries

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Bilingual Russian/English Maths Glossary

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Bilingual Ukrainian English Maths Glossary

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Bilingual Maths Glossaries in many languages

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Bilingual Maths Glossaries in many languages

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Bilingual Maths Glossaries

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Ukrainian Maths Books for Free Online