Supporting children and families with English as an additional language (EAL)

Supporting children and families with English as an additional language (EAL)

 

Aim of policy

 

At Castle we welcome everyone into our settings. This includes children who speak languages other than English. To speak a language other than English will be celebrated and not seen as a disadvantage or deficit for the children or family. Our strategy to support these children will be implemented by all staff members. Staff members will be given support and information to enable them to promote these strategies. It is the responsibility of the staff to be flexible and creative to ensure that effective communication takes place.

 

Points to consider

 

It is important to identify the child’s first language before they start at the setting, and to establish whether the parents are able to converse in English or if they will need alternative support to understand the routines and learning environment their child will experience.

 

Children from different cultures may find our setting unfamiliar, it is important that we include pictures, in the environment, with which the children can identify. They may include a variety of houses, landscapes, families or children playing.

 

See the Inclusion policies.

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool aims to achieve this by:

 

The nursery environment strives to be multicultural with a variety of multi cultural books and resources. The displays around the settings also reflect multiculturalism.

 

Steps to support children with EAL

 

• On the settling in sessions, we ask parents for key words in the child’s first language to enable us to use these to communicate with the child.
• We will keep language simple and literal initially so the child has the best opportunity to understand.
• We will give instructions to the child individually and with eye contact as we understand generalised instructions may be hard to follow.
• We will give the child time to respond as we recognise it takes time to translate.
• We will have key words relevant to the child on display with pictures around the room, to help staff communicate with the child and for the child to tell us what they want.
• We will encourage the child and their family to teach children and staff the names of objects in their own language.
• We will model correct sentences, without correcting the child, when they have tried to communicate.

 

Working with Parents

 

Parents from other countries may have no personal experience of nursery as we know it. It is important that sufficient time is given to explain to them the key principles of our system and the routines their child will experience.

 

When completing the registration form we will take down the details of the country of origin, the religion, the language and key cultural needs of the child, these may include dietary restrictions which will be shared with all staff and our chef to ensure no misunderstandings.

 

All parents are encouraged to contribute to the learning of their child by visiting, sharing significant events/festivals and doing activities.