In School, but Not in Education- LESLLA (A) Learners of English as an Additional Language (EAL) in the Context Secondary Schools in the UK

Abstract

In the past few years there has been an influx of newly-arrived children in the UK entering the education sector with little prior schooling and poor literacy skills in L1. Current research on EAL development, informing policy and guiding practice in the UK, suggests that all newly-arrived children should be provided with swift access to the national curriculum on a par with native speakers, with natural acquisition mechanisms expected to be sufficient enough to narrow the attainment gap. Given that policy is predominantly symbolic, following the officially recommended model of EAL support results in a range of 'sink or float' types of EAL provision across schools and in many instances excludes learners with EAL instead of including them. This article explores the context of EAL provision in the UK, its current issues, presents an example of good practice and calls for academic research into the framework of support that the most vulnerable members of the school community receive at present.