English as an additional language

Many Edinburgh schools have pupils whose first or home language is not English. Over 90 languages are currently spoken in our schools, including those from established communities such as Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Cantonese and more recently-arrived languages such as Arabic, Mandarin and Polish.

The English as an Additional Language (EAL) service can help these pupils.  They may be:

• Beginners
• Those at the early stages of acquiring English
• Those who speak English more fluently but who still need additional support to achieve their academic potential

We also work with:

• Teachers
• Professionals from other agencies
• Parents of bilingual pupils
• Local community groups

Teaching

EAL Teachers work in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, supporting bilingual pupils in liaison with their teachers

Additional English language classes are offered to some secondary pupils on a part time basis.

Bilingual Support

A small team of Bilingual Support Assistants work with early stage learners in schools. They are fluent in English and one of the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Mandarin, Polish, Punjabi, Urdu

They can also help parents and schools to build effective partnerships

Advice and support for schools, agencies and parents

We can give advice and support on:

• Assessment, resources and teaching strategies
• Linguistic and cultural matters
• Inclusion, achievement and race equality
• Professional development of school staff
• Arrangements for external/alternative examinations
• Contacts with local community services, such as language classes for adults, interpreting services, community support groups and others

Accessing the service

To find out about more or make contact with the EAL teacher in any school, please contact the School Office, or the EAL Service directly on 469 2890.