Sharing Student Projects

The United Kingdom is a destination that attracts a vast amount of migrants for a variety of reasons. A high number of the migrants arriving in the UK are children who will access education, for instance, in 2019, 6% of children under the age of 18 had been born abroad (Fernández-Reino, 2020), whereas the majority of these children were non-English speakers. Additionally, a high number of children who attend schools come from families where at least one of the parents was born abroad (Fernández-Reino, 2020). As a consequence, these children will be required to learn the English language. The children who speak a different language from English are considered to have English as an Additional Language (EAL); however, they are expected to access education in the same way as English speaking counterparts. This, as a consequence, influences schools and more specifically classrooms. For that reason, this research aims to understand how teachers and teaching assistants in the Early Years Foundation Stage perceive EAL children and whether their teaching styles and approaches differ when teaching EAL children or English speakers. It also aims to understand whether practitioners recognise their ability to support EAL children and if they are aware of the EAL policies and guidance. In order to understand practitioners’ perceptions, asynchronous online surveys were applied to obtain information about how practitioners’ experience teaching EAL children in EYFS influences their practice. A selection criteria was stablished which intended to obtain information from practitioners who have experience working in EYFS with EAL children in state-maintained mainstream schools. Practitioners were contacted via email and social media, and they voluntarily decided to participate in the research. Although 129 participants replied to the online survey, only 51 questionnaires were fully completed, therefore, the rest Practitioners’ perceptions of EAL children in EYFS were removed. Once the data was collected and the unfinished questionnaires were removed, Thematic Analysis (TA) was used. Through the data analysis the following themes and subthemes emerged: Practitioners’ experience and language knowledge; Practitioners’ perceptions of EAL children and Effective ways of supporting EAL children. Following the analysis of the themes and subthemes, and according to the previous literature, it seems that EYFS practitioners believe they can adequately support EAL children. Practitioners believe that EAL children are a positive asset in the EYFS classroom because they bring diversity so children can learn from the different cultures, religions, languages or traditions. Regarding the EAL policies and guidance, EYFS practitioners thought that more specific training was needed to better support EAL children, mainly in the first years of teaching. They also suggested that schools and Local Authorities should provide more support to practitioners to ensure that EAL children access appropriate education.

This research focused on practitioners’ perceptions and their approaches to teaching EAL children in the EYFS. However, not only EYFS practitioners may benefit from this research, but all of the practitioners, because schools are constantly welcoming children arriving at any stage to their schools and they may not know English. Although practitioners may think they can support EAL children during their learning, it is important they acknowledge their lack of training, and they are capable to seek support from their own school or their local authorities. However, not only practitioners but also schools may benefit from this research. Practitioners seemed to know how to support EAL children in EYFS classrooms and they thought they were able to use approaches that were helpful for EAL children and benefited their learning. However, practitioners may need further guidance to ensure that EAL children receive the right support needed. Finally, EAL children may benefit from this research, since practitioners may become aware of their lack of training and understanding which will encourage them to improve. Practitioners accessing EAL training will positively impact their practice and consequently influence children’s learning.