Sharing Student Projects

The aim of this project was to explore teachers' experiences of providing support to EAL pupils in mainstream classrooms and the impact of support on pupils' sense of belonging to the school community. Nine teachers currently teaching in a secondary school in England parNcipated, represenNng a range of experiences through different school contexts, numbers of years teaching and subject specialisms. Interviews were conducted over Zoom, and aUerwards, the researcher transcribed them. The interviews highlighted that language proficiency, peers, teachers, and schools are key for EAL pupils to have a sense of belonging. All parNcipants had a posiNve outlook on how EAL pupils add to the class, the parNcipants expressed that they want to help support El pupils but at Nmes they are not clear how. The key constraints on providing support were money Nme and experience, which in turn influenced the resources available to the parNcipants. Determining what support parNcipants could give to encourage parNcipaNon in class and increase the sense of belonging. This study recognises that deciding what support is most effecNve, for both academic and sense of belonging, is determined on a case-by-case basis. However, teachers with less experience need pracNcal strategies that they can uNlise in the classroom. Given the busy workloads of teachers, training to gain a greater understanding of how to teach EAL pupils needs to be Nme efficient.

This research will most directly benefit EAL coordinators and SLT, as it highlights the experiences of teachers, from a range of subject specialisms, providing support to EAL pupils and showing what support is realisNcally possible from teachers given all the demands in class. Teachers in mainstream classrooms may also benefit as this study outlines the importance of peers, teachers, and language in influencing sense of belonging for EAL pupils. Finally with teaching staff having a better understanding of how sense of belonging develops for EAL pupils, support in class may be more effecNve, benefiNng EAL pupils themselves and ensuring a greater sense of belonging to the school.