Initial Teacher Education and English as an Additional Language

This research was undertaken to develop an understanding of how, and to what extent, English as an Additional Language (EAL) is taught in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. The research surveyed student teachers at nine sites, encompassing different routes into teaching qualifications, different types of institutions and different English regions.

Teachers’ Standards (2012) state that it is the responsibility of all teachers, whatever their subject, to ‘adapt their teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils including those with English as an Additional Language’. The report found that over three quarters (75.9%) of respondents, who were in the late stage of their training, identified class teachers of subjects other than English as having a large responsibility to support EAL learners. However, it also identified that at the same time around a fifth of student educators still had little confidence in their ability to support EAL learners and 13% felt they still had very little or no understanding of the needs of EAL learners.

The report provides a solution through adopting a ‘dual’ approach to developing EAL practice within teacher education programmes. One element is to provide a number of sessions which would give a grounding in knowledge and strategies. Then the bulk of input and the requirements placed on students for reflection and action would then be ‘infused’ throughout individual subjects, e.g., drama, mathematics, and across all the core concerns of a teacher education programme, such as diverse classrooms, feedback, assessment, group work, etc. Such a ‘permeation’ of EAL throughout a teacher education programme would ensure that EAL is given a central place where the focus is on making all lessons accessible.