Teachers in the modern Irish primary school must be aware of the unique challenges faced by EAL pupils, and the implications for teaching and learning. It is estimated that 70% of the world's population is bilingual.
A common problem is that teachers often over-estimate the ability of EAL pupils to speak English because of their ability to communicate with ease in social settings, such as the school yard.
Basic Interpersonal Communication Language (BICS) is used to refer to the language of social interaction. It takes one or two years to acquire and relies upon non-verbal support to aid comprehension.
On the other hand, Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, or CALP, is used to refer to the language of learning and instruction, and requires a fuller vocabulary. This can take between five and seven years to fully acquire. With CALP, formal language is used to communicate higher-order thinking processes such as hypothesising or evaluating. CALP includes both oral and written language.
Teachers must be aware that although EAL pupils may display a high standard of BICS, they may be struggling within the classroom due to the demands of more formal language (CALP).
Teachers should make themselves aware of the challenges facing EAL pupils, particularly when creating differentiated learning outcomes within lessons. EAL pupils may require extra support in some activities to ensure they can participate fully.
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