EAL Research for the Classroom: Practical and Pedagogical Implications

ISBN-13: 9781032229539 / Angielski / Twarda / 2023 / 272 str.

Gavin Brooks; Jon Clenton; Simon Fraser

Opis

With an estimated 1.6 million English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners in the UK, and over 5 million in the USA, EAL research is urgently needed to inform practice. This edited volume investigates the multifaceted elements that shape EAL pedagogy and research in a variety of settings and research areas including linguistic ability influences on subject-specific skills, integrating learners’ home languages into classroom environments, and the importance of supporting EAL teachers in the classroom. In doing so, the contributors provide an international perspective on the emerging field of EAL research. The research-based chapters detail fundamental concerns related to EAL learner education.

The text is composed of three parts: Part 1 explores the question of what is EAL and how a definition can shape policy construction; Part 2 examines the challenges EAL learners face in the classroom, including the use of first languages and the relative impact learner language proficiency has on subject-specific classes; and Part 3 investigates concerns relating to supporting EAL teachers in the classroom. The volume draws on researcher expertise from a variety of universities and institutions worldwide. It explores diverse language backgrounds in multilingual contexts. It covers empirical studies with pedagogical, policy and further research implications.

The volume represents a single resource invaluable for EAL teachers, trainers and trainees, as well as researchers in the field of education, language learning and teaching, bilingualism and multilingualism, and second language acquisition.

Spis treści

Lists of figures. List of tables. List of contributors. Acknowledgements. Part I. Introduction 1. Contemporary approaches to EAL education. 2. What do we mean when we say "EAL"?. Part II. Teaching language skills in the EAL classroom 3. Exploring the importance of vocabulary for English as an Additional Language learners’ reading comprehension. 4. The contribution of general language ability, reading comprehension and working memory to mathematics achievement among children with English as an Additional Language (EAL): An exploratory study. 5. An analysis of EAL learners’ pragmatic strategies: Exploring the exam answers of multilingual doctoral students. Part III. Preparing students for the EAL classroom 6. Preparing young learners for the vocabulary demands of the EMI classroom: A case study of one teacher from the Maldives. 7. Preparing EAL students for the demands of writing assignments in history classes. Part IV. Preparing teachers for the EAL classroom 8. The impact of multilingualism and multiculturalism on teacher education in Ireland: Meeting localised needs in a global classroom. 9. An investigation of the use of standardized and local assessments for young EAL students. 10. Getting to know your learners in an EAL context: Speed bumps and sweet spots. Part V. Conclusion 11. Conclusion: EAL and the road ahead — Practical pathways for future EAL education. Index