English as an additional language (EAL): Decolonising provision and practice

Abstract

This paper examines ways in which approaches to English as Additional Language (EAL) can be decolonised in schools. In an attempt to break traditional divides between academic research and pedagogical practice in this area, this article adopts a collaborative perspective, between an EAL advisory and support teacher and an academic member of staff working in university. Drawing on dialogues and co-analysis with EAL practitioners, this article reflects on limitations of current provision and practice and suggests alternative, decolonial and anti-racist approaches to the education of EAL students. At both school and university level, 'one size fits all approaches' tend to negate the deep historical, social and political roots and contexts which underpin the experiences of 'EAL students' at different levels of education. Issues related to equitable assessment, inclusion, linguistic support and anti-racism tend to be side lined in favour of a focus on language proficiency and attainment, which most often overshadows the complex experiences and needs of students labelled 'EAL'. In this respect, the questions of relevant, decentred and decolonised curricula and forms of assessment that can promote inclusion for students who have experienced migration and are placed in monolingual educational environments in the UK are crucial. Through a decolonial perspective on the curriculum, language and pedagogical practice, inspired by postcolonial studies and Critical Race Theory, this paper discusses three main areas that emerged as crucial to a deeper and critical engagement with English as an Additional Language

Navigating the complexities of learning history in English in two South African schools

“…As a result, they reverted to Sesotho to show their mastery of the subject. This finding is backed up by an earlier study by Cankaya (2017), which claims that learners have challenges expressing their ideas correctly in English, hindering construction of knowledge through language, as encouraged by the sociocultural theory (Darmayanti et al, 2023;Erbil, 2020;Welply, 2022). This study argues, therefore, that the teaching of history must not be confined to using English, but that other languages used in the community in which the school is located should also be used.…”

“…Ultimately, languages are tools to navigate better understanding. As Welply (2022) argues, in school systems in which a single, standard form of language is proven as legitimate, students who do not speak the English language tend to be viewed as less competent, and multilingualism is seen as a problem or a barrier to successful learning. In agreement, both Devi (2023) and Millie (2023) admit that English-language ability has been identified as a key predictor of academic achievement in various educational contexts.…”

Comparing pre-service teacher attitudes toward the use of students’ home language(s) in linguistically diverse English as an additional language classrooms in Norway and Cyprus

“…Both groups acknowledged the difficulty of resorting to a majority language as in certain cases and more possibly soon, as they articulated, there would not be one shared among students and the instructor. They, however, did not see the separation of languages as a necessity or the implementation of an all-English approach as inevitable as emerged from recent studies (e.g., Nukuto, 2017;Karpava, 2022a,b;Kart et al, 2022;Neokleous et al, 2022;Welply, 2022). Instead, they embraced the potential of making use of their students' HLs as a learning pedagogy that could enhance TL acquisition.…”

“…Moreover, there has also been a penchant toward using the students' HL(s) to translate vocabulary items that might initially appear problematic for students to comprehend. In sum, teachers favored the integration of the students' HL(s) as it provided a way of assisting in the internalization of TL points that would have been otherwise difficult to explain or clarify (Welply, 2022).…”