English Additional Language (EAL)

EAL Programme at GCS

The EAL programme is one of the unique set of programs that GCS offers to the early, primary and
iddle yea s stude ts.
It is a very important part of the educational needs of our international students whether it is at GCS or
in the region as a whole.
The key focus; is to assist our students in becoming proficient in English, in order to achieve the
expected learning outcomes of our GCS curriculum but also to develop intellectually as global citizens of
this world.

EAL Mission
EALs issio at GC is to help hild e
environment.

lea

E glish du i g s hool ti e i the

ost suppo ti e

EAL Information for Parents

Here are important things to know as a parent when in comes to your child and EAL. GCS EAL Info for
Parents.pdf (http://www.gcschool.ae/images/content/pdf/EAL%20by%20Barry%20Burns.pdf)

Our Teachers Role

Ou tea he s ai ole is to help hild e ith little o o E glish feel safe a d se u e i the lass oo
and the whole school by teaching them Basic English vocabulary and sentences and building on initial
su i al E glish that they a use i all e ui ed a eas eadi g, iti g, speaki g a d liste i g .

Means and Tools Used

Most children in PYP EAL programme are taught 3 to 4 time per week for a 40 minutes lesson
Children are taught in small groups to encourage social as well as formal language acquisition

E e y hilds pa ti ula
in mind.
The EAL tea he

eed is assessed a d ea h p og a

o ks losely ith the lass oo

e is

itte a d thought ith these eeds

tea he to help hild e

ith thei

lass

o k.

Stages of EAL
Stage 1: Beginning
Stage2: Developing
Stage 3: Mastering

The program is structured in such a way that skills are built on progressively. The children are assessed
regularly to determine their level and needs.

Things to Know:
Our Beginners in EAL: Some children will go through a silent period while adjusting, some will mix their
mother tongue language with the English they have learned, at timed some features from their own
language will appear in the English usage. Children will behave differently during the adjustment period
some are withdrawn, others feel sick, others may cry. THIS IS COMPLETELY NORMAL!!

Bilingual Children what the Research tells us: Child e a take up to 2 Yea s to de elop thei
asi
i te pe so al o
u i atio skills . It ill take 5 to 7 yea s to a ui e the full a ge of lite a y skills. A
silent, receptive, period is natural in the learning process of a second language. THIS IS NOT A SIGN OF
LEARNING DIFFICULTIE!!. A othe s to gue is a alua le ha el to suppo t lea i g a d ot a
hindrance. Multilingualism has to be valued and can be educationally enriching and has a positive
impact on intellectual performance

Advice to Parents of EAL Students:

Make your child feel secure and happy in his environment, speak your home or mother tongue with him
and use every occasion to develop it, talk to him about school and its importance, provide your child (if
he is above grade 5) with an English/Home Language Dictionary. Read to him regularly. When he starts
to read at school, hear him read every day and talk about the story in your mother tongue and fill in any
gaps he failed to understand. Your child needs to sleep early and start fresh. Try to make contact with
parents of other children at GCS and encourage encounters between the children after school.

Meet our EAL Team

Literacy and Early Language Development Educators

Phedra Haines, Barry Burns, Dolores Allison, Sumrah Rizvi

-www.gcschool.ae