Blog - FlashAcademy

EAL Mar 23, 2021

EAL & Ofsted: Get ahead with FlashAcademy

A year on since the Government announced the first national lockdown, it feels a little strange to imagine life before the Covid-19 pandemic; no …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Mar 05, 2021

SEN and EAL: Webinar Q&A

The topic of SEN and EAL is complex and there are many issues that come up when discussing it. These range from how we …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL

SEN and EAL: Webinar Summary

It can be much harder to identify pupils with special educational needs if they don’t have English as their first language, as explored in …

Author: Helen Shelton

Educators Feb 11, 2021

Promoting Multilingualism: Q&A with Lost Wor(l)ds

We caught up with the team behind Lost Wor(l)ds, an impact initiative seeking to address how multilingual children are viewed in formal education contexts, …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Feb 04, 2021

FlashAcademy Case Study: Croydon Virtual School

Croydon Virtual School supervises and supports the education of children and young people in Croydon’s care. Operated by a group of education and social …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Jan 13, 2021

Remote Learning vs Homeschooling: Helping EAL Parents

With lockdown reintroduced across the country, parents are likely to be stressed and overwhelmed that they need to be homeschooling EAL development. Whilst there …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Dec 15, 2020

Supporting Higher Level EAL Learners (pt. 2)

How can we support high-level EAL learners to achieve greater competency in English? Let’s continue the key takeaways from our recent webinar. If you …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL

Supporting Higher Level EAL Learners (pt. 1)

How can schools support higher-level EAL pupils who are further along on their English language learning journey? If you tuned into the latest webinar …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Dec 10, 2020

Christmas Phonics for EAL

Phonics, if taught within a language-rich curriculum, is one of the key strategies for developing reading skills for younger learners with EAL. However, the …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Nov 23, 2020

Doubling Attainment: Top 5 Webinar Takeaways

We are already aware that attainment for pupils with English as an Additional Language is likely to have fallen further behind as a result …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Oct 28, 2020

Bringing EAL learners out of the ‘silent phase’

Speaking in English can be the last thing that pupils with EAL acquire. This doesn’t necessarily reflect their ability to understand the language, but …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Oct 23, 2020

Remote Learning: Support for EAL Pupils

Pupils with EAL are amongst those that have been hardest hit by the current pandemic. To overcome this challenge, a growing number of schools …

Author: Sophie Holman

Educators Sep 24, 2020

MFL: Activities for Teaching Phonics (pt.2)

Explicit phonics teaching helps create more autonomous learners and builds a strong foundation on which to develop future skills in the target language. Here, …

Author: Anne-Marie McLeman

Educators

MFL: Activities for Teaching Phonics (pt. 1)

It has been acknowledged that teaching phonics as part of an MFL curriculum can have far-reaching benefits on the outcomes of language learning. Explicit phonics instruction gives students the tools for phonological decoding, meaning students improve their …

Author: Anne-Marie McLeman

Educators Sep 22, 2020

Common mistakes native English speakers make in English

This blog delves into 5 areas where native English speakers frequently make mistakes in English. For mistakes which EAL and ESOL pupils make in writing, …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Sep 10, 2020

EAL Attainment: Accelerating English Proficiency

Social distancing, year group bubbles, staggered pick-up, and drop-offs. It’s been an unusual Back to School, to say the least! But the challenge and …

Author: Sophie Holman

Educators Sep 07, 2020

FlashAcademy® Platform Update September 2020

FlashAcademy® HQ has been working hard over the last few months to bring exciting new content in time for the new academic year. Lessons …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Aug 24, 2020

FlashAcademy® Case Study: Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees

Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees is a community-based charity, helping to resettle Syrian refugees in Sevenoaks, Kent. The charity works in partnership with Sevenoaks District Council …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Aug 21, 2020

Back to school for EAL learners

As we prepare to go back to school, both staff and pupils may be feeling wary. Although some find school a safe place and …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Aug 14, 2020

Translation for EAL pupils: to translate or not to translate?

One common quandary that teachers face is whether or not translation for EAL pupils is a good idea. Should we allow children to translate …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Aug 04, 2020

Learning languages through video games

When learning a second language, playing video games sounds like a dream way to learn. Certainly, more interesting that memorising grammar! In this article, we look at how two …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Jul 20, 2020

Preparing to teach EAL pupils in your NQT year

If you are about to embark on your NQT year and you don’t feel properly prepared to teach EAL pupils, you’re not alone. Many …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Jul 13, 2020

5 ways Emojis can help pupils with EAL

In this blog, we celebrate all things emoji to teach English to EAL pupils. In 2015, the ‘Face with Tears of Joy’ emoji was …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Jul 02, 2020

Webinar Summary: Language Across the Curriculum

Teaching language is not purely the domain of the English teacher; a focus on language across the curriculum can improve academic and life outcomes …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL

Webinar Summary: Teacher Talk

For newly arrived EAL pupils, the mainstream classroom can be an overwhelming place where they are bombarded with unfamiliar language. However, there are ways …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL

Webinar Summary: Language Learning Myths

The language learning myths we hear in the world around us affect our attitude towards language learning. In the webinar on Language Awareness for …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Jun 24, 2020

Activities for EAL to get your pupils moving

Research suggests that regular exercise can boost memory functioning, improve concentration and improve mental health, all of which are vital for learning – so …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Jun 11, 2020

Benefits of FlashAcademy® for the Refugee Community

Learning the language of the host country is beneficial for refugee communities because it helps integration (Strang and Ager, 2010), opens employment opportunities, supports …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Jun 08, 2020

Supporting Roma pupils: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month

Many EAL teachers lack the confidence that they are supporting Roma pupils effectively. As the most disadvantaged ethnic minority group in the UK, Roma …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Jun 03, 2020

Pupil Wellbeing: Returning to school

Teachers and school staff in England are welcoming back more children this week, but there is a significant change to how things usually work. …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL May 29, 2020

EAL & Health: Webinar Q&A

The ‘EAL and Health’ webinar outlined some varying cultural perceptions of physical and mental health amongst EAL pupils and families. It looked at considerations …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL

EAL & Health: Webinar Summary

Currently, health is at the forefront of all our minds as the coronavirus pandemic occupies a huge space in the public consciousness. Understandably, many …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL May 26, 2020

Is maths really a universal language? Helping EAL pupils with maths

Maths is often called a ‘universal language’. Around the world, equations will give the same result whether you call the answer ‘vier’, ‘tokowha’ or …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL May 22, 2020

EAL activities for National Share-A-Story Month!

As it’s National Share-A-Story month here in the UK and with half-term around the corner, now is an ideal time to encourage pupils to …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL May 04, 2020

Home Learning: Top tips for parents

Through the school closures, you might now be juggling the roles of parent, teacher, and worker every day. In this blog, we share some ideas on how home learning can …

Author: Katharine Miles

Educators Apr 14, 2020

Independent Learning: Helping pupils develop study skills

As pupils begin to settle into home learning, they are beginning to develop useful independent study skills. However, for some pupils, this can be …

Author: Helen Shelton

Educators Apr 07, 2020

Self-directed ideas for language learning at home

MFL learning typically relies on communication with native speakers or L2 speakers of the language; this involves error-correcting or recasting. Whether this is written …

Author: Tamsin Cox-Walsh

EAL Apr 01, 2020

FREE Home Learning Resources for Children with EAL

As distance learning becomes the ‘new normal’, the loss of a school environment raises concerns that there will be fewer opportunities for EAL pupils …

Author: Tabitha Dunn

EAL Mar 25, 2020

Practising English with home PE activities

Research suggests that regular exercise can boost memory functioning, improve concentration and improve mental health, all of which are vital for learning – so …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Mar 17, 2020

Distance learning ideas to keep pupils motivated

Nowadays, we don’t often expect pupils to sit still and quietly by themselves for a whole lesson, let alone for a whole day, week …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Mar 11, 2020

Coronavirus: EdTech strategies for home learning

We’re used to the odd snow shower or unplanned deep clean that closes the school gates for several days. We enjoy the time off …

Author: Sophie Holman

Educators Mar 09, 2020

Spring festivals to celebrate from around the world

As the evenings start to get lighter and daffodils emerge from the sodden ground, we know that the British spring is approaching. However, other …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Mar 06, 2020

EAL Role Models on International Women’s Day

We know that our EAL pupils are capable of incredible success, and it is important that we help them to develop self-belief and give …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Mar 04, 2020

Teaching new-to-English adult learners to read for the first time

On stamps, coins, television or in person, the Queen’s face is easily recognisable. Similarly, you may meet a new person as an adult but …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Feb 24, 2020

Second language learning: Is there a ‘magic’ age?

When it comes to learning a second language it is often thought that age can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. …

Author: Emily Powell

EAL Feb 20, 2020

The Importance of International Mother Language Day

The 21st February is International Mother Language Day, a day that promotes the preservation and protection of all languages. This day was chosen to commemorate those who …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Feb 17, 2020

Using music for EAL development

The benefits of music on the brain are now well-known. Listening to music can increase dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ chemical, and reduce the production of …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Feb 13, 2020

Teacher Feature: Ideas from an EAL Coordinator

We got in touch with Michelle Wrigglesworth – EAL Coordinator at Great Academy Ashton and guest speaker at the upcoming EAL Success Manchester event …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Feb 05, 2020

Encouraging inclusivity by nurturing EAL pupil voice

EAL pupils have diverse experiences, stories to tell and opinions to share in many different languages. If you want to create a truly inclusive …

Author: Helen Shelton

Educators Jan 29, 2020

FlashAcademy® Case Study: RGS The Grange Junior School

RGS The Grange is situated in Claines, southwest of Birmingham. It is an independent prep school, teaching children from age 2 to 12. The school opened its doors …

Author: Aiste Blinstrubaite

Educators

FlashAcademy® Case Study: Edgbaston High School for Girls

Situated in a prosperous Birmingham suburb, Edgbaston High School for Girls is an independent day school for girls aged 2 ½ to 18. As the oldest …

Author: Aiste Blinstrubaite

Educators Jan 28, 2020

Harry Potter & the Translator’s Tournament: Advice for GCSE translations

Harry Potter is a book loved around the globe and has been translated into over 76 different languages. However, upon reading the tale of the …

Author: Katharine Miles

Educators Jan 24, 2020

FlashAcademy® Case Study: Shireland Collegiate Academy

Shireland Collegiate Academy is an inner-city school in Birmingham, rich in diversity with 1050 students pre-16 and 250 students post-16. They are strong advocates …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Jan 23, 2020

FlashAcademy® Case Study: Hillside Junior School

Hillside Junior School is an inclusive school which celebrates the diversity of its pupils and community, with nearly half of the 240+ pupils speaking …

Author: Aiste Blinstrubaite

EAL

FlashAcademy® Case Study: Lily Lane Primary School

Lily Lane Primary School is a three-form entry primary in Manchester. With around 700 children and just over 260 EAL pupils, their primary population …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Jan 22, 2020

FlashAcademy® Case Study: Great Barr Academy

Great Barr Academy is the second largest school in Europe, with capacity for over 2,500 pupils. It currently has about 600 EAL pupils who …

Author: Tabitha Dunn

EAL

FlashAcademy® Case Study: Anderton Park Primary School

Anderton Park Primary is a very ambitious and positive school, surrounded by a fantastic community. Everyone is committed to providing an outstanding education for …

Author: Tabitha Dunn

EAL

Guide to Good Practice with FlashAcademy®

So, you have access to FlashAcademy® to support your EAL and MFL pupils on their language journey but now you’re asking yourself how to …

Author: Tamsin Cox-Walsh

EAL Jan 07, 2020

‘What is EAL?’ Understanding the acronyms in education

The ELT (English Language Teaching) industry is rich in acronyms which all mean slightly different things. This guide aims to demystify these terms for …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Jan 03, 2020

Learn English grammar – tips for better writing

This blog dives into grammatical skills which can be sharpened in order to produce better written work in English. These features might be difficult to acquire due to the transfer of features from the home …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Dec 16, 2019

EAL ideas for increasing ambitious vocabulary

As teachers, we know that ending a story with ‘I woke up and it was all a dream’ is unoriginal. We tell our pupils …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Dec 13, 2019

Supporting EAL in schools: 2019 roundup

We sat down with FlashAcademy® CEO, Veejay Lingiah, to reflect on how the team has supported EAL in schools in 2019. We have also …

Author: Sophie Holman

EAL Dec 10, 2019

Stuck for EAL ideas? Try this versatile game

It’s difficult to be on ‘top form’ with fun and inventive EAL ideas all the time. However, we have one classroom game in mind …

Author: Helen Shelton

EAL Nov 26, 2019

Using the Object Translator for EAL students

Struggling for ideas on how to create a multisensory experience for EAL students? Look no further than the FlashAcademy® Object Translator! This unique tool, found within the …

Author: Katharine Miles

EAL Nov 18, 2019

Drama: cross-curricular activities that support EAL students

Awkward role-playing and lacking in confidence, or desire, are just some of the obstacles teachers face when integrating drama. It can be even more …

Author: Helen Shelton

Educators Nov 08, 2019

Let’s reverse the decline in foreign language learning

With the recent news that Ofqual will be grading French and German GCSE less severely, more measures are needed to reverse the decline in language learning. …

Author: Sophie Holman

FlashAcademy® Best Practice

6 ways to use FlashSticks® in the classroom

So, you have unpacked your FlashSticks® and are eager to use them in the classroom with your students, but have you thought about how …

Author: Lucia Calero Ramirez

EAL Oct 02, 2019

Removing Barriers to Learning for EAL Children

Having a diverse school can bring some wonderful benefits, but it can be a challenge to ensure that pupils from all backgrounds have the …

Author: Tabitha Dunn

EAL Sep 30, 2019

Whole School Approaches to the Inclusion of EAL Students

With the number of EAL student admissions into schools across the UK on the rise, it is important that as educators, you prioritise ensuring …

Author: Zmina Hawthorne

EAL Sep 16, 2019

EAL Birmingham 2018 – Highlights

Over 100 teachers, educators and organisations responsible for EAL provision attended the EAL Birmingham 2018 conference hosted by FlashAcademy®. The conference involved a variety …

Author: Simran Gill

EAL Aug 22, 2019

Challenges Low Level English EAL Students May Face with Maths and How to Aid Them in Their Learning

“How can mathematical attainment be fairly assessed if learners are still developing their proficiency in English? If learners EAL students find word problems hard …

Author: Zmina Hawthorne

EAL Jul 09, 2019

How To: Identifying SEN in EAL Students

Recognising SEN (Special Educational Needs) in EAL students early on can be extremely vital in their progression with learning not only English as an …

Author: Zmina Hawthorne

EAL Jun 21, 2019

How can an EAL Baseline Assessment benefit pupils?

When working towards a particular goal, having a way to measure our progress is fundamental. An EAL Baseline Assessment can give pupils that sense …

Author: Rebecca Alforque

EAL Jun 20, 2019

Removing barriers to learning for new ESL students

Having a diverse school can bring some wonderful benefits, but it can be a challenge to ensure that pupils from all backgrounds have the …

Author: Sophie Holman

Educators Jun 18, 2019

Royal Grammar School The Grange visit Flash Academy HQ!

On the 20th of May, we welcomed a group of pupils from RGS The Grange to FlashAcademy® HQ for a fun-filled morning. What did they …

Author: Rebecca Alforque

Educators Jun 06, 2019

5 Ways to Make Language Learning More Attractive for Pupils

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a performance assessment aimed at identifying the proportion of secondary school pupils who attain a grade C or higher …

Author: Sonja Woytena

EAL May 08, 2019

How to Teach Curriculum Subjects to Pupils with EAL

Getting to grips with curriculum subjects can be an extraordinary challenge for pupils with EAL. Not only does the pupil need to acquire basic, …

Author: Sonja Woytena

Educators Apr 10, 2019

FlashAcademy® Update April 2019

We’re excited to announce new features for the FlashAcademy Platform for the summer term. We’ve tried to include as much information as possible here so you can access it all in one …

Author: Harry Colley

EAL Apr 09, 2019

Extra funding to support resettled Syrian pupils in Birmingham schools

Schools in Birmingham that take in children who have been resettled as part of the government’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme are eligible for …

Author: Afshana Begum

MFL Mar 14, 2019

10 Ways to Build Confidence in the MFL Classroom

Confidence is one of the most important factors when it comes to achieving anything in life and for students, it can be a game …

Author: Sonja Woytena

EAL Feb 22, 2019

A migrant teacher’s perspective on supporting EAL pupils

As a 6-year-old EAL pupil, I recall feeling completely overwhelmed at adjusting to the English education system as there seemed to be an immense …

Author: Eman Nasser

Educators Jan 21, 2019

Six Ideas for Getting the Most out of School Resources

Feel like you’ve spent too many hours toiling away creating unique PowerPoints, handouts and flashcards which your students fly through in half an hour? …

Author: Anne-Marie McLeman

EAL Jan 03, 2019

The Best EAL Activities for Building Vocabulary

When teaching pupils with English as an additional language, building vocabulary is key to progressing their level of English in all skills. Games are …

Author: Anne-Marie McLeman

EAL Dec 05, 2018

A New EAL Strategy in Sandwell

Shireland Collegiate Academy, an OUTSTANDING OFSTED secondary school in the West Midlands, has a national reputation for its effective use of technology to …

Author: Afshana Begum

EAL

Best ways to conduct EAL Proficiency Assessments

Learning Labs work closely with Pupil and School Support, to ensure the FlashAcademy® EAL platform is as impactful as possible for the classroom. We …

Author: Afshana Begum

EAL Nov 07, 2018

5 Ways Teachers are Using FlashAcademy® in Schools

This blog article shares some of our favourite ways that teachers are currently using FlashAcademy® in schools. Find out how you can better support …

Author: Harry Colley

EAL Oct 30, 2018

How to support newly arrived refugee learners with their confidence

Promoting the well-being of refugee children in the classroom is fundamental; teachers play an influential role in rebuilding their self-esteem, confidence and friendships. Although …

Author: Afshana Begum

Educators Oct 17, 2018

Important FlashAcademy® Update over the October Half Term

FlashAcademy® is improving the way you and your pupils login. From Monday 29th October, FlashAcademy® will be updating to allow a smoother and quicker …

Author: Tabitha Dunn

EAL Sep 11, 2018

Using EAL Learners’ First Language Ability

Importance of Using EAL Learners’ First Language Ability Research has shown that EAL learners’ competency in their first language ability, can greatly enhance …

Author: Afshana Begum

EAL Sep 04, 2018

EAL Assessment without Proficiency Codes

Many of you may have heard about the recent change for Proficiency codes, with DfE no longer requiring schools to make pupils take an …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Jul 18, 2018

Top 5 tips to set up an effective EAL team

The number 1 way to help EAL pupils integrate into the school and develop their English skills is to set up an effective EAL …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Jul 06, 2018

How to Support EAL Families and their Language-Learning

Schools are often looking for ways to support EAL families and their language-learning, because this leads to improvement in their children’s language skills. Turns …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Jun 28, 2018

Top 5 tips for supporting parents of newly arrived EAL pupils

Supporting parents of newly arrived EAL pupils is crucial to the integration process. Many parents of EAL pupils do not speak proficient English themselves …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Jun 21, 2018

Top 5 tips to help EAL learners progress in their reading comprehension

Reading can be quite a challenging task for an EAL learner. Only more advanced EAL pupils can read texts independently, without needing assistance from …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Jun 12, 2018

Top 5 resources for EAL learners

It can be quite difficult for EAL pupils to be expected to make progress in English without the right tools. Many resources for EAL …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Jun 07, 2018

Top 5 tips to make EAL pupils progress in their writing

Writing in English can be a challenging task to ask a pupil who is learning English as their second language. Often, EAL pupils feel …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Jun 01, 2018

Top 5 ways to integrate newly arrived EAL pupils

It’s always hard being the new kid in school. This is even harder for EAL pupils who don’t speak the same language as the …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL May 24, 2018

Top 5 tips for successfully motivating EAL learners

Often, EAL learners have the feeling that they have to start their education again, from scratch. They need to learn how to speak, how …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL May 18, 2018

Top 5 tips for dealing with challenging behaviour in EAL learners

It is completely normal for newly arrived EAL learners to feel lost and scared in a new setting. Often, these children can’t express their …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL May 09, 2018

New EAL Proficiency Assessment: The Teacher challenge

With teachers across the country now required to undertake the new EAL proficiency assessment for all of their pupils with EAL, I wanted to …

Author: Gemma Carrington

EAL May 03, 2018

Part 3: Teaching EAL in Europe’s 2nd largest school

After speaking with Nisha and Noria who are responsible for teaching EAL at Great Barr Academy, we caught up with Hannah Legood, the induction …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Apr 25, 2018

Part 2: Great Barr Academy – Help for EAL teachers in Europe’s 2nd largest school

After speaking with Hollie O’Sullivan, the Head of EAL at Great Barr Academy about how FlashAcademy can provide help for EAL teachers, we caught up …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Apr 18, 2018

Part 1: Helping pupils with EAL in Europe’s 2nd largest school

An interview with Hollie O’Sullivan, Lead teacher of EAL at Great Barr Academy. Hollie is charged with implementing strategies for helping pupils with EAL. …

Author: Annika Rahf

EAL Apr 04, 2018

Former teacher talks about the current EAL challenge for UK schools

It’s clear that the EAL challenge is increasing for teachers and being a former teacher, I understand the pressures they are under to demonstrate that …

Author: Gemma Carrington

EAL Mar 12, 2018

Easy EAL Games to Try with Pupils

Games are a fantastic way to bridge understanding between different languages. Used every single day by pupils and teachers alike, they provide an interactive way …

Author: Francesco D'Alessio

EAL Feb 22, 2018

5 EAL Activities To Try With New Students

Right now, EAL is one of the fastest moving conversations for primary and secondary school teachers in the UK. EAL pupils now account for …

Author: Francesco D'Alessio

MFL Nov 23, 2017

How to Assign Fun French Homework

Teaching French can be pretty tricky especially at this time of the year, as Christmas and the New Year as arrives for students. Making …

Author: Francesco D'Alessio

Teacher Tips Sep 26, 2017

5 Ways to Inspire Your Language Students

Inspiring as many students as possible to conquer a language or explore a career in language is your mission as a teacher. But as we …

Author: Francesco D'Alessio

Teacher Tips Mar 31, 2017

Foreign language teaching strategies

Modern foreign languages are changing. The way we are learning them is changing, and the way we are teaching them is changing. One thing …

Author: Isobel Owen

MFL Jan 06, 2017

French language classroom games

Every day in French language classrooms around the world teachers are trying to find new and more effective ways for their students to learn. Playing games on …

Author: Francesco D'Alessio

Free Digital EAL Assessment for Schools