What is the role of an EAL teacher?

EAL teachers are essential in supporting non-native speakers to become confident in their language abilities. Their role goes beyond simple vocabulary and grammar instruction. They are constantly working to find and create spaces for their students to flourish academically and socially in an English-speaking world. 

By adapting lessons for each person, they provide customised instruction, making sure that every learner gets the support they need. An advanced learner with more specialised needs can work on higher level skills. A more proficient student might be working with more specialized, advanced academic language. 

These personalised plans take into account the student’s background, learning style, and progress, resulting in tailored lessons that are as effective as they are enjoyable. 
Collaboration is another essential aspect of the role. EAL teachers should be actively collaborating with subject teachers to embed language support within the curriculum. You can break down an assignment into manageable steps. 

Think about pre-teaching vocabulary and introducing visual supports to clear up the concept in other subjects, like science or history. In a geography unit, it supports students in learning how to interpret maps by looking for key words and phrases. 

This multi-faceted approach allows students to be included at every level with their peers. This collaboration creates a situation where language learning never occurs in a vacuum but instead is embedded within the broader educational context. 

Assessing language proficiency is equally important. EAL teachers use clear benchmarks to track progress, from initial assessments to ongoing reviews. They might observe how a student constructs sentences in writing or measures their ability to follow verbal instructions. 
These insights help refine teaching strategies and celebrate milestones, giving students and their families a clear sense of achievement.