Understanding the delivery of vocabulary in teaching EAL learners: continued support for Ukrainian learners

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By Nicki Allman

Are you supporting Ukrainian children in your class this new school year? This article is full of ideas for supporting EAL learners.

Displaced peoples from war-torn areas have always, sadly, been a feature of international life. This has been brought into sharper focus in the UK due to the conflict in Ukraine. Over recent months, many Ukrainian children have arrived in UK schools in need of support. Schools are generally incredibly well-equipped to manage those pastoral needs, but having a non-English speaking child thrust into a full English-speaking curriculum can be challenging. However, there are some things that can be put in place quickly to help, as well as more strategic aspects that can be embedded across the whole curriculum for longer-term support.

The word apple written in English and Ukrainian on a flashcard

Social register versus academic register

It’s important to understand the distinction between these two when considering how to help Ukrainian children adapt to a UK school. A social register is the use of everyday language to communicate on a daily basis, while an academic register is the use of more technical and subject-specific language. The former is quickly established in most cases, whereas, even for native speakers of a language, the latter takes five to seven years to learn. So it is important to focus on the social register to allow Ukrainian children to access their daily lives and let the latter follow.

Immediate ideas to support Ukrainian children

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