Second language acquisition for EAL learners: From philosophical understandings to classroom practices
Written by: Caroline Bligh Stephen Newman
8 min read
Caroline Bligh, Open University, UK
Stephen Newman, Carnegie School of Education, Leeds Beckett University, UK
With many children in UK schools currently learning English as a second (or, often, as an additional) language, the needs of those young learners are becoming a focus for many teachers. We argue that too much attention has been focused on the why and how of additional language acquisition and insufficient attention paid to what is being acquired, and to links between second and first language acquisition. In the light of the reinterpretation offered, it is suggested that some second language practices can be better understood and thus lead to innovative and motivating solutions to fit the needs of new-to-English second language learners.
Introduction
With one in six children in UK schools currently learning English as a second (or often additional) language and an increase of new-to-English (NTE) children entering the educational system (Drummond, 2014), teachers are
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