EAL and Cross-cultural support in schools and U5 settings
A dedicated team of EAL support staff to help your organisation
EAL and cross-cultural support in schools and U5 settings
We pride ourselves on being a dedicated team of EAL support advisors who are deeply committed to cultivating inclusive learning environments within schools. Our mission is to not only raise aspirations but also to enhance academic achievement for minority groups.
Drawing from our wealth of experience in providing Link Worker support to EAL children and their families throughout Somerset, our team operates seamlessly within both school and early years settings.
At the heart of our approach is a strong emphasis on collaboration. We work closely with parents, children, and teaching staff to offer invaluable assistance and support. By fostering strong partnerships and open lines of communication, we ensure that every stakeholder is fully engaged in the educational journey of EAL children. Through our proactive involvement, we strive to create an environment where every child feels empowered to succeed and every school feels equipped to meet the diverse needs of its student body.
Our commitment extends beyond mere support; it is a dedication to making a lasting impact on the lives of EAL children and their families. We believe that by fostering a culture of inclusivity and understanding, we can create opportunities for all students to thrive academically and beyond.
What do we do?
Our Services: Supporting EAL Learners
At Diversity Voice, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support for English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners. Our mission is to create inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive. Here’s how we support EAL learners:
Language Assessments
We offer thorough language assessments covering understanding, speaking, reading, and writing. These assessments help identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement, enabling educators to tailor their instruction effectively.
Tailored Educational Support
Our experienced team of EAL advisors works closely with schools, students, and parents to provide personalized educational support. This includes:
- Providing support on a pupil’s first day at school.
- Helping teachers find out about pupils’ or families’ needs.
- Support 1:1 or group work.
- Assisting schools in carrying out pupil language development assessments in both their native language and English.
- Supporting communication between parents, pupils, and teachers.
- Translation of your letters, leaflets, welcome packs, reports, and other documentation.
- Attending your parent meetings.
Support Workers
Our highly experienced support workers assist students in developing the confidence and skills to communicate effectively in both their native language and English. This dual-language approach helps ease the transition into the English-speaking educational system.
Community Engagement
We engage with the wider community to support EAL learners and their families. This includes organizing community events, providing information and resources in multiple languages, and fostering partnerships with local organizations.
Holistic Support Approach
We understand that effective support for EAL learners goes beyond the classroom. Our holistic approach includes providing guidance on navigating the education system, offering emotional support, and helping families connect with additional services as needed.
By offering these comprehensive services, Diversity Voice aims to empower EAL learners to reach their full potential and create a more inclusive, understanding community for all.
Why choose us?
We are an experienced and caring team with a deep-rooted commitment to supporting pupils and schools across Somerset for many years. Our reputation precedes us, as we are widely recognized for delivering high-quality, relevant services tailored to the specific needs of schools. Year after year, many of our satisfied customers return to us for further support, a testament to the trust and confidence they have in our abilities.
What sets us apart is our unwavering dedication to ensuring that EAL children reach their full potential. We understand the unique challenges they face and are passionate about equipping them with the necessary language skills to thrive academically. With the guidance and support of our highly experienced Bilingual Support workers, we provide personalized assistance to help children build confidence and proficiency in effective communication. Our approach begins with nurturing their abilities in their native language, fostering a strong foundation from which they can gradually transition to mastering English.
Choosing us means choosing a team that genuinely cares about the success and well-being of every child we support. With our proven track record, expertise, and commitment to excellence, we stand ready to make a positive impact on the lives of EAL children and the schools we serve.
What are the costs?
Any services that we provide will be tailored to your individual needs so each quote is unique and will be sent to you once we have established what support you require. Our prices offer great value for money in comparison to the market standard.
We look forward to working together with you to support your EAL children.
Interesting facts about EAL (English as an Additional Language) learners:
- Diverse Backgrounds: EAL learners come from a wide range of linguistic, cultural, and educational backgrounds. They may speak one or several languages other than English at home.
- Cognitive Benefits: Research suggests that bilingual or multilingual individuals often have cognitive advantages, such as better problem-solving skills, creativity, and multitasking abilities.
- Accelerated Learning: EAL learners can often pick up new languages quickly, especially young children, due to the plasticity of their developing brains.
- Cultural Awareness: EAL learners bring diverse cultural perspectives to the classroom, enriching the learning environment for all students and promoting cultural awareness and inclusivity.
- Educational Challenges: EAL learners may face unique challenges, such as adjusting to a new education system, overcoming language barriers, and dealing with the emotional impact of moving to a new country.
- Support Strategies: Effective support strategies for EAL learners include differentiated instruction, visual aids, peer support, and language buddy systems. Tailored support can significantly enhance their learning experience.
- Parental Involvement: The involvement of parents in the educational process can greatly benefit EAL learners. Schools that engage with EAL families and provide resources in multiple languages tend to see better academic outcomes for these students.
- Language Proficiency Levels: EAL learners can vary greatly in their proficiency levels, from beginners with limited English to advanced learners who are near-fluent but may still need support in academic language.
- Importance of First Language: Maintaining and developing proficiency in their first language can support EAL learners’ overall cognitive development and help them learn English more effectively.
- Global Trends: The number of EAL learners is growing worldwide due to increasing global migration. This trend highlights the importance of developing effective EAL programs to support the integration and success of these students.
Understanding these facts can help educators, parents, and policymakers create more effective and supportive learning environments for EAL learners.
Joanna Szmaj is fantastic at her job and makes everyone feel at ease throughout the process of translating.
K.O. , Social Worker
Joanna has been a fantastic help through out working with this family. She has been on time, friendly, approachable and efficient throughout every meeting.
L.W., Social Worker
Monika was really helpful and supported the children well.
Little Discoveries Nursery
Did you know?
One area that EAL learners often find challenging is when asked questions during lessons. The reason for this is that it usually happens too fast.
Working with EAL learners is not about changing everything you do; it’s not about differentiating everything ‘down’. Working with EAL learners is about finding ways to give more time, to provide opportunities to add extra steps into a task, and to scaffold those learners to reach their best potential through literacy support.
Research shows that the average question is asked and answered in a classroom within 60 seconds. When you consider the process that a child learning English goes through to reach their answer – hear the question in English, convert it to their first language, formulate the answer in their first language and then convert back to English – you can see why 60 seconds is nowhere near enough.
This was the best experience. He love so much. The teacher of his school said to me that he is like different child. BIG Thank You for what you done for us.
KC, parent
I just want to say big thank you for a second lesson per week with our great teacher. My son very happy and always wait a new lessons.
KK, parent
I would like to thank for my children’s online lessons. I believe that now will be easier for them to start learning at the school. I hope that our cooperation will continue in the next academic year.
ES, Parent
