With the schools closed due to the Coronavirus, many families are accessing home learning online via laptops and tablets. This is challenging for all families, but especially for families with English as an Additional Language (EAL).
The Bell Foundation is a charity that works to support people with EAL to access education. Katherine Solomon from the Bell Foundation wrote this piece about:
- The challenges faced by families with EAL
- How teachers and other professionals can support families with EAL to access home learning.
Some ideas to support families with EAL:
| 1) | Provide written information with translations if possible. If this is not possible, use clear, simple English with visual supports such as photos or symbols. |
| 2) | Try to use audio or video messages so that families who have difficulty reading English can access the information. |
| 3) | Highlight the value of multilingualism and encourage parents to support children to complete school activities in their home language. |
You can read Katherine Solomon’s blog post here: https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/news/blog-working-with-parents-to-support-the-learning-of-eal-pupils/
