Ethnic Minority & Traveller Achievement Service

Ethnic Minority & Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS) and English as an Additional Language (EAL)

During lock-down many EAL pupils have been severely disadvantaged. They spent months cut off from opportunities to develop English through socialising with their peers and without access to curriculum-based English language teaching. Some EAL pupils were particularly disadvantaged as they lacked the online technology and are at earlier stages in learning English. Throughout the lock-down period, EMTAS/EAL targeted home-learning support for some of our most vulnerable EAL children and families. Additionally, we continued to offer guidance and CPD remotely via ZOOM and TEAMS to volunteers and school-based practitioners. Then as now, EMTAS/EAL work within a multi-agency framework including schools, WCC services and other external providers to support access to appropriate education provision for learners across the EAL spectrum.

Now children are back in schools.

EMTAS/EAL continue to offer capacity building support to narrow the widening attainment gap. We have developed an online package of assessment materials to enable us to assess EAL students virtually; either at home or at school. As before, our assessments include a comprehensive report and plots the student on Warwickshire’s EAL Proficiency Scale in line with the Dept for Education A – E codes. Additionally, we outline measurable targets and strategies across the four language skills in an Individual Language Plan (ILP). Where appropriate, one of our Intervention Specialist can deliver additional online EAL support as part of a package. In the case of EAL children who might also be SEN, we continue to follow WCC EAL-SEND pathway to investigate complex cases and offer Early Help support.

EMTAS/EAL Online CPD

We have adapted our course materials and timings to suit delivery online. Our July 2020 EAL Network Meeting via TEAMS on Transition received positive feedback. Many colleagues commented through CHAT that they preferred online!

Here are the first of our Autumn EMTAS/ EAL CPD events via TEAMS:

• Assessing EAL new arrivals – 15/10/20 Session One, 22/10/20 Session Two 5/11/20 Session Three (total 3 hours)
• Primary EAL Network Meeting – 8/10/20 on Closing the widening attainment gap due to Covid 19 school closures - extended homework tasks for EAL.
• Secondary EAL Network Meeting – 20/10/20 Guest Speaker Mike Ray Head of Asylum Team plus online resources for A, B, C coded pupils.
• EAL-SEND – 19/11/20 (1.5 hours)

For booking information please contact melindatwells@warwickshire.gov.uk