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Symposium; EAL

Thursday stream 6 Session 14.00 - 15.40 Length 25 minutes

Symposium: Identifying literacy learning difficulties of children learning English as an additional language

Convenor: Tony Cline

University of Luton tony@clines.demon.co.uk

Abstract

Most children learning English as an additional language (EAL) do not encounter particular problems in deciphering print at the word level, even in their second language. But they do face particular linguistic and cultural challenges with reading material at school at the sentence and text levels. That does not mean that no children learning EAL experience the difficulties associated with dyslexia. In fact, in this symposium we will argue that it is probable that many such children go unnoticed and are treated as though their problems are solely to do with limited knowledge of the language in which they are trying to read. It is important to keep in mind a crucial distinction. On the one hand, there is likely to be a substantial number of children learning EAL who experience reading difficulties in the early stages because of linguistic and cultural obstacles which they are not always given sufficient help to negotiate. On the other hand, there is a much smaller number who will experience severe and continuing difficulties at the word level that may go undiagnosed. The symposium will take as a starting point a recent review of the literature that is now available on the DfEE Web Site - http://www.dfee.gov.uk/research/rr184.doc - and will report on selected work that has been carried out subsequently.