If you have concerns about the speech and/or language skills of an EAL child in your class, it is useful to gather some background information before you refer them to your Speech and Language Therapist.
Here are some useful background information questions that will help your referral. If possible, meet with the child’s parent/carer to discuss the following.
1. What is your child’s first language?
2. What language is spoken at home?
3. What language do they hear/speak with…… Mum? Dad? Siblings? Grandmother? Grandad? Aunts? Uncles? Cousins? Childminder?
4. How long have they been exposed to English?
5. Which language do they understand most?
6. Which language do they speak the most?
7. What language do they watch TV in?
8. Do their friends speak English or their home language?
9. Do you have any concerns about their home language or is it purely their English?
10. If there are speech sound difficulties, are these in both languages?
This information will be of great help to the school and to your Speech and Language Therapist. These questions could be included in your induction pack when an EAL child is transitioning to your school.
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