MLL or EAL

[Kasia Franas]

Hi colleagues,

I hope you’re all doing well. I wanted to ask for your thoughts today about the use of the term MLL (Multilingual Learners) in place of EAL (English as an Additional Language).

This is in the context of a secondary school setting, where apparently MLL is now the preferred term. The idea is to recognise multilingualism as an asset and to acknowledge students who are learning both through their home language(s) and through English. Do you think that the term MLL should be used only in schools that actively recognise and uphold the right of multilingual learners to access learning through their first or home language as well as English? Is it simply an interchangeable term with EAL? Or would you not use it at all? 

I remember that a couple of years ago, MLL started to gain some visibility, but it didn’t really seem to stick, I think. I’m curious how you feel about replacing EAL with MLL in your school, or perhaps even within your school’s EAL policy.

I’d be really interested to hear your thoughts.

Warm wishes, 

Kasia Franas 

[Steven Fawkes]

Hello, and thanks for the question. I don't know that abbreviation but what I like about it is that it puts the emphasis on a positive thing (being Multilingual) whereas EAL seems to focus on a deficiency thing (needing to learn English.)

I am by background a (foreign)  language teacher and the DfE gives my subject the letters MFL : also problematic for many - Modern : OK, it means 'not ancient' but it somehow sounds old-fashioned 😊 : 'Foreign' - not the most positive word in today's environment : Language. Why not just Languages?

Steven

 www.ALL-languages.org.uk

--
This group is managed by NALDIC, the UK's EAL Professional Association. Please visit our website for further information: www.naldic.org.uk. Twitter: @EAL_naldic. NALDIC's Privacy Policy | https://naldic.org.uk/privacy-policy
 
National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum
A Registered Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales. Charity No 1110570. Company No 05159760
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "EAL-Bilingual" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to eal-bilingua...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/DA0A0F9E-E508-478F-9172-E6AF5717C52B%40gmail.com.

[eowyncr...@gmail.com]

I think that the best frame is MLL (multilingual learner) is the student characteristic, and EAL is the provision that some MLL receive to support English language acquistion. This is what how we framed it through the Jersey language policy and it's been very helpful to make sure that the lable 'EAL' doesn't define the child, and we don't lose sight of our mutlingual learners when they are no longer receiving EAL provision.

[T Simpson]

Hi all,

That's a great topic for discussion. I'll do my best to express my view: 

Multilingualism and EAL are not the same thing: If you can speak more than 2 languages fluently/interchangeably, then this is called multilingualism. If this applies to two languages (equally frequent), it is bilingualism. For multilingualism and bilingualism, you need to function in all languages almost equally without a problem and you won't need instruction to learn it.

In the case of the term, English as an additional language, students - regardless of their home language/mother tongue(s) and regardless of how fluent they are in that - need support in English. Therefore, a monolingual - a Turkish student, like myself, who is learning English is not a multilingual learner but would be classified as EAL. Similarly, my friend, whose mother tongues are Turkish and Kurdish, will still be EAL as he needs support in English. 

In short, multilingualism and bilingualism are what you already have; EAL is what you need to have/learn. Therefore, terminologically they are not interchangeable, I am afraid. (no matter how the intention is good)

Hope that helps. 

All the best,

Tugce

--
This group is managed by NALDIC, the UK's EAL Professional Association. Please visit our website for further information: www.naldic.org.uk. Twitter: @EAL_naldic. NALDIC's Privacy Policy | https://naldic.org.uk/privacy-policy
 
National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum
A Registered Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales. Charity No 1110570. Company No 05159760
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "EAL-Bilingual" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to eal-bilingua...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/63749fce-9f1e-42e2-8b6d-167884828943n%40googlegroups.com.