Speaker: Dr Jean Conteh (University of Leeds) - Title: A niche interest? Making spaces for EAL in research, policy and practice

There is a growing body of - mostly small-scale - research into issues related to the experiences of EAL learners. A Google search for EAL training yields page after page of offerings from freelance consultants, local authorities, companies and so on. EAL is frequently mentioned in national policy documentation. Yet, there is still very little clarity among education professionals about what EAL precisely is, who actually comes into the category of an EAL learner and what EAL practice is really about. Bilingual learners are still commonly regarded among practitioners as having problems (Safford and Drury, 2013) and NQTs consistently, year by year, rate EAL as one of the least effective elements of their initial training, and meeting the needs of EAL learners as one of their greatest anxieties. In the seminar, I will trace the history of EAL in research, policy and practice in England and raise some issues for the future.