Writing in English as an additional language at Key Stage 2:

Lynne Cameron andSharon Besser

As well as learning to use a rich and varied vocabulary EAL learners also need to learn how toconstruct grammatically accurate sentences and use grammatical knowledge to add detail and varysentences to achieve particular effects. For many EAL learners there are distinctive aspects ofsentence grammar that require specific attention. These distinctive aspects have been identified byresearch which compared the writing of EAL learners with that of children who have English as theirmother tongue.

Cameron and Besser (2004) identified specific areas of writing, particularly grammar, that poseparticular difficulties for children learning EAL. This study looked at writing by children with Englishas their mother tongue and children for whom English was an additional language, analysing 264scripts from the end of Key Stage 2 tests in 2003. The scripts were analysed using an integratedframework for writing that looked at both the text as a whole (e.g. control, use of genre) andlanguage use at sentence, clause, phrase and word level.

In looking at the writing of EAL learners the research identified that:

  • The best writers use grammar, vocabulary, direct speech, punctuation and rhetorical features with flexibility and adaptability to create strong story characters and plots and effective writing
  • Writing by Key Stage 2 EAL learners in 2004 was more fluent and more accurate than writing by Key Stage 4 EAL learners in 2003 – the difference can be ascribed to teaching received through the National Literacy Strategy.

However, it also identified particular features of vocabulary and grammar which some childrenlearning EAL need to develop in order to improve their writing. It is suggested that they need to:

Use accurately short idiomatic phrases where words are bound together e.g. in the middle of thenight (not at middle of night).

  • Use phrasal verbs accurately.
  • Increase the range and accuracy of adverbials to give information about time, manner, place and purpose and use mobility of adverbials with confidence.
  • Use modal verbs accurately.
  • Make sure that there is subject-verb agreement in clauses.
  • Use verb tenses appropriately and use the correct verb forms for different tenses.
  • Use the passive voice of verbs accurately and appropriately.
  • Increase the range of noun and verb phrases for detail.
  • Use adverbials and subordinators more confidently and accurately.
  • Use determiners accurately.
  • Use prepositions accurately.

Phrasal verbs and idiomatic phrases can be addressed alongside the overall vocabularydevelopment that requires specific attention for EAL learners as they encounter new items ofvocabulary in spoken language and written texts. Phrasal verbs and idiomatic phrases are oftenoverlooked as items that EAL learners need to explore, understand and use because they are oftencomposed of short common words. They are best taught through shared and guided reading wherechildren can have the opportunity to explore meaning and use them within a meaningful context