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Episode 257: Supporting multilingual learners is never just about one intervention or one brilliant teacher. It lives or dies in the systems that sit behind every lesson, every admission and every decision a school makes.
In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Kieran is joined by Dr Robert Sharples to unpack the Heddle System, a whole school approach to English as an Additional Language (EAL) that ties together admissions, assessment, classroom practice and targeted support into one coherent framework.
Drawing on Rob’s work as an academic, author and co founder of Heddle, they explore what it really takes to build EAL provision that works for every multilingual learner, not just the ones who shout loudest for attention.
Across the conversation they dig into questions such as:
What are the expectations every teacher should meet for multilingual learners in their classroom?
How can schools design tiered EAL provision that does not leave the EAL team doing everything for everyone?
Where should you start if your current EAL offer is fragmented, informal or entirely dependent on one heroic colleague?
How can admissions, assessment and record keeping stop being a black hole and start becoming the engine of effective support?
What is a sensible, evidence informed stance on AI translation tools for students, staff and families?
If you are an EAL lead, SENCo, senior leader or classroom teacher who wants to move from well intentioned bolt ons to a joined up system for multilingual learners, this episode gives you a practical blueprint for what to focus on next.
