How to set a first language for your EAL students
Andrew from Rollama
Last Update 6 months ago
This is an option through the Advanced Setup option when creating a new class, or if you select a specific student in your class and click 'Edit selected'. You will be able to select 'First Language (EAL)'Â and use the drop down menu to select from over 25 other first languages and counting!
When you do, that student will be shown a bespoke list of activities tailored to them. It will appear on their Quests page, along with the other curriculum content which is displayed to all students.
We have curated some lists of specific tasks which pose particular difficulty for learners with different first languages.
We focus on English language features which have no equivalent in certain home languages (e.g. Korean has no capital letters, so we have added several capital letter games for Korean speakers).
Swan, M. & Smith, B. (2002) — 'Learner English', Cambridge University Press. Cambridge: UK
Adding EAL to existing students
Select the student/s using the checkbox on the left, then click Edit Selected.
Select their EAL from the dropdown list. You can also add a Score Boost for SEN or severe EAL needs, if you want to give a discreet helping hand to those students.
Full list of supported home languages (as of September 2024). Please contact us if you'd like us to add any other languages.
Further reading on our blog:Â Â https://www.rollama.site/key-benefits-for-eal-departments