EAL Band D – Competent
The pupil can use English independently in most academic and social situations. They understand and produce complex language with growing accuracy but may still make occasional errors. They can read and write detailed texts and participate confidently in discussions. Some support may be needed for unfamiliar topics or advanced vocabulary.
General
Listening
Reading
Speaking
Writing
- Encourage learners to read extended fiction and non-fiction texts to improve fluency and understanding.
- Provide chances for learners to practise putting information into their own words.
- Support learners in identifying and correcting their own errors in speaking and writing.
- Teach learners to use spelling and language patterns to guess the meanings of unfamiliar words from context.
- Explore synonyms and related word families to broaden vocabulary.
- Use a “Word of the Week” approach to introduce and focus on new vocabulary regularly.
- Discuss various language styles, including sarcasm and informal or slang expressions.
- Explain how tone and intonation influence meaning in spoken language.
- Emphasize the differences between formal and informal English usage.
- Encourage learners to keep a list of key command words used in academic contexts.
- Promote sharing of opinions through both speaking and writing activities.
- Display irregular verb forms visibly in the classroom as a reference tool.
- Compare and contrast present, past, and future tenses to deepen grammatical understanding.
- Provide learners with opportunities to practise expressing information in their own words.
- Teach learners to use spelling and language patterns to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from context.
- Discuss different types of language use, such as sarcasm or inappropriate language.
- Explore how tone of voice and intonation can change the meaning of spoken language.
- Analyse the speaker’s intentions and how their language choices reflect their purpose.
- Encourage learners to keep a log of important command words used in instructions.
- Expose learners to a range of speakers, including those with different accents and varying speech speeds.
- Introduce focused listening tasks that target specific language features.
- Foster opportunities for learners to build on and expand their peers’ contributions.
- Allow learners to make predictions about what might happen next in videos or listening exercises.
- Encourage students to engage with longer fiction and non-fiction texts to improve reading skills and understanding.
- Offer opportunities for students to practice putting information into their own words.
- Teach students to use spelling rules and contextual hints to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.
- Expand vocabulary by exploring synonyms and groups of related words.
- Compare present, past, and future tenses to clarify their uses and differences.
- Use a “Word of the Week” activity to introduce new vocabulary regularly.
- Discuss various forms of language, such as sarcasm and informal or offensive expressions.
- Introduce challenging vocabulary before reading lessons to support comprehension.
- Ensure students have access to English dictionaries and thesauruses for independent learning.
- Help students identify base words and understand how adding prefixes and suffixes changes meaning.
- Allow students to take reading materials home and talk about them in their native language with family members.
- Recommend watching film adaptations of books to support understanding and interest.
- Provide reading journals for students to record what they have read and reflect on their preferences
- Give learners opportunities to restate information in their own language.
- Support learners in noticing and correcting their own speaking errors.
- Help learners use spelling rules and contextual clues to figure out meanings of unfamiliar words.
- Talk about particular types of language use, like sarcasm and inappropriate expressions.
- Explain how meaning changes through tone and intonation.
- Draw attention to the contrasts between formal and casual English.
- Encourage learners to share their viewpoints.
- Display charts or posters of irregular verb forms for reference.
- Allow learners to access online dictionaries to listen to correct pronunciations.
- Encourage linking ideas by using connecting words and phrases.
- Follow up learners’ answers with additional questions to extend thinking.
- Use varied question levels so all learners can respond to subject content.
- Provide opportunities for learners to speak both off-the-cuff and with prior preparation.
- Give learners opportunities to restate information using their own phrasing.
- Support learners in recognizing and correcting their own errors.
- Teach learners to use spelling patterns and contextual clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.
- Explore synonyms and word families to enhance vocabulary.
- Implement a “Word of the Week” strategy to regularly introduce new vocabulary.
- Discuss particular language uses, such as sarcasm and inappropriate language.
- Highlight the differences between formal and informal English, as well as between spoken and written forms.
- Encourage learners to share their opinions confidently.
- Display irregular verb forms clearly in the classroom for easy reference.
- Compare and contrast present, past, and future tenses, ensuring learners understand which tense suits different writing tasks.
- Practice transforming texts into various formats, for example, turning a book summary into a news article or interpreting data from a graph into an explanatory paragraph.
- Introduce learners to a range of genres to broaden their reading and writing skills.