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Book Reviews Teaching Bilingual and EAL Learners in Primary Schools. Jean Conteh. London, UK: Sage. 2012. ISBN 978 0 85725 861 8.120 pp.
Jean Conteh is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Leeds, teaching the English component of the PGCE primary programme, with post-grad supervision. Jean's experiences are as a primary school teacher and teacher educator in diverse multilingual settings. This book is for those who have chosen to be primary teachers, but is useful for others working in teacher education, and teachers pursuing professional development and/or advanced qualifications. It has relevance for early childhood and secondary teachers working in culturally and linguistically diverse settings.
Teaching Bilingual and EAL Learners in Primary Schools is a welcome addition to teacher education literature. It draws on sound, up-to-date theories and principles from the field of second language acquisition (e.g., Cummins, 2001) to enhance readers' understanding of students labelled "EAL" (English as an additional language). The book has two parts: Part One provides essential theory about EAL learners and the role of languages in learning (including bilingualism); Part Two provides practical information about planning, resourcing, and assessment for EAL learners across the curriculum. The structured chapters include learning outcomes, discussion questions, and activities - to encourage readers to engage deeply and critically with the material. The glossary is comprehensive and accessible for teacher trainees.
Conteh's book is underpinned by two key themes:...