Language Without Borders: Multilingual Support & Inclusion

The Problem: A One-size-fits-all Language Approach

One in five pupils in England, around 1.7 million, are now recorded as speaking English as an additional language (Department for Education, 2023). The EAL label marks exposure to a language other than English at home rather than a fixed level of need: many of these pupils are already fluent, and proficiency varies widely. But the scale of that linguistic diversity is real, and a monolingual classroom model was never designed to serve it.

The traditional monolingual paradigm, which often treats linguistic diversity as a problem to be managed, is no longer adequate. The more useful stance treats multilingualism not as a deficit but as an asset that enriches the whole learning community.

Maintaining and developing a home language is associated with cognitive and social benefits, including greater cognitive flexibility, stronger problem-solving, and a richer grasp of cultural nuance (Senda, 2023). When schools recognise and build on pupils' linguistic backgrounds rather than asking them to leave those languages at the gate, they strengthen belonging and the home-school connection. Recent work locates responsibility for maintaining home languages beyond the family alone, in schools, communities and policy (Inan and Harris, 2025).

‘Polylino has become a much-loved part of the routine. It is an exhilarating way to read and opens up new opportunities for children to engage with stories that link to our weekly themes.’

— Mia Miller, Nursery Practitioner, Finkley Farm Nursery Group

 

Aligning with Best Practices in Inclusive Education

This approach aligns with established research in inclusive education, which stresses culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy. Jim Cummins (2001) argues that maintaining and developing pupils' first languages provides a foundation for successful English acquisition and wider academic achievement. Professional bodies such as NALDIC (the National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum) make the same case at whole-school level: all teachers are teachers of language, and linguistic diversity is a resource to be used rather than a barrier to overcome.

‘Giglets has been really useful particularly for our SEND and EAL pupils who have found it more difficult to engage either with texts that are not in their own language, or have SPLD and found the text types and vocabulary in a number of books difficult to access.'

— Lorraine Cadwallader‑Jones, Deputy Head, Ysgol Cefnllys

 

Engaging EAL Learners: Supporting Access and Belonging

By moving beyond a single-language model and actively supporting multilingualism, schools can create environments where every pupil's linguistic heritage is valued and every language is treated as an asset for learning. This benefits EAL pupils and enriches the experience of all pupils, preparing them for an interconnected and diverse world.

Gibbons (2009) shows that visual, auditory and multilingual scaffolds improve learning outcomes for EAL pupils. These scaffolds reduce cognitive overload, a common challenge when learning in a new language, and support comprehension across subjects. By creating inclusive entry points, learners build the confidence to participate, which is essential for language growth and long-term attainment.

'Brilliant tool to encourage reading for pleasure… listening to read aloud helps EAL pupils.'

— J Horner, KS2 Class Teacher, Kitchener Primary School

 

Bilingual Texts & Language Acquisition: Scaffolding Literacy with First Languages

Research shows that maintaining and developing a pupil's first language supports the acquisition and proficiency of a second (Cummins, 2001; Collier and Thomas, 2017). This underpins the value of a diverse library of bilingual texts that combine listening and reading. Engaging with these materials, learners reinforce vocabulary, strengthen reading comprehension, and consolidate grammatical structures in both languages, allowing knowledge and cognitive skills to transfer between the two.

‘Polylino is seamless to navigate and will get children reading in just a few touches... It will engage the most reluctant of readers.’

— Ben White, Teach Early Years Magazine 

By engaging with these materials, learners can reinforce vocabulary acquisition, enhance reading comprehension, and solidify grammatical structures in both languages. This approach creates a symbiotic relationship between the two linguistic systems, allowing for the natural transfer of linguistic knowledge and cognitive skills.

'Giglets enables us to provide our EAL learners with texts in their home language to read at home with their families, which is beyond valuable.'

— Gillian Digweed, Principal Teacher, Haghill Park Primary School

This not only streamlines access for schools but ensures pupils see their identities reflected in classroom resources is key to fostering motivation and belonging (Cremin et al., 2014).

‘Polylino is a treasure trove of titles to suit all tastes and subjects... It is easy to imagine Polylino becoming the go-to resource for educators seeking to stimulate the curiosity and interest of young minds.’

— Jake Hope, UK Children’s Literature Expert

 

Home‑Language & Family Engagement: Bridging School and Home

Family engagement supports academic success, and the effect can be particularly strong for EAL learners, where parental involvement helps bridge learning gaps and reinforce language development (Education Endowment Foundation, 2018).

To make that engagement inclusive, home-language resources need to be genuinely accessible to parents: translated newsletters, progress reports, learning materials, and instructional videos. Information in a parent's first language helps them understand their child's progress, school policies, and how to support learning at home.

‘QR codes that link directly to a specific book make it quick and easy for the parent or carer to access a particular book... it bridges the school-home gap effectively.’

— User review on Home Access features

Shared reading in the home language is a powerful strategy. It strengthens the child's first-language development, which in turn supports English acquisition, and it builds emotional connection. Shared reading creates a bonding experience, encourages a love of reading, and lets parents model positive literacy behaviours in a familiar context, reducing the pressure of navigating a new language and culture. These multilingual touchpoints make learning a shared, culturally affirming experience and help reading habits take root beyond the school gates.

 

References

• Collier, V.P. and Thomas, W.P. (2017) 'Validating the power of bilingual schooling: Thirty-two years of large-scale, longitudinal research', Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 37, pp. 203–217.
• Cremin, T., Mottram, M., Collins, F., Powell, S. and Safford, K. (2014) Building Communities of Engaged Readers: Reading for Pleasure. Abingdon: Routledge.
• Cummins, J. (2001) 'Bilingual children's mother tongue: Why is it important for education?', Sprogforum, 7(19), pp. 15–20.
• Department for Education (2023) Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2023. London: DfE.
• Education Endowment Foundation (2018) Working with Parents to Support Children's Learning: Guidance Report. London: EEF.
• Gibbons, P. (2009) English Learners, Academic Literacy and Thinking: Learning in the Challenge Zone. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
• Inan, S. and Harris, Y.R. (2025) 'Beyond the home: Rethinking heritage language maintenance as a collective responsibility', Frontiers in Psychology, 16, article 1616510.
• National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC). EAL guidance and resources. Available at: naldic.org.uk.
• Senda, M.O. (2023) 'Neurocognitive, social, and personal benefits of bi/multilingualism', Lifelong Language Learning SIG, JALT.