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Pick texts that support EAL pupils comprehension KS3 English
Select literary or non-fiction texts that provide clear clues for students to figure out new words in context. In Year 7 or 8 English, pick a novel extract where actions, dialogue, or descriptions help signal the meaning of unfamiliar words. For example, if a text mentions “bank” next to “river” or “money”, your EAL pupils can use that detail to work out the intended meaning. Focus on passages where the setting helps clarify words that could have more than one meaning.
This approach matters especially for EAL learners. Context lets them practise lexical inference—working out word meanings by using surrounding clues. This is especially useful for words with multiple meanings, as shown in research on teaching lexical inference to children with English as an additional language (db3b65016ee9). What Is Autism Parenting? Practical Ways to Support Your Child
- Skim a candidate text and note how new words appear. Is there an explanation or example for each?
- Avoid sections where key terms are just listed without support from the surrounding text.
- Choose passages where EAL pupils can “figure out” at least half the new vocabulary from clues within the text.
Model and practise lexical inference during reading
Stop at tricky or ambiguous words as you read aloud, and show the class how to use clues from the sentence and paragraph to suggest a meaning. For example, if you reach “The bat flew overhead,” ask what kind of “bat” fits the context. Point out that the surrounding text is about a night scene, mentioning wings or darkness—so it cannot be about sport. [source: The British journal of educational psychology]
Model thinking aloud, drawing on your own reading. “Here, ‘seal’ is next to ‘swimming,’ so it’s probably the animal, not the sticker.” Invite students to guess meanings, supporting each with evidence from the text. The process is more important than getting it right first time. EAL pupils especially benefit from seeing all the steps: noticing a word, identifying clues, and rejecting unlikely meanings (db3b65016ee9).
Give pupils opportunities to try this aloud with partners or small groups. Let them highlight sentences with homonyms or unknown words, share their ideas, and gather views from the room. Over several lessons, this builds their confidence and makes strategies for lexical inference visible and memorable.
Pair EAL learners for comprehension talk
Pairing EAL learners for comprehension talk lets pupils try out explanations, ask for clarification, and listen to another way of seeing a tricky word. Before reading, you can set a simple task: each partner lists what they already know about the topic or the story’s setting. During reading, prompt pairs to pause and swap ideas on a difficult word or share what a sentence means to them. After reading, encourage pairs to summarise the main events together or each pick one sentence they found challenging and discuss why. [source: The British journal of educational psychology]
- Groups can be EAL-EAL or EAL with a more fluent English speaker, depending on your classroom setup and the task.
- Mixing partners across weeks widens exposure to different explanations and experiences.
- Listening to peers and sharing their own ideas prepares EAL pupils to try these strategies in whole-class and independent work.
Pre-teach key vocabulary before reading
Look ahead to spot vocabulary that’s likely to trip up your EAL pupils—especially words with more than one meaning or which appear in unusual contexts. Pick a handful of these key words. Before reading, introduce them orally and in writing. Give a simple, student-friendly definition, show the word in a new sentence, and ask students if they know any meanings already. For instance, introduce “current” and ask whether it means happening now or moving water, depending on how it will appear in the text. [source: The British journal of educational psychology]
Avoid overwhelming students with long lists. Three to five words per text is usually enough. Providing a picture or gesture where possible helps. You can use quick matching or true/false sentences to check understanding before the class starts reading together. Pre-teaching makes challenging content far more accessible and reduces anxiety for EAL learners as they begin.
<h2>Review and revisit tricky words after reading</h2>
After reading, go back to words that puzzled your EAL pupils, especially those with more than one meaning. Spend a few minutes as a class asking, for example, “Where else might we see the word ‘seal’? What did it mean here, and how do we know?” Give EAL learners a chance to explain their reasoning. This builds their skill at using context and helps reinforce strategies for future reading (db3b65016ee9).
Keep a visible list or display of tricky words. Let students add their own example sentences, showing different meanings in various contexts. Regular revisiting and active practice help EAL pupils see how meanings change and give them more control the next time they meet an ambiguous word.
