National Audit of EAL training and development provision

In 2008, the TDA funded NALDIC to undertake a national audit of training to inform the 5 year National EAL Strategy. This audit, which was published in 2009, included information about over 200 courses involving over 11,000 staff found an inconsistent picture. The content of much training was induction or entry level which might reasonably be expected to form part of every teachers’ initial teacher education. There was very limited provision for EAL early professional development and some evidence that the absence of nationally agreed content areas had led to CPD and vocational provision that is reactive rather than progressive, and to development issues being displaced by short term foci.

Only 12% of the training was accredited, and only a quarter was sustained over a term of longer. The major gap identified by survey respondents was sustained and accredited CPD for EAL specialists and coordinators. In addition, there were difficulties in potential participants accessing useful information about CPD and training opportunities.