Joanna Kolota - Curriculum Leader for Multilingual Learners and Author - Leeds

In this episode, I’m talking to Joanna Kolota. Joanna is the Curriculum Leader for Multilingual Learners at Trinity Academy Leeds, in the UK. She has written, spoken and worked to support multilingual students in primary, secondary and tertiary education and is now a published author after completing the brilliant Empowering EAL Learners in Secondary Schools.

As someone who works in an international setting and with a student body who are by and large all multilingual learners, the book was a fantastic resource for me and I was really keen to chat with Joanna as a result.

We discuss:

1. Whether schools should always having a bespoke EAL dept and if so, how do they work with other subject domains to ensure that content and language is developing respectively

2. The difference between simplification and easification in regard to multilingual learners

3. Whether it is helpful to think that much of good preparation for multilingual learners is simply good planning and intentional teaching in general

4. What subtractive bilingualism is and how can schools guard against it

5. And finally, does Joanna think a language or grammar concept also needs embedding in the humanities, arts and other departments’ curriculum

Thanks again to Joanna for giving up her time to talk to me about her work and elements of the book that is a must read for anyone who has students of diverse linguistic backgrounds.

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Links:

Joanna’s book - Empowering EAL Learners in Secondary Schools.