EAL Learning: Analyzing the Application of English as Additional Language (EAL) in a Case Study

This essay analyzes the application of English as Additional Language (EAL) in a case study of a 30-year-old IT professional from India. It discusses how the learner learned, the learning processes evident in their EAL learning, and the influence of factors and learning processes in their written sample.

Running head: EAL LEARNING
EAL LEARNING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1EAL LEARNING
Background Information
The learning of the English language is done by different methods by individuals
belonging to English speaking parents and individuals not belonging to English speaking parents.
For the former category, it is spontaneous while for the former category it is a matter of
cultivating the skill and proficiency in learning the language. The reason behind the discrepancy
can be attributed to the fact that the individuals belonging to non English speaking background
have to devote an effort in learning and expressing the language with reference to their native
language, and they must take into account the cultural imperative necessary for learning English
by means of being oblivious of ones own cultural background. Thus this paradigmatic shift from
one linguistic and cultural background to another one is a difficult one creating barriers in the
process of developing a grasp over the English language (Lightbown & Spada, 2013).
However with the application of the principles of English as Additional Language (EAL)
and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) initiatives the learning of
English language becomes easier to a great extent. The English as Additional Language (EAL)
and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are professionally designed for
the purpose of facilitating the task of learning English language for ethnicities whose first
language is not English (Lightbown & Spada, 2013).
For this particular essay the discussion shall be focusing upon the issue of analyzing the
application of the principles of English as Additional Language (EAL) in a case study. The case
study involves the endeavour of a 30 year old IT professional Sanchi to learn English. She is
Indian, Punjabi by origin, and had started learning English language from a very early age. In
this essay, the analysis shall be focussing on three questions,

2EAL LEARNING
How did the EAL learner learn?
Sanchi had started learning English from a very young age and her formal education
programme had been of immense help to her in order to facilitate her English learning
endeavours. There were difficulties which had tried to inhibit her pursuits but her interest in
learning the language was the prime propelling factor in fuelling her determination. Anxiety,
nervousness, pressure of her major subjects were the major constraints apart from her native
background which consisted of her parents belonging to non English speaking origin.
However Sanchi had the support from her family members and her teachers had
motivated her to get a grasp over the language, thereby making things easier for her. Sanchi had
used the techniques of reading in English extensively, from newspapers to articles, magazines
and other printed and electronically available pieces of writings in the language. Those consisted
of the methods which were employed by the learner Sanchi to get a grasp over English language.
However the tool of communicating with her peers and her close ones had also proven to
be beneficial in process of learning the intricacies of the language. As per the scholars, the
practising of the language is also a beneficial tool in aiding the process of learning, as through
the process of practical application of the language for the purpose of communication a learner
can get acquainted to the intricacies of a particular language in a better way. Thus it become
clear that the effort on part of the learner has been the most important factor and the process in
facilitating the learning of the language. The support, encouragement and the motivational
strategies of the family members of the learner had been equally important in determining the
success of Sanchi in learning the language.

3EAL LEARNING
What learning processes are evident in his/her EAL learning?
In this section the methods of learning employed by Sanchi in getting a grasp over the
language. The methods used to learn the language shall be explained against the strategies of the
principles of English as Additional Language (EAL). Thus it becomes quite evident that the
method of learning mainly employed by Sanchi was focussed mainly with the reading and
speaking, without any mention of writing and listening techniques used in the process of learning
the language (Lightbown & Spada, 2013).
From the case study thus the two methods applied have been that of reading and oral
delivery of English language. The EAL strategy of reading that had been applied by Sanchi can
be classified as Jigsaw reading and self assessment checklist. According to the jigsaw reading
strategy the reader is supposed to read materials from random sources and make an estimate if
they are capable of comprehending the written material. This particular strategy has the ekemny
of self assessment in it. By means of rigorous reading from newspapers to articles, magazines
and other printed and electronically available pieces of writings in the language, Sanchi had
made an attempt not only to learn the language but also to evaluate herself if she was able to
comprehend it and deliver it in form of speech (Lightbown & Spada, 2013).
With regard to the EAL strategy of oral presentation, the application of ‘talk partners’ can
be used to explain the learning method of communication employed by Sanchi. According to this
particular strategy, the learner is supposed to practice the language by means of using it for
communicating with peer groups. Sanchi had used the technique of oral presentation to sharpen
her fluency in the language (Lightbown & Spada, 2013).

4EAL LEARNING
Thus these are the EAL learning strategies used by Sanchi to sharpen her fluency. In the
language.
How/In what ways is the influence of the factors and learning processes evident in
the written sample?
The influence of the peer group, the encouragement of her family and the teachers had
been of prime importance to drive Sanchi to learn English language efficiently. Though they
belonged to financially weak background, the family members of Sanchu had always provided
their support to her in her endeavour to learn English in all possible ways. Thus the influencing
factors had been quite important. It was because of the support from her family, teachers and her
peer group that she did not feel the problem of other factors.

5EAL LEARNING
References
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford
University Press.