The EAL Advisory Service for Somerset providers is funded by Somerset County Council's School's Forum, for children with English as an additional language and their families across Somerset. We provide advice and practical support for all early years providers across Somerset to develop inclusive and effective early learning environments, and in particular, develop an effective communicative environment for all children.
It raises awareness of the importance of early identification of needs relating to EAL children and families and promotes effective partnerships with parents. We also develop and disseminate resources and training, as well as sharing best practice with the aims of improving outcomes for all EAL children and their families.
To contact the EAL Advisory Service call us on 01278 691719 or email eal.service@eyalliance.org.uk
Click here to access our Information leaflet
Somerset EAL Advisory Service - a guide to welcoming Ukrainian children and families
Background notes on Ukraine
Refugee children in the EYFS - NALDIC
Taunton Welcomes Refugees - homepage
A list of Ukrainian educational and language resources
10000 top Ukrainian EYFS resources - Twinkl
Trauma advice for parents
English Russian Ukrainian
Keep Talking - children learning English as a second language
English Russian Ukrainian
Gathering information from parents
English Russian Ukrainian
ECAT - child monitoring tool
English Russian
Every Step Counts
English Ukrainian
Personal child health record (red book)
English Russian
Welcome to Somerset video
English - Welcome to Somerset
Russian - Добро пожаловать в Сомерсет
Stepping up to school video
English - Stepping up to school
Russian - Переход в школу
Interpretation Services
If you require the support of an interpreter to come to your setting to support in meeting with families and carers, health visitors or give an insight into the child’s development in their home language for example then this is also a commissioned service, with the same service providers. DA Languages is for all Languages. Diversity Voice is for Polish only.
DA Languages Ltd
Please email DA Languages who will respond with an invitation to create a profile with DA Link their online booking system. Once you have created your profile, you can make multiple and repeat bookings. It is a simple system, however if you need guidance please refer to the documents below, or just call the Early Years Alliance on 01278 691719.
DA Languages 0161 928 2533 ext 231 teamsouth@dalanguages.co.uk
DA Languages Booking Form Guidance
DA Link - Quick Client Guide
Diversity Voice
Please call or email Diversity Voice to make a booking for all your Polish interpretation or translation needs.
Diversity Voice 03000 750105 linkworker@diversityvoice.org.uk
Early Years Support Workers
Support for Polish Speak Children In Somerset's Schools & Early Years Settings
Language Identification Chart
With an ever increasing population in Somerset of families who have English as an Additional Language we are seeing a rise in the need for documents commonly used in Early Years settings to be translated into a variety of languages to meet the parent’s needs.
We have a stock of translated documents, so please look here first. If what you are looking for is not here, contact them directly with your specific needs, but if it is a common need that many settings have requested, please also contact us at the EAL Advisory Service so that we can monitor requests and ensure the best use of resources available.
Keep Talking - children learning English as a second language
Bulgarian Chinese - Traditional
Chinese - Simplified Dutch
English Estonian
Filipino French
German Hindi
Hungarian Italian
Latvian Lithuanian
Polish Portuguese
Romanian Russian
Slovak Spanish
Tagalog Thai
Ukrainian
Every Step Counts
English Lithuanian
Polish Portuguese
Romanian Ukrainian
Gathering information from parents
Chinese Chinese (traditional)
English Estonian
Latvian Polish
Portuguese Russian
Tagalog Turkish
Ukrainian Vanavil
ECAT - child monitoring tool
English Hindi
Hungarian Lithuanian
Mandarin Polish
Portuguese Punjabi
Romanian Russian
Slovak Spanish
Turkish
Personal child health record (red book)
Bulgarian English
Filipino French
German Hungarian
Italian Lithuanian
Malayalam Mandarin
Polish Portuguese
Russian Spanish
Thai Turkish
Funding for 2 year olds - information
Funding for 2 year olds - application form
Parents guide to EYFS
Parent version ECAT
Children's personal pathways
Bengali
Polish - version 3
Turkish
Trauma advice for parents
Dari
English
Pashto
Russian
Ukrainian
The EAL Advisory Service was commissioned by Somerset County Council to produce a short video which will help and guide parents and families with EAL children through the transition period of moving up to primary school.
This video has been produced in English and is available subtitled with the following languages; Bulgarian, Chinese, Filipino, French, German, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Malayalam, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Turkish.
Click on the following YouTube links to view the videos:
English - Stepping Up to School
Bulgarian - Започване на училище
Chinese - 支持儿童首次上学的服务
Filipino - Paglipat sa Paaralan
French - L’entrée à l’école
German - Vorbereitung für die Schule
Hungarian - Az Iskola Elkezdése
Lithuanian - Pasiruošimas Mokyklai
Malayalam - സ്കുളിലേക്കുള്ള കരകയറ്റം
Polish - Czas Zacząć Szkołę
Portuguese - Avançar para a Escola
Romanian - Tranziția Către Scoală
Russian - Переход в школу
Spanish - Empezando el Colegio
Thai - การก้าวสู่โรงเรียน
Turkish - Okul Hayatina Adim Atmak
We were also commissioned to create a short video aimed at parents, giving brief information about childcare options in Somerset. This has been recorded in English and 10 other languages: Bulgarian, French, German, Italian, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. To accompany this there is a pack of information that providers will find useful when trying to gather and share information with parents and carers who may speak little English. This is also available in the same range of languages on the 'Resources' tab.
Click the links to view the videos on YouTube:
English - Welcome to Somerset
Bulgarian - Добре дошли в Съмърсет
French - Bienvenue à Somerset
German - Willkommen in Somerset
Italian - Benvenuto nel Somerset
Lithuanian - Sveiki atvykę į Somersetą
Mandarin - Welcome to Somerset
Polish - Witamy w Somerset
Portuguese - Bem-vindo a Somerset
Russian - Добро пожаловать в Сомерсет
Spanish - Bienvenido a Somerset
There are a number of resources available to support practitioners. This page will be updated regularly as and when new resources become available or are updated.
EAL Support Visit Evaluation Form
Quick Tips for Helping EAL Children
A Unique Child Personal Communication
Stages of Early Bilingual Learning
Supporting Children with English as a Second Language
Racial Harrassment Leaflet for Parents
Racial Incident Recording Sheet
Key Issues for 2 Year Olds Learning English as a Second Language
Environmental audits
EY Communication Friendly Audit 
EAL Toolkit
The EAL toolkit was designed and produced by the Somerset EAL Advisory Service in 2017.
It was launched at various events around the county to providers, including provider evenings, cluster meetings and conferences.
The pack is a useful resource to give guidance and support to Early Years practitioners when considering how best to support
EAL children in their setting, including Environmental Audits and SEND comparison flow charts.
Hard copies of this resource are very limited; Somerset providers can obtain a copy by contacting their Early Years Community Leads who may have some.
Providers can obtain a digital copy by clicking on the links below:
Stages of Early Bilingual Learning Is Bilingualism an Advantage?
I don't speak much English - how can you help me? About learning English as an Additional Language
EAL Best Practice Checklist Engaging Parents as Partners in Transitions
Audit for a Communication Friendly Environment page 1 Audit for a Communication Friendly Environment page 2
A Unique Child page 1 A Unique Child page 2
Positive Relationships page 1 Positive Relationships page 2
Enabling Environments page 1 Enabling Environments page 2
Learning & Development (1) page 1 Learning & Development (1) page 2
Learning & Development (2) page 1 Learning & Development (2) page 2
Is it a language issue or a Special Educational Need? How do we distinguish between EAL & SEN?
EAL flashcard keyrings
Each keyring contains a set of 20 words in English, the other language, the pronunciation and a descriptive picture.
The words include: hello, goodbye, please, thank you, yes, no, mummy, daddy, fruit, water, milk, hungry, toilet,
play inside, play outside, help, good, sorry, sad and tired.
To order a set download the order form and send to eal.service@eyalliance.org.uk
Song boxes for two year olds
Research has shown time and time again that singing songs and rhymes to young children is vital for their development and studies have shown that babies from the 3rd trimester up to the age of 3 are very receptive to aural stimulation.
Our Song Box is designed and aimed for children from two years old and upwards. All children are unique so by including other resources in the box, like musical instruments and dolls, you can use it in different ways to suit each child in your group. We have also included some dual language books so that the activities could be shared with EAL children and their families.
If you would like to borrow a story box to use in your setting contact Sharon or Louise directly, or via eal.service@eyalliance.org.uk or 01278 691719.
Welcome to Somerset
To accompany the Welcome to Somerset videos there is a pack of information that providers will find useful when trying to gather and share information with parents and carers who may speak little English. These documents are also available in the following languages on request: Bulgarian, French, German, Italian, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian & Spanish.
Know How Guide - 2 year Old Check
Racial Incident Recording Sheet
Sharon Bond - Lead EAL Advisor
sharon.bond@eyalliance.org.uk / eal.service@eyalliance.org.uk
01392 304573
Louise Campbell White - EAL Advisor
louise.campbellwhite@eyalliance.org.uk / eal.service@eyalliance.org.uk
01392 304484
Emma Perry - Business Administrator
emma.perry@eyalliance.org.uk
01823 589619
