
The context
- Over 5 million people in England and Wales speak English (or Welsh) as a second or additional language (ESL) – an increase of over 20% since 2011.
Explore our seven calls to action for the new Government to integrate children who use EAL.
Director
Multilingualism is a valuable asset. It opens doors to education and employment, and can unlock a wealth of untapped skills and experience, contributing to a thriving, more cohesive UK. And yet, large funding cuts and a policy vacuum has left many ESL speakers facing an uphill struggle to access the support they need and are entitled to. Language support is critical to overcoming these barriers.
Even the letter which I received from the police when they let me know the date of the court. I pretty much understood only that sentence...there were words which I never...I didn't understand it.Victim of hate crime who speaks ESL