[eal-bilingual] QCA considers new EAL GCSE

There may well be another perspective on this which is around how well the 
current GCSE English and other non GCSE exams reflect the task that students 
at earlier stages of EAL undertake when they join English schools ie 
learning English across curriculum content. Surely there is also a point too 
about equity.  Students at earlier stages of learning English are at a 
disadvantage in GCSEs because they are conducted through English medium.( 
see 
http://www.naldic.org.uk/docs/news/archive/news_item.cfm?newsid=186&Pp=1) 
Their attainment may also be capped by decisions around entry tiers made 
some time in advance of the examinations themselves.  Additionally, although 
other EFL/EAL type exams exist, my experience is that some schools are 
better than others in knowing about these and in supporting students to gain 
them. And for the individual student, having a qualification which fairly 
recognises the gains they have made in their learning, and is recognised by 
others as such, strikes me as worth thinking about.
Nicola 