Episode 35: Leading and Succeeding in an International School with Adri | EAL Leadership and Plurilingual Education | Talking Their Language with Helen Bodell

Welcome to Talking Their Language with Helen Bodell, the podcast for teachers, school leaders, EAL specialists, and educators who are passionate about supporting multilingual learners in diverse educational communities.

In Episode 35, Helen Bodell is joined by Adri, an experienced EAL/ESL specialist and academic manager, to explore leading and succeeding in an international school environment.

Together, Helen and Adri discuss the opportunities and challenges of leading EAL provision in a multilingual international setting, including how schools can support students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Having once been an EAL learner herself, Adri shares her unique perspective on multilingual education and the importance of creating learning environments where students’ languages and identities are recognised as strengths.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What effective EAL leadership looks like in an international school.
• The challenges and opportunities of supporting multilingual learners globally.
• How personal experiences can shape approaches to language education.
• The importance of plurilingual education and valuing students’ languages.
• Strategies for developing professional learning and collaboration.
• How educators can support diverse international school communities.

International schools bring together learners, families, and educators from many different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Strong EAL leadership helps ensure that all students feel included, supported, and able to succeed.

Whether you are an EAL Coordinator, international school teacher, school leader, or educator interested in multilingual education, this episode offers valuable insight into building effective EAL provision in global contexts.

Meet Adri

Adri is an experienced EAL/ESL specialist and academic manager with a passion for plurilingual education. She currently works as the Elementary EAL Leader at St Joseph’s Institution International School Malaysia.

As someone who was once an EAL learner herself, Adri brings a personal understanding of the multilingual learner experience and uses this perspective to support inclusive language education.

Adri is also passionate about professional development and regularly attends and presents at international education conferences. She serves on the IATEFL YLTSIG committee as Blog Editor, leads the Primary EAL Network for the Association of International Malaysian Schools, and shares her expertise through her blog, EAL Diaries.

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