Episode 43: Building Language Through Phonics with Anna Bejshovcova | Phonics Strategies for EAL Learners and Multilingual Classrooms | 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 and developing inclusive approaches to language learning.

In Episode 43, Helen Bodell is joined by Anna Bejshovcova to explore the powerful role that phonics can play in supporting EAL learners’ reading skills, literacy development, and wider language acquisition.

Phonics is a key part of early reading instruction, but for multilingual learners, effective phonics teaching also needs to consider language development, vocabulary, pronunciation, and the unique experiences that EAL pupils bring to the classroom.

Anna shares practical strategies for integrating phonics into everyday teaching, discusses common challenges educators may face when teaching phonics to EAL learners, and offers guidance on making phonics instruction accessible, engaging, and supportive for multilingual classrooms.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How phonics supports reading development for EAL learners.
• The relationship between phonics, vocabulary, and language acquisition.
• Practical strategies for teaching phonics in multilingual classrooms.
• How educators can adapt phonics approaches for pupils learning English as an additional language.
• Common challenges when supporting EAL learners with early reading.
• Ways to make phonics teaching inclusive and engaging for all learners.

Developing literacy skills alongside English language development is essential for helping multilingual learners become confident readers and writers. With thoughtful approaches, phonics can provide an important foundation for language learning and classroom success.

Whether you are a primary teacher, EAL Lead, reading leader, teaching assistant, or trainee teacher, this episode provides practical ideas to support your literacy provision.

Meet Anna Bejshovcova

Anna Bejshovcova is an experienced EAL/ESL educator, teacher trainer, and academic manager with more than 15 years of international teaching experience.

She holds a Bachelor of Education degree in EFL and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and ELT, with research focusing on the use of translanguaging in international schools.

Anna currently works as an EAL coordinator for Key Stage 1 at Lanna International School in Thailand. She has a particular interest in early literacy development, assessment for learning, and supporting language learners with additional needs.

Explore Twinkl Phonics

To support your phonics teaching, explore the Twinkl Phonics programme — a DfE-validated, comprehensive systematic synthetic phonics programme designed for children from Nursery to Year 2.

Through the stories and adventures of Kit, Sam, and the Twinkl Phonics family, the programme supports children in developing the skills and understanding they need to become confident, independent readers and writers.

Explore the Twinkl Phonics programme:

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/twinkl-phonics/level-2-twinkl-phonics

Explore more Twinkl EAL resources

Join Twinkl EAL:

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3

Browse the full Twinkl EAL resource collection:

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63t

Free EAL CPD sessions

Book your free online EAL CPD sessions:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/the-twinkl-eal-collection-2587299

If you enjoyed this episode of Talking Their Language with Helen Bodell, subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it with colleagues. Each episode explores expert insights, research, and practical strategies that help educators support multilingual learners and create inclusive classrooms.