Critical perspectives on policy and practice for multilingual learners (English additional language) in early years’ A critical essay which provides an overview of the historical and current context for multilingual learners in early years settings in England and the constraints and dilemmas facing policy-makers, educators and linguistic minority communities. Students must include key theory and current research to critically discuss policy and practice for multilingual learners (English as additional language – EAL) as part of this. Demonstrate: • how languag​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​e develops in our contemporary, multilingual and multicultural context of schools and settings in England • how schools’ and teachers’ policies and practices are constrained or enabled by language policy decisions of the nation-state ( EYFS) • the complex relationship between ‘standard’ languages of national-states and those considered ‘non-standard’ and/or minority languages • approaches to effective pedagogic policy and practice for multilingual learners, based on the most recent evidence • how all the above impact upon multilingual learners in earl​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​y years settings in England