Enhancing Language Learning at Our School: Meet Our Language Specialist
Our Spotlight Outstanding Opportunities Riverside Early years Riverside Junior Riverside Senior Riverside Sixth form SHR Article SHR Upcoming eventIn order to enhance the language learning of our students, we have introduced language expert, Dr Eowyn Crisfield to our team last academic year. Dr Crisfield is taking an in-depth look into our existing framework and helping to adapt our curriculum in a way that is appropriate for an internationalised setting and for those with unique linguistic profiles.
Dr Crisfield who has a PhD in Applied Linguistics, brings a wealth of expertise in English as a Foreign Language and English Language Learners, second and foreign language instruction, home languages in schools, and bilingual and immersion education. Her extensive experience will enhance our programmes, benefitting both students and staff.

“The goal is to ensure that every child receives the support they need to succeed academically and linguistically,” which emphasises our commitment to inclusivity.
Dr Crisfield looks at our school from a comprehensive viewpoint, supporting our commitment to holistic education, and underlines a need for a systemic approach, starting anywhere from administrative practices to classroom pedagogy in order to support multilingual learners effectively.

“The aim here is to help students thrive in both English and their home languages”, says Dr Crisfield, who aims to promote language learning in a way that values all languages equally, providing students with linguistic skills that serve as a lifelong asset, without language hierarchy or bias. Currently, Dr Crisfield is involved in several key projects including curriculum review, home language programmes and parental workshops at our school. With the message to parents being clear: “The strongest predictor of a student’s success in English is their proficiency in their home language.”
To achieve this, Dr Crisfield addresses common anxieties among parents regarding their children’s language acquisition. Many parents feel concerned about their child’s progress in English and may push for additional tutoring. Dr Crisfield reassures them that language acquisition is a gradual process and in order for us to optimise a child’s learning, parents must nurture home language acquisition for optimal cognitive development, with parents only using their home language with their children.
As we reflect and renew our approach to language learning, we look forward to the impact that Dr Crisfield will have on the language proficiency of our students as we continue to celebrate the rich linguistic diversity of our school.
Parents are welcome to read books like Bilingual Families, a book written by Dr Crisfield herself and invited to stay tuned for further parent workshops in the near future. For more information, feel free to visit Dr Crisfield’s LinkedIn profile or her website.