Episode 28: Outdoor Learning and EAL with Sabah Malik | Developing Language Through Play and Exploration | Talking Their Language with Helen Bodell

Episode 28: Outdoor Learning and EAL with Sabah Malik | Developing Language Through Play and Exploration | Talking Their Language with Helen BodellWelcome to Talking Their Language with Helen Bodell, the podcast for teachers, early years practitioners, EAL specialists, and educators who are passionate about supporting multilingual learners and creating inclusive learning environments.In Episode 28, Helen Bodell is joined by Sabah Malik, Early Years leader and senior education professional, to explore the connection between outdoor learning, language development, and supporting children learning English as an Additional Language (EAL).Together, Helen and Sabah discuss how outdoor environments can provide rich opportunities for communication, collaboration, curiosity, and language development, particularly for young multilingual learners in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).Sabah shares her experience of leading early years provision in a large infant school, including a 120-place nursery, and explains how practitioners can use play-based learning and outdoor experiences to support children’s confidence, wellbeing, vocabulary, and relationships.In this episode, you'll discover:How outdoor learning can support language development in EYFS.Why play and exploration are powerful tools for multilingual learners.Ways practitioners can encourage communication in outdoor environments.How wellbeing and belonging contribute to children’s learning.Practical ideas for creating inclusive early years experiences.The importance of working with families to support children’s progress.Outdoor learning provides children with opportunities to communicate naturally, explore new experiences, and develop language through meaningful interactions. For children learning EAL, these experiences can help build confidence and create opportunities to use language in purposeful ways.Meet Sabah MalikSabah Malik has worked in senior leadership roles across London for over 10 years. She currently leads Early Years provision at a large infant school in Hillingdon, including a 120-place nursery.Sabah holds a Master’s degree in Leadership and Management, with her dissertation focusing on the important role parents play as early educators and how strong partnerships with families can support accelerated learning and progress.Passionate about wellbeing, coaching, and staff development, Sabah leads bespoke CPD programmes for educators, including new teachers and those in initial teacher training. She has also worked collaboratively with schools to develop curriculum approaches as part of post-pandemic education recovery.Whether you are an EYFS practitioner, EAL Lead, nursery teacher, teaching assistant, or school leader, this episode offers practical inspiration for creating language-rich environments where young multilingual learners can thrive.Explore more Twinkl EAL resourcesJoin Twinkl EAL:https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/72uh3Browse the full Twinkl EAL resource collection:https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1gx63tIf 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 practical strategies, expert insights, and inspiring approaches that help educators support multilingual learners from the earliest stages of their educational journey.