Improving teaching and learning for EAL/D students
EAL/D programs support students where English is not their first language. Support is provided for students from Prep to Year 12. EAL/D needs are identified through the enrolment interview process.
EAL/D Support is offered at all stages of the Curriculum Process. EAL/D staff are involved in:
- Needs analysis.
- Program content and materials.
- Methodology.
- Assessment and reporting.
Needs analysis
- Collection of information such as cultural and educational background as well as life experiences of EAL/D students which may impact on learning.
- Conducting of initial assessments soon after enrolment to ascertain levels of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing and allocates Band scale levels accordingly. (primary-7 point scale; Secondary- 8 point scale where level 1 represents beginner level).
- Identification of those target language capabilities associated with the Band scale levels just above the EAL/D students’ current levels which need to be worked towards.
- Engagement in weekly face to face teaching to support EAL/D students in completing mainstream tasks while at the same time monitoring social, academic, cultural and emotional needs individually or in small groups within mainstream classrooms or occasionally in a withdrawal situation.
- Conferencing and analysing EAL/D students’ samples of work to identify ongoing areas of difficulty.
Program content and materials
- Cooperatively planning units of work with teachers of any subject area, focussing on the language and literacy demands of the tasks as well as cultural inclusivity.
- Devising individual education plans for EAL/D students where appropriate e.g., students with low levels of English proficiency.
- Planning programs for teacher aides to follow with new arrival EAL/D students in their first 6 months in Australia.
- Providing resources from EAL/D library (room E6) including books, kits, software, games, photocopiables etc. to support units of work being undertaken in classes.
- Ordering resources to add to the EAL/D collection which support Middle School curricula.
Methodology
- Advising teachers on how to make class work more accessible to and more inclusive of EAL/D students.
- Giving demonstration lessons to model the use of specific EAL/D strategies with the whole class.
- Running professional development sessions for staff.
- Providing a database of EAL/D strategies to suit all levels of English proficiency.
- Assessment and Reporting.
- Regularly meeting with teachers both informally and in planned meetings to discuss EAL/D students’ social, cultural, academic and emotional needs (as evidenced in needs analysis processes- see above) and to identify Band scale levels.
- Providing, on the school intranet, a database of students’ Band scale levels and accompanying proficiency rating sheets which describe EAL/D students’ current capabilities and those being targeted next.
- Attending/arranging telephone and face to face parent interviews with translator where needed.
- Providing exam/test support by being available to sit with student in order to clarify questions and give extra time.