industry & reform
Wellbeing must be at the forefront of any support strategy .
For the long haul
Tips on supporting EAL / D students in their languagelearning journey .
By Wade Zaglas
When one considers that more than a quarter of the Australian population was born overseas , it becomes obvious that educators will teach at least some students for whom English is not their first language or dialect .
In an article published by AITSL , Highly Accomplished Lead Teacher ( HALT ) Abby Saleh outlines a range of experiences , challenges and successful learning approaches that need to be understood when working with EAL / D students ( English as an Additional Language / Dialect ).
EXPERIENCES AND BACKGROUNDS One of the first points to remember is that many EAL / D students are migrants and refugees , and may have experienced a range of traumatic experiences in their early years .
“ In supporting the learning needs of students , wellbeing must be at the forefront of any support strategy . It is vital that as teachers we ensure that students feel welcomed into their new learning environment ,” Saleh says .
Saleh also highlights that EAL / D students are an extremely diverse cohort and not all will be speaking or learning English as a second language ( it could be their third or fourth ). In addition to this , EAL / D students also include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students , and all have vastly different levels of English language proficiency and cultural capital from which to drawn on .
SCHOOL-WIDE APPROACHES TO EAL / D STUDENTS Saleh emphasises that schools must develop “ a collective mindset ” to improve all students ’ language skills .
“ For primary schools this includes mainstream teachers – as they teach EAL / D students for the majority of the school day ,” she says . “ For secondary teachers , it means that ALL subject area teachers understand the role they play in language instruction .”
TEACHER KNOWLEDGE , SKILLS AND EXPERTISE While there are specific teaching degrees that specialise in TESOL ( Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages ), many teachers are ill-equipped to address the language learning needs of EAL / D students .
“ Consequently , it is vital that teachers reflect on and self-assess their current practices and theoretical knowledge in supporting the needs of these students ,” Saleh states .
Saleh also argues that the most effective form of professional learning for teaching EAL / D students occurs in “ collegial and collaborative professional discussions and incidental workplace learning ”. This is due to the fact that as teachers ’ understanding of EAL / D education , metalanguage and pedagogies improves , it is “ transmitted ” to other , less-informed teachers .
WHERE TO START WHEN ASSESSING LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ? EAL / D learners need to first be identified and then have their language proficiency assessed . Saleh recommends the EAL / D Learning Progression ( Australian
Curriculum , Assessment and Reporting Authority , 2014 ).
Language acquisition takes a long time and is contingent on a range of factors , including previous educational experience and a student ’ s competency in their first language .
“ For refugee students who have experienced trauma or disrupted schooling , this timeframe can extend substantially , possibly to around 10 years ,” Saleh states .
“ Similarly , Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students requiring EAL / D assistance … may attend a mainstream English-only school for several years without progressing beyond the developing or even emerging stages .”
SUPPORTING EAL / D STUDENTS ON THEIR LANGUAGE JOURNEY Saleh recommends valuing the different cultural capital EAL / D students bring to school as a way of developing a space “ where diversity is valued and celebrated ”.
“ This may be achieved through text selection , including the use of bilingual books and texts which represent diversity through stories and illustrations ,” Saleh states .
Another key strategy Saleh supports is using the student ’ s first language ( L1 ) in particular classroom situations , such as to clarify ideas or to provide more support . This bi-lingual or ‘ twoways ’ approach has been used in many majority-Aboriginal schools in remote areas for decades .
The final recommendation Saleh makes applies as much to mainstream students as it does to EAL / D ones – good pedagogy .
“ These include ( but are not limited to ) a focus on oral language development as a precursor to successful learning , learning through contextualised experiences , scaffolding ( especially through guided experiences ) modelling language , allowing wait time , message abundancy , zone of proximal development ( in the form of high challenge , high support experiences ), awareness of the linguistic demands of lessons and explicit vocabulary instruction .” ■
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