English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) support

Who EAL/D learners are

In NSW many students come from a Language Background Other Than English (LBOTE). This means that the student, one or both of their parents or a primary caregiver, speaks a language other than English at home. In social and academic settings, many of these students use Standard Australian English (SAE).

Students learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) are a subset of LBOTE students. They are students whose first language is a language or dialect other than SAE. They are often skilled bilingual, multilingual or dialectal learners. EAL/D learners have strong skills and knowledge in their first language or dialect. But, they need support to develop their skills in SAE. Targeted support can help them to access and succeed with the linguistic and cultural demands of the curriculum.

EAL/D learners’ diverse backgrounds

EAL/D learners are a significant and growing percentage of students in NSW schools. For some, school is the only place they use English. EAL/D learners come from diverse backgrounds. They may be overseas-born or Australian-born students. EAL/D learners may include:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students whose first language is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language, a Kriol/Creole or related variety, or Aboriginal English
• immigrants to Australia and temporary visa holders from countries where English is not the first language
• children of refugee backgrounds
• children born in Australia of migrant heritage where English is not spoken at home
• English-speaking students returning to Australia after extended periods in non-English speaking settings
• children of Deaf adults who use Auslan as their first language
• international students from countries where English is not the first language.

EAL/D learners may also include gifted students and/or students who have a disability.

How EAL/D learners develop English language skills

EAL/D learners enter Australian schools at different:

• ages
• stages of schooling
• times during the academic year
• stages of learning English.

They have:

• diverse talents and capabilities
• a range of prior learning experiences
• varying levels of literacy in their first language or dialect
• varying levels of literacy in SAE.

Academic language skills

Some EAL/D learners have strong conversational fluency. But their academic language skills may not match this fluency. Conversational English (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) is typically acquired within the first 2 years of learning English¹. Academic language skills (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) can take up to 7 years or more for EAL/D learners receiving support to develop². The development of academic language can also depend on the amount of schooling an EAL/D learner has been exposed to in their primary language. For a student with disrupted or no schooling in their first language or dialect, it can take up to 12 years to demonstrate age-appropriate academic language proficiency³.

Language modes

Their language skills may vary across the modes of listening, speaking, reading or viewing, and writing. Some EAL/D learners will begin learning English with limited or no exposure to English texts. Ability in one linguistic mode is not a sign of ability in English language skills overall. Students may progress at different rates through each language mode. Providing appropriate supports in each mode is important for developing language proficiency. Writing may take the longest time to develop and may need the most support.

Support and informed teaching

EAL/D learners are learning a new language and the knowledge, understanding and skills of the syllabuses at the same time. They may need clear support and informed teaching that meets their language needs or phase of language proficiency.

What to consider when supporting EAL/D learners

EAL/D learners need high academic challenges and plenty of support⁴. They learn best in a classroom where they feel:

• safe
• valued
• a sense of belonging
• able to take risks with new learning
• able to develop an identity as a successful learner⁵.

Schools should offer EAL/D learners plenty of opportunities to develop and practice their language skills. Opportunities should be provided in all modes and across all curriculum areas. The learning environment should be one that understands and respects culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

Teachers should provide explicit teaching of the language and literacy skills EAL/D learners need for schoolwork. Lessons should be differentiated to support their language development and their engagement with the curriculum.

Valuing EAL/D learners’ cultural capital

EAL/D learners have ‘cultural capital’. Cultural capital is the knowledge, skills, behaviours, education and ideas a person has. It includes their proficiency in their home language(s) and/or dialect(s) as well as other languages. Schools and teachers should acknowledge and value EAL/D learners’ cultural capital:

• in learning and assessment experiences
• when selecting resources.

An awareness of a student’s sociocultural knowledge can inform teaching and learning approaches. This helps an EAL/D learner to make connections with their learning. It also enriches the learning experience for all students. Sociocultural knowledge includes:

• cultural etiquette
• everyday lived experience.

Planning lessons

Most EAL/D learners should be working at stage level with appropriate support to demonstrate what they know. When planning lessons, it’s important to consider their:

• age
• school stage
• life experiences.

To support EAL/D learners teachers should:

• identify their level or phase of English language proficiency
• track and report on their progress of English language development
• provide them with opportunities to use their first language or dialect to support their learning and help them feel a sense of belonging
• recognise and value the cultural capital, knowledge, and life experiences they bring to the classroom
• recognise that some students, including those from refugee backgrounds, may have gaps in their learning due to missed schooling
• understand that some students may go through a silent period when first learning English
• keep in mind the significant amount of learning students experience when first learning English, combined with learning new content and concepts.

How to plan support for EAL/D learners

Two resources are available to help teachers plan how to support EAL/D learners:

• Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA): EAL/D Learning Progression
• Australian Education Council: ESL Scales

Both resources describe the English language development or phase typical of students learning EAL/D in the school context. The resources help teachers and EAL/D specialists to:

• identify what students can do
• work out what support students need
• plan lessons that develop students’ English language development.

The resources also provide teachers and EAL/D specialists with a common language to share how they discuss student progress and plan lessons together.

Using the ESL Scales

Teachers and EAL/D specialists can use the ESL Scales as a resource for assessing EAL/D learners' progress. They can be used to assess student progress in English language development in:

• oral interaction
• reading
• responding and writing.

The ESL Scales can also be used when planning, programming, and reporting progress. The ESL Scales provide level statements, outcome statements, and pointers for teachers when planning appropriate support for EAL/D learners.

How to use scaffolding and support in the classroom

Scaffolds are elements of EAL/D pedagogy and practice that support EAL/D learners. Scaffolding supports EAL/D learners to complete tasks and gain knowledge. Scaffolding is reduced as learners develop independence and master the English language.

There are two types of scaffolds: ‘designed in’ and ‘contingent’. Designed in scaffolding uses sequenced, structured activities embedded into programs. Contingent scaffolding is a teacher’s spontaneous guidance. Teachers provide this to a student when responding to their immediate learning needs⁶.

Scaffolding and supports may include:

• articulating clear and explicit learning intentions, goals, and expectations
• building field knowledge and links to students’ existing knowledge
• providing explicit teaching and modelling of vocabulary and subject-specific terminology, concepts, and phrasing in context with appropriate support
• providing message abundancy and multiple opportunities for students to engage with SAE in visual, aural, oral, digital and written modes
• embedding an academic language focus into the lesson
• embedding the explicit teaching of grammar points in context. For example, using cloze activities.
• explicit teaching of phonemes, pronunciation, stress and intonation of new vocabulary in context
• creating opportunities for oral interaction and encouraging meaningful conversation and collaboration with peers. This can be done bilingually. It helps EAL/D learners to improve their vocabulary and to focus on ‘talking to learn’ and ‘learning to talk’ (and read and write) academic English⁷.
• providing opportunities for students to use their home language(s) and/or dialect(s) when brainstorming ideas and reflecting on their work
• providing opportunities to recast everyday language into academic language
• providing opportunities to build English language skills through unstructured speaking and listening activities. For example, drawing and playing activities for them to practise and receive feedback.
• giving students time to think about how they learn, and helping them talk about their learning using clear language
• breaking tasks into smaller meaningful sections
• increasing wait time for students to respond and extra time to complete the task if required
• explicit addressing of any English language features and cultural demands. This helps EAL/D learners to understand the nuances of ‘everyday’ and ‘real-life’ situations.
• sequencing teaching and learning activities to provide controlled, guided and independent support
• providing models and examples that:
  • support learning
  • reflect and value diversity
  • are inclusive of culture and linguistics
• providing opportunities for students to access linguistic supports such as bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, age appropriate multilingual and multi modal texts, vocabulary charts and labelling of classroom objects in multiple languages to support their learning of English. This could also include opportunities to communicate with peers and adults in their home language(s) and/or dialect(s).
• using assistive technology to build skills in language and literacy. This can include:
  • speech-to-text and text-to-speech functions
  • screen reading applications (for example translators with picture dictionaries)
  • dictation tools
  • translating tools
  • transcripts and closed captioning
  • tools that can create subtitles for PowerPoint presentations
  • apps that can capture, translate, and read back whiteboard text and classroom notes.

How to assess learning progress

Teachers can use a variety of methods to collect evidence of the syllabus knowledge, understanding and skills EAL/D learners have developed. Methods for collecting evidence include:

• classroom learning activities
• student reflections
• teacher observations
• interviews
• students’ self-assessments
• writing tasks
• discussion questions related to curriculum content.

Assessment tasks should be fair and inclusive for all EAL/D learners. The language used in tasks must be accessible. When designing a task, be clear about what you are assessing. For example, are you assessing the student’s language proficiency – their speaking, listening, reading, or writing skills? Or are you assessing their understanding of the syllabus content?

Teachers need to provide language support when assessing EAL/D learners understanding of the syllabus content. The following resources enable teachers to check if the language in a task suits the student’s level of language proficiency:

• ACARA: EAL/D Learning Progression
• Australian Education Council: ESL Scales.

Extra support for assessment activities

EAL/D learners may need extra support to take part in assessment activities and show what they have learned.

Assessment supports might include:

• providing information, including learning intentions and instruction, in a variety of modes. For example, in written, spoken, visual, or the students’ first language or dialect.
• breaking tasks down into clear steps
• a clear and easy-to-understand marking criteria that reflects the demands of the task
• allowing for a range of communication modes to complete assessment tasks
• access to bilingual supports
• glossaries and visual prompts
• writing scaffolds, graphic organisers and/or word walls
• extra time
• access to assistive technology.