English as an additional language or dialect

EAL/D learners are students whose first language is a language or dialect other than Standard Australian English who require additional support to assist them to develop English language proficiency.

Students learning English are simultaneously learning the English language, learning in English and learning about English (Halliday, 1993) in order to successfully participate in social and academic contexts.

EAL/D learners may include:

• Overseas and Australian-born students whose first language is a language or dialect other than English,
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students whose first language is an Indigenous language, including traditional language, creoles and related varieties, or Aboriginal English (ACARA).

Many EAL/D students have strong skills and knowledge in their home language, however to learn in English, EAL/D students require an appropriate teaching and learning environment which builds English language skills to achieve academic success.

EAL/D students are placed in Australian schools at the year level appropriate for their age.

Newington Public School is committed to providing quality EAL/D support in the classroom.

EAL/D students at Newington Public School are supported through EAL/D informed classroom support and specialised EAL/D programs.

How are EAL/D students identified?

The EAL/D learning progression is used to assess students’ phases of English language proficiency, described as one of 4 phases:

• beginning - students with some print literacy in their first language. A subcategory, Limited Literacy Background, is included to describe the reading/viewing and writing behaviours typical of students with little or no experience of literacy in any language
• emerging - students who have a growing degree of print literacy and oral language competency with English
• developing -  students who are further developing their knowledge of print literacy and oral language competency with English
• consolidating - students who have a sound knowledge of spoken and written English, including a growing competency with academic language

Teachers use the EAL/D Learning Progression to:

• understand the broad phases of English language learning that EAL/D students are likely to experience
• understand the characteristics of a learner at each phase of English language development
• identify where EAL/D students are located on the progression and the nature of their speaking, listening, reading/viewing and writing skills to monitor the linguistic progression of their EAL/D student

Reporting English language proficiency to parents

EAL/D learners’ reports show:

• EAL/D Learning Progression phase

• a comment about the student’s progress in learning English

• information about how the student’s English language learning has been supported.