EAL/D = English as an Additional Language or Dialect

EAL/D used to be called ESL

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

Who are EAL/D students?

EAL/D students represent the full range of learners.

They may include:

• Students newly arrived in Australia from overseas.

• Students born in Australia who enter school with little or no English.

• Students who have had all or some of their schooling in Australia, and whose home background includes at least one language other than English.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students whose first language is an indigenous language or Aboriginal English.

How long does it take to acquire English language proficiency?

Every student’s English language skills will develop at a different rate.

The challenge for EAL/D students is that they are simultaneously:

• learning English,

• learning curriculum content and skills through English,

and

• learning about English.

Furthermore, learning English as an additional language takes considerable time.

Sometimes EAL/D students can appear to be fluent in English, but closer examination reveals this proficiency may be limited to informal social and playground language.

How will EAL/D students in Kindergarten be supported?

At North Rocks Public School, we are fortunate to have a team of EAL/D teachers to support all EAL/D students throughout the school.

The EAL/D teachers support students from Kindergarten to Year Six and are in regular contact with class teachers. EAL/D support is provided in a variety of formats depending on the needs of the students. This may include team teaching with the class teacher, assistance with class tasks within the classroom or small group lessons in the EAL/D classroom.

At the beginning of each school year, the EAL/D team identify all EAL/D students who are starting Kindergarten. We use the information that parents have provided on the enrolment forms and the ‘Language Background Other Than English’ Google form.

In Kindergarten, the EAL/D teachers will start the year off by supporting all students in their classrooms. The EAL/D teachers will teach a quality literature program to each Kindergarten class, three times a week. This program focuses on the development of oral language and phonological awareness (the ability to perceive and manipulate spoken words). Structuring our EAL/D support in this way, means that all students will benefit from having two teachers in the classroom during these lessons.

As the year progresses and the student’s needs change, the format of EAL/D support may also change accordingly.

Please be assured that all EAL/D students who require support, from Kindergarten through to Year Six, will be included in the EAL/D program.