English as an Additional Language

Duration Full Year 

This subject specifically caters for the needs of students who come from a non-English speaking background and whose first language is not English. It recognises that EAL students are learning a new language at the same time as they are learning new conceptual and cultural knowledge and skills across the curriculum. In this subject, EAL learners are given specific support by their EAL teachers to build the English language skills that are required for effective communication in their learning to achieve success across the curriculum. Classes are small to enable intensive, highly differentiated lessons, so that each student’s learning is personalised. 

Goals 

The Year 9 EAL Core Course aims to: 

• To develop students’ understanding of how Standard Australian English (SAE) works in its spoken and written forms in a range of spoken, written, visual and multimodal contexts. 

• To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the linguistic structures and features of English, including the parts of speech, tenses and common language structures in order to improve language skills. 

• To develop students’ communicative skills, including reading, speaking and listening, as well as cultural understandings in English and their other languages, to enable their full participation in Australian society. 

• To develop students’ plurilingual awareness of the ways they use their own language(s) to help them learn English. 

• To develop students’ collaborative and independent learning skills.

• To develop students’ confidence to express opinions and actively participate in academic and social contexts

• To develop students’ critical and creative thinking skills.

Subject Content 

Reading and viewing 

In Semester 1 students view and analyse a variety of multi-media texts and view and analyse a film in depth.

In Semester 2 students read and analyse a novel and study persuasive techniques used in advertisements.

Writing 

In Semester 1 students analyse media texts, write a persuasive letter and a text response on a film text.

In Semester 2 students analyse characters, write about themes, produce a creative response and design an advertisement. 

The study of specific areas of grammar, sentence structures, spelling and vocabulary are a focus. 

Speaking and Listening 

Students plan and present an oral presentation on a character and participate in pair and group discussions. 

Students practise listening skills in different contexts including pair and group work and comprehension of film clips.

Teaching Approaches 

• Teacher directed 

• Collaborative group work 

• Individual learning tasks 

Assessment 

Students will complete several graded Assessment Tasks. These include a persuasive letter, text response, creative response and designing an advertisement.

Formative assessment is through class work, participation in group activities, class discussions and homework tasks. 

Students will sit an examination each semester in June and November.

EAL students will also be formally assessed on their progress through Victorian Curriculum in the following areas: 

• EAL Stages of the Victorian Curriculum in Speaking and Listening, Reading and Viewing, and Writing. 

• Victorian Curriculum Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking skills. 

Contact Teacher: Ms Eva Turewicz