Bridging English as an Additional Language 

Rationale: Bridging English as an Additional Language (Bridging EAL) is an intensive English language course designed for students who are developing their English skills while preparing for senior secondary study, further education, training or employment. The course provides explicit teaching of speaking, listening, reading, viewing and writing in a range of academic, workplace and everyday contexts.

Students strengthen their English language skills through engaging with a wide variety of spoken, written, visual and digital texts. They learn to communicate confidently and effectively for different audiences and purposes, while developing the language needed to succeed across all learning areas and participate fully in Australian school and community life.

This study aims to:

• develop students' skills in speaking, listening, reading, viewing and writing Standard Australian English

• strengthen students' understanding of how language, text structures and language features create meaning for different audiences and purposes

• build confidence using English in everyday, academic and workplace contexts

• develop the ability to understand, analyse and create spoken, written and multimodal texts

• improve grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and written accuracy

• enhance literacy skills needed across all curriculum areas

• develop students' confidence to communicate independently in further education, employment and the wider community.

Structure: This study comprises two units.

Unit 1 - English for Learning

Area of Study 1: English for Everyday Purposes

Students develop the English language skills needed for everyday communication. They explore how language changes according to audience, purpose and context while learning to communicate effectively in formal and informal situations. Students engage with a range of everyday texts including blogs, advertisements, forms, websites, films and social media. They practise speaking, listening, reading and writing through discussions, presentations, interviews and role plays.

Outcome 1 - Outcome 1 – On completion of this unit the student should be able to engage with and understand everyday texts, and produce their own everyday texts making appropriate decisions in response to purpose, audience and context.

Area of Study 2: English for Academic Purposes

Students develop the academic English needed to succeed in senior secondary studies. They explore the language and structures used across subjects, including reports, textbooks, assessments, study guides and digital resources. Students learn to identify key information, conduct research, summarise ideas, interpret graphs and diagrams, and communicate effectively using academic language.

Outcome 2 - On completion of this unit the student should be able to understand a variety of print, spoken and multimodal academic texts, identify key information for learning purposes, and produce spoken and written texts for academic contexts.

Unit 2 – English for Life

Area of Study 1: English for Self-Expression

Students read, analyse and create texts that communicate personal ideas, opinions, experiences and goals. They explore how authors use language to express meaning and develop their own skills in creating written, spoken and multimodal texts for different audiences and purposes.

Outcome 1 - On completion of this unit the student should be able to understand and produce texts for self-expression, making appropriate decisions in response to purpose, audience and context.

Outcome 2 - Elective Area of Study 

English in the Media - Students explore how newspapers, websites, television, social media and other media texts use language and persuasive techniques to influence audiences. They identify arguments, analyse persuasive language and create their own spoken and written texts designed to present a point of view.

Outcome 2 – On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain how media texts position audiences, and produce texts that attempt to influence an audience.

Entry:

There are no prerequisites for entry into Bridging English as an Additional Language Units 1 and 2. 

The course is designed for students who are learning English as an additional language and would benefit from intensive English language development. It is particularly suited to students who have recently arrived in Australia, experienced interrupted schooling, or require additional language support before or alongside senior secondary studies.

Students must successfully complete three English units to satisfy the requirements of the VCE. They must include Units 1 or 2 of either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language and Units 3 and 4 of English, Literature or English as an Additional Language. A study score for an English subject must be included in the calculation of an ATAR.

ASSESSMENT:

Units 1 and 2: Coursework assessed internally.

Contact Time

Lessons per week: 

Year 11: 5

Duration:  Year long

Further Information

Head of English:

Wendy Mckenzie