Planning support for ESL learners

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Planning support for ESL learners

• Context
• Annual Implementation Plan School wide approach
  to ESL
• Flagship Strategy 1
• Teaching Practice (Inclusive to cater for all
  learners
• ESL programs
• Literacy Support for ESL Learners across the
  curriculum

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• Who is an ESL student?
• An ESL student is a student from a language
  background other than English who is learning
  English as a second or subsequent language.

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• The Department of Education, Employment and
  Training defines a student as an ESL student, if
  the student

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• comes from a language background other than
  English, that is, either the student or one or
  both parents was born in a non-English speaking
  country
• speaks a language other than English at home as
  the main language
• has been enrolled in an Australian school for
  less than five years.

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• ESL Funding
• ESL is Federally funded
• Funding is provided by DET to support ESL
  Learners who
• Have been enrolled in an Australian school for
  less than 5 years
• Speak a language other than English at home as
  the main language
• See CASES LBOTE (language background other than
  English) DATA form ST21034

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• What is an ESL (English as a Second Language)
  Program?
• A specific program developed by schools to
• support ESL students in meeting expected
  learning outcomes against the ESL VELS
• progressively prepare students for moving towards
  achieving expected learning outcomes against
  mainstream VELS

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What about VCE ESL?

• VCE English/ESL Study Design
• Eligibility for Seven years since first enrolled
  in an Australian School
• Schools organise appropriate programs to suit
  their local context

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• What are the aims of an ESL Program?
• Develop the students literacy skills in English
• Map student learning outcomes on the ESL VELS
  Framework
• Language acquisition to improve student learning
  outcomes across the curriculum
• Assist students with making a transition into a
• mainstream school
• ELS/ELC ? mainstream school
• ESL class ? mainstream classrooms
• Assist students with study skills
• Assist students with welfare and settlement needs
• Assist students with their vocational pathway
  choices

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• Who can be catered for in an ESL Program?
• Students with low levels of literacy in English
  (usually the first 5 years)
• ESL Students at risk of not completing their
  education in a mainstream school
• Students who have had no schooling or minimal
  schooling in their first language

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• What is a New Arrivals Program?
• A fulltime intensive ESL Program is available
  for 6-12 months in an English Language Centre for
  New Arrivals
• In some cases a part-time Outpost New Arrivals
  Program will be based in a school location with a
  New Arrivals Teacher

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What are some program models?

• Additional teacher support in the classroom, in a
  team or support teaching role flexible
  groupings of students
• Parallel mainstream classes of ESL students
• Intensive small group classes

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• What is taught in an ESL Program?
• English Literacy skills
• Literacy across the curriculum skills
• Study skills
• Organisational skills
• Classroom routines and activities including
  working in groups and participating in practical
  classes
• School orientation including location of teachers
  and rooms, reading the timetable, using the
  library, being involved in extra curricula
  activities.

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• Teaching strategies for students in ESL Programs
• FS1 for curriculum planning
• Establish prior knowledge and link learning to
  existing knowledge
• Teach skills in small steps
• Cater for different learning stages, styles and
  interests
• Use practical hands-on activities if appropriate

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Cont.

• Provide visual support and use models
• An integrated approach helps students make links
  between curriculum areas and meet the expected
  learning outcomes
• Implement team teaching flexible student
  groupings
• Include Action Research and Inquiry Learning
• Use negotiated and modified program planning
  strategies (differentiate the curriculum)

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Literacy model for ESL across the curriculum

• The Four Resources Model
• Code Breaking
• Meaning Making
• Text Using
• Text Analysing

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• Code-breaking knowing about and using the
  relationship of spoken sounds to the graphic and
  visual symbols used to represent those sounds,
  including punctuation and formatting conventions.
  
• recognising and using the alphabet
• spelling accurately
• using grammar and vocabulary including
  punctuation and intonation
• Recognising and creating text structures

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• Meaning-making knowing about and using the
  meanings conveyed by written, spoken, visual and
  multimodal texts.

Drawing on prior knowledge to construct meaning
from texts Comparing ones own experiences with
those described in the text Interpreting and
using literal and inferential meanings of words,
clauses, sentences and texts Understanding the
way texts are constructed to make meaning.
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• Text-using knowing about and using the functions
  of various text types, across all learning
  contexts

• Understanding the options involved in using a
  text to convey particular meanings effectively.

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• Text-analysing (Critical Literacy)
• knowing about and using the cultural and
  ideological bases on which texts are produced and
  used, including how texts influence and position
  readers, and listeners.

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• Assessment and Reporting in ESL
• ESL is assessed and reported according to the ESL
  VELS Companion
• http//vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/esl/esl.html
• ESL Sample Reports and Student Individual
  Learning Plans can be found at
• www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/studentreports/samples/index
  .htm

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• Assessment Strategies
• Concept maps and diagrams
• Student self-evaluation
• Oral tasks including role plays and drama
• Student portfolios
• Peer assessment
• Short Assessment Tasks
• Short tests
• Projects

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• What are some of the educational
• pathways for ESL students?
• VCE, VCAL and VET Programs
• TAFE Courses
• University Courses
• Apprenticeships

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• Parent and Community relationships
• Ensure interpreters are available for parent
  meetings
• Provide translations of important school notices
• Use Multicultural Education Aides and key
  community
• people who can liaise with families
• Hold regular parent information sessions
• Involve parents in school activities, where
  possible.

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• Issues
• Many students and families with refugee
  backgrounds will have ongoing welfare needs
  including
• housing
• effects of trauma
• physical health issues
• behaviour issues
• absenteeism
• financial hardship
• feelings of homesickness, sadness and
  dislocation, if born overseas

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• Community Resources
• Link students to Homework Support Programs
• Inform students of Saturday School language
  classes in students first language, if
  appropriate or available
• Link students and families to community support
  agencies and Migrant Resource Centres
• Inform students of other community resources
  including volunteer reading tutor programs,
  mentor programs, legal networks, the Police in
  Schools Program
• School Focussed Youth Services work closely with
  schools to support the needs of young people.

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• Professional Development Programs and Resources
  for Teachers in Schools include
• ESL Website to download resource material
  including notes for videos www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/l
  em/esl
• LMERC (Languages and Multicultural Education
  Resource Centre) to borrow and purchase resources
  www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/lem/lmerc
• VATME (Victorian Association for Teachers of
  Multicultural Education) www.acta.edu.au/vatme/
• Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture
  (VFST) www.survivorsvic.org.au
• Multicultural Services Directory
  www.eccv.org.au/db