Teaching Learning Strategies for EAL/D Students in Australian Schools

This report discusses effective teaching and learning strategies for EAL/D students in Australian schools. It covers key features, initiatives, and beneficial resources for supporting language learning. The report also outlines five effective strategies for teaching EAL/D students, including explicit instruction, questioning and predicting, collaborative learning, visuals, and scaffolding. The expected learning outcomes for each strategy are also discussed.

Teaching Learning Strategies
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Key features and Specified Initiatives.............................................................................................3
Beneficial Resources.......................................................................................................................4
Effective Teaching and Learning Strategies....................................................................................5
Strategy 1: Explicit Instruction of I DO, we DO and You Do....................................................5
Strategy 2: Questioning and Predicting.......................................................................................5
Strategy 3: Collaborative learning - Think, Pair and Share.........................................................6
Strategy 4: Visuals......................................................................................................................6
Strategy 5: Scaffolding................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Reference.........................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
As it is widely known that Australia is a country of diverse religions and cultures. The country is
populated with citizens who are vastly varied in their socio-cultural background as well as
language. In order to maintain the social harmony and protect every culture, the government
needs to take up plans and strategies that are helpful for the protection of every culture. In this
regard, it can be said that effective approaches have also been taken up in order to impart a sense
of belonging and inclusion amongst all children, irrespective of their religions and languages.
The present report will focus on the practice of EAL/D teaching learning strategies that are taken
up by various schools in order to support the learning process of the children, whose home
language is not the Standard Australian English (SAE). In addition to this, multiple effective
resources and strategies have also been considered in order to support the further progress of the
primary school located in Western Sydney.
Key features and Specified Initiatives
From the given case study, it has been noticed that in the primary school located at Western
Sydney, the students who belong to the Language Background Other Than English (LBOTE)
constitutes the majority number of students. The school hence effectively identified that needs of
providing EAL/D to this students. In this regard, the governing body of the school has decided to
ensure the teacher allocation which is 1.8. moreover, the school is also using an effective funding
of $6000 (Tompkins et al., 2014). Moreover, an EAL/D leader has also been appointed to
monitor the teachers and address their needs. The leader and EAL/D teachers coordinate in order
to decide the necessary actions to support the needs of the SAE students. In addition to this, the

teachers have taken up and effectively completed the Teaching Language Learners (TELL)
course. The EAL/D teachers of the school aims at cater to the needs of the SAE learners. In this
regard, the teachers are using the ESL scales so that they are able to access moreover, every class
teacher of the school sit together in order to decide the effective strategies to support the EAL/D
program (Angelo, 2013). During the time, the class teachers as well as the teachers identify the
SAE students who are mostly in need of guidance and support of the EAL/D program. The
teachers also identify the learning needs of these students and plan the sequence of lessons and
learning opportunities accordingly. The EAL/D teachers plan the lessons and curriculums on
weekly basis in order to support the results of the assessments.
Beneficial Resources
In order to support the EAL/D program the resources that can be considered are various online
tools that help in assessing the progress of the learners. In addition to this, the EAL/D teachers
can take up multiple online resources and tools that are helpful in bringing language proficiency
amongst the students.
Moreover, online tools that support the teaching process and strategies will also be helpful in this
regard. By taking help from these tools, the EAL/D teachers will be able to obtain advice
regarding effective approaches (Dixon & Angelo, 2014). A popular example of the tools is
Transition to school. The tool provides examples and affordable advices to the teachers regarding
the support programs. It has been noticed that the SAE students find it difficult to learn English,
as they are more comfortable in communicating in their native languages. These tools is hence
designed in order to assist the teachers to develop effective strategies.

In addition to this, the teachers can use board games, flashcards and worksheets to attract the
students. Moreover, using power point slides can be considered another effective method to grab
the attention of the students.
It has also been monitored that the young students are more prone to adopt things that are
graphically presented to them (Naidoo et al., 2015). As per the rising trend and their fondness for
cartons and comics, it can be said that the school can use comic strips as an effective mediums
for teaching. It can easily be understood that in order to teach a new language and make the
students well versant in that, the teachers need to use resources and methods that are effective in
grabbing their attention. Applying these resources will make the students interested in learning
the language.
Effective Teaching and Learning Strategies
The effective strategies that have been taken up the schools can be identified from the case study
are listed below.
Strategy 1: Explicit Instruction of I DO, we DO and You Do
The primary strategy that has to be employed in order to support the teaching learning process of
the EAL/D students is the measured release of responsibility. This strategy effectively uses the
process of demonstrating, prompting and practicing. For the EAL/D students this strategy will be
highly effective as it will enable them to learn from the demonstration given by the teachers and
then practicing them simultaneously (Dobinson & Buchori, 2016). Moreover, practicing along
with the teacher and independently in front of the teacher increases the chances of rectification.
In the initial stages of learning a new language, the creating sentence structuring and

pronunciation of the words are most important. This strategy will be highly effective in
supporting them.
The expected outcome of the strategy is the ability of composing simple texts in order to convey
ideas (Adoniou, 2015). These strategies are helpful in using the vocabulary that has been taught
and practiced in the class and create texts in order to convey their ideas, experiences.
Strategy 2: Questioning and Predicting
Another important strategy is the questioning and predicting method. In the process of language
learning, the strategy of questioning and predicting is highly effective. Questioning after teaching
encourage the students to analyze and understand in a better way (Hudson, Angelo & Ikeda,
2014). Questioning is helpful in understanding the critical grammatical rules and texts.
Predicting is helpful in guessing the future lessons. Moreover, it encourages the students to
exercise imagination and critical thinking.
The expected outcome of using this strategy amongst EAL/D students is to demonstrate and
develop skills to read and comprehend short texts (Sousa, 2015). Moreover, make effective
predictions to the familiar topics. The students can identify the unfamiliar words and ask for the
meanings and gradually become able to understand difficult texts.
Strategy 3: Collaborative learning - Think, Pair and Share
This strategy involves cooperative learning methods. More over the techniques used by this
strategy encourages the students to participate and communicate in the classroom (Lee et al.,
2014). Pairing up EAL/D students along with non EAL/D students will be helpful in the
communication process and exchange of ideas.

The targeted outcome of the strategy is that the students will be able to communicate with their
classmates, teachers as well as their surrounding people (Sousa, 2015). The contents for the
outcome are primarily based on the growth of the ability of the students to comprehend the
different roles taken up by people while interacting. Understanding the expressions and gestures
used by people are also important.
Strategy 4: Visuals
The process of using visuals is highly effective in the process of language teaching and learning.
In a classroom, the black board serves as the primary visual aid (Disbray, 2014). In addition to
this, various other visual aids can be used. Teachers can take help of modern technologies and
effectively incorporate smart classes and power point presentations to encourage both the SAE
and non-SAE students.
The expected learning outcome of the strategy is to demonstrate skills of using appropriate
vocabulary and correct spelling. Moreover, the content focuses on the process of making
phonetic assumption of the unknown words (Tangen et al., 2017). In addition to this, by
employing the strategy, the students will be able to understand and identify the homophones; will
gain knowledge about the morphemic words and an ability to use double letters.
Strategy 5: Scaffolding
The scaffolding is a teaching strategy that involves the usage of various materials and language
tools in order to support the learning process of students. By taking up this strategy, teachers
break up the learning into chunks and support them with tools or structures (Disbray, 2014). For

EAL/D program, it is highly effective as the strategy involves using concept maps, making
comparison between the language and culture and usage of words.
The learning outcome of this strategy involves composing simple texts, planning and review
texts based on familiar topics (Adoniou, 2015). The content of the outcome involves identifying
primary elements of developing and understanding the co textual knowledge as well as applying
the knowledge of different forms and features of language.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that, EAL/D program is highly effective in bridging the language
gaps amongst the Australian students. As a significant number of students belong to the SAE
group, it can be understood that the schools need to focus on the implementation of EAL/D
programs. From the analysis of the case study, it can be understood that proper resources and
strategies are highly effective in the process of successful implementation of the EAL/D
program. Moreover, motivating, encouraging and acknowledging all culture are highly needed in
this regard.

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