Science and EAL teachers’ perspectives and practices in building word knowledge in implementing the new Victorian EAL curriculum

The recent implementation of The Victorian Curriculum F-10: EAL requires content teachers who teach EAL students to be familiar with the revised EAL curriculum for the purposes of planning and developing approaches to assist learners’ development in English. In the literature and in curriculum frameworks, word knowledge is considered an important aspect of EAL students’ learning. However, little is known about what pedagogical practices teachers across the curriculum perceive as being important, and use, in developing EAL students’ vocabulary. In this study, we investigated linguistically responsive vocabulary teaching in a Year 7 science class. Our aim was to elucidate teachers’ perceptions and practices in teaching vocabulary in science. The qualitative case study drew on principles of linguistically responsive instruction (LRI), which refers to practices for meeting the needs of students in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. Analysis of interview and classroom data from an EAL teacher and a science teacher revealed a range of LRI practices for developing word knowledge based on understanding the distinction between conversational and academic language, language learning principles, responsive teacher talk, plurilingual awareness, and the importance of social interaction for learners. We offer recommendations for a whole school approach to LRI, adaptation to online LRI, and curriculum development

Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting

This article aims to highlight the complexity of English language related experiences and interactions of a small group of teachers in an Australian, Early Childhood (EC), mainstream setting with children four to eight years old. It draws on data collected from a qualitative case study which investigated four teachers' perspectives and anxieties when it comes to 1) achieving a balance between use of home languages and the use of Standard Australian English in classrooms 2) mainstream teacher knowledge of, and confidence in, using appropriate practices to enhance English language learning experiences for EAL/D students in mainstream classes. Through data collected from teachers via semi-structured interviews, and observations of teaching practices, discussion focuses on the challenges and dilemmas that mainstream teachers can face in the absence of effective formalised English language teacher education. Recommendations for possible ways forward are made

Editorial: Collaboration, training and funding for the professional development of teachers of EAL/D students

This issue of TESOL in Context contains four articles that complement each other in their focus and arguments concerning political ideologies, the commodification of English as an additional language/dialect (EAL/D) teaching and the professional training needs of both EAL/D and mainstream teachers in Australian education. The first two submissions are discussion papers, which set the scene for two articles reporting on results from empirical TESOL research. Four book reviews complete the volume with a focus on the work of EAL/D teachers and learners in a variety of contexts. The articles and book reviews in this issue highlight important issues in EAL/D policy, research and practice, with a particular emphasis on the imperative to prioritise teacher preparation and professional learning. Underpinning all submissions is a clear understanding of the need for authenticity, collaboration, specialisation and utilisation of all of the linguistic competencies EAL/D bring with them to classrooms. This has implications for TESOL within and beyond Australian borders and highlights the need for continued dialogue with government and funding bodies to ensure the teaching and learning of EAL/D students is comprehensively supported in a wide range of educational contexts.

Supporting English language learners: New Zealand secondary mainstream teachers’ knowledge and use of recommended teaching resources and strategies

Mainstream teachers in New Zealand secondary schools are expected to be able to support learners from linguistically diverse backgrounds, providing both content instruction and also language support that enables them to access curriculum content. The New Zealand Ministry of Education has produced resources designed to enable mainstream teachers to bring a language focus to their teaching in order to provide support for their English language learners (ELLs). This study investigated mainstream teachers’ knowledge of second language acquisition and their knowledge and use of teaching resources and strategies for supporting ELLs in the mainstream. The eighteen teachers who participated in the study felt that they needed to know more about second language acquisition. They were also not fully aware of, and were not using, the range of resources and strategies available. These findings have implications for the professional development of New Zealand secondary mainstream teachers, and for the education of ELLs

Nimble or Not? Pivoting an International School to Embrace Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Practice

The increasing cultural and linguistic diversity of international schools presents challenges for students, teachers and administrators. Using a participatory action research (PAR) methodology that included co-practitioner researchers (CPR), the study examines the capacity of five middle school teachers supported by a director of curriculum and instruction in a large SE Asian international school to understand and utilize culturally and linguistically diverse practices to support the learning of increasingly diverse students. In exploring the PAR impact on leadership stances and practice, findings indicate a strong relationship between Bryk's (2015) Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles of collective inquiry using qualitative evidence and the ability of teachers as teams of co-teachers to make positive, iterative changes in their planning and acting for learning. The PAR study underscores the importance of the intrinsic relationship between the quality of planning for learning and the quality of co-teaching partners collectively acting in support of student learning. Further, the evidence confirms that participation as a PAR co-practitioner researcher constituted a rich leadership learning experience for teachers and has the potential to permeate and inform their endeavors as teachers and teacher-leaders. Finally, the results offer cautionary evidence for international schools who are facing similar demographic changes. Evidence points to an increasing need for clarity in school priorities in the expectations for equity in learning. Unless school leadership is fully cognizant of how the institutional culture unwittingly compromises teacher efforts, they may intentionally or unintentionally interrupt teachers' ability to embrace and act on principles of high-quality learning - for themselves and for students

The Assessment of English Language Learners: Saskatchewan School Perspectives

English Language Learners (ELLs) are becoming increasingly present in Saskatchewan Schools. School divisions are providing English as an Additional Language (EAL) instruction in order to meet the language, cultural and academic needs of students. Research from the United States and Australia has indicated the need for good induction procedures to assess the needs of individual students while similar research has not been done extensively in Canada, and in Saskatchewan in particular. ELLs represent a heterogeneous group, requiring support for their cultural and linguistic needs, and often face psychological, situational, and institutional barriers. An effective assessment procedure to determine the needs of these students is necessary to inform instruction and specialized services. Current documents from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education indicate that assessment procedures to determine programming are left to individual school divisions, schools or teachers to manage, and best practices have not yet been evaluated. This modified basic qualitative interpretive inquiry research sought out the insights of two teachers, two EAL program administrators, and a community settlement worker representing the two major urban centres in Saskatchewan to discuss: (1) the identification process and intake procedures of ELLs in Saskatchewan; (2) the services provided to ELLs; and (3) the identification of exceptionality in ELL students. The resulting data revealed themes in relation to school induction, EAL programming, and further needs from outside sources to provide for the holistic needs of CLD students. Practical implications of the findings, the limitations of the current study, and areas for future research are discussed

Effective Teaching Practices for English as an Additional Language Learning in Alberta, Canada

English as an additional language (EAL) learners lag behind their English-speaking peers academically and it takes longer for them to achieve high school completion requirements (Alberta Education, 2017; 2018, 2019a). Teachers play a critical role in providing intentional language instruction alongside content instruction to support these vulnerable learners. This study addressed three research questions: i) What instructional practices do teachers use to support EAL learners? ii) How does background knowledge inform teachers in their decision making and in determining the effectiveness of the instructional practices they use to support EAL learners? iii) In what ways do pre-service and in-service teacher education impact teachers’ effective instruction for EAL learning? Participants (n=17) were teachers who were recognized as holding specialized EAL knowledge and administrators who lead EAL learning in their jurisdiction. They participated in semi-structured interviews about the instructional practices that they perceived as the most effective for EAL learning. Six key findings were identified: i) positive relationships are foundational for EAL learners, ii) explicit language instruction needs to be embedded in the content areas, iii) teachers ideology influences their background knowledge and impacts their decision making, iv) knowledge of learning theories that impact EAL learning informs teacher’s decision making, v) effective instructional practices for EAL learning should be embedded in post-secondary courses for pre-service teachers, and vi) professional learning in EAL learning is needed for in-service teachers’ and administrators’ decision making for instruction and programming. A conclusion drawn from this study is that the language intentions have to be explicitly identified and stated along with learning intentions for each lesson/unit of study. Another conclusion is that there are some Alberta educators who have a strong theoretical knowledge and a repertoire of effective instructional strategies for EAL learning, however, many teachers and administrators do not have solid theoretical and practical knowledge. As such a recommendation from this study is that professional learning about EAL Learning is required for pre-service and in-service teachers and for practicing administrators

From fabric to quilt : adaptability in teaching EAL students from a classroom teacher's perspective

As the mosaic of our classrooms becomes more diverse, teachers need to be able to celebrate the multilingual, multicultural students and provide the academic and social opportunities for their students. As well, teachers need to use culturally relevant pedagogy and diverse instructional strategies within the curriculum that will allow all students to develop meaningful language experiences. Through narrative inquiry and through qualitative research, I have examined my teaching practices and methodologies in relation to the observations and critical conversations with EAL teachers directly involved in the instruction and English language development as support for linguistically and culturally challenged students in the elementary school setting. I have taught a community of diverse learners with rich heritages and backgrounds in a multilingual classroom, and I have learned, from these four specialist teachers, to be more knowledgeable in teaching strategies and more adaptable in implementing culturally relevant content. For a brief time, I was able to enter four different classrooms of students, who had come from many different countries and had been removed from their regular classrooms to receive EAL support. Through observations of these students, and interviews and dialogues with specialist EAL teachers, I have been able to critically reflect upon and analyze my results, expanding my repertoire of instructional practices as a multilingual classroom teacher. By allowing me into their professional spaces, and by sharing their teaching practices as English language specialist teachers helping students, I have been both inspired and enlightened. EAL students in our communities and classrooms will bring their personal experiences and rich cultural backgrounds, created from their multigenerational histories. As teachers create welcoming classrooms, all students will receive the language support that they need, without losing their cultural beliefs and values. School families and communities can become the threads that will eventually create a fabric, rich in design and texture. In representing the Canadian mosaic of individuals, this journey metaphorically takes our students, from individual fabrics to quilts of many hues and patterns

Quality content teaching for multilingual students: An international examination of excellence in instructional practices in four countries

Observations of Pedagogical Excellence of Teaching Across Nations (OPETAN) is a mixed methods observation study of 31 content teachers, most nominated for their excellence in teaching multilingual students in Germany, Finland, the US, and England. The study relied on an observation rubric that operationalizes seven Enduring Principles of Learning grounded in critical sociocultural theory and pedagogy. Findings revealed excellent teachers emphasize complex thinking, language use, and modeling. Teacher use of small groups, contextualization, and equity-focused practices were areas of potential growth. International research holds promise for understanding and improving K-12 content teaching and teacher education for teachers of multilingual learners

Implementing The SIOP Model To Support English Language Learners

Children who are English as a Foreign Language Learners (EFL) and/or English language learners (ELLs) are missing critical content-specific learning. These students are transitioning into mainstream classrooms, lacking basic literacy foundation skills, including vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, phonology, and meaning, which is preventing them from accessing grade-level content. Teachers who are charged with educating English language learners are not always provided with sufficient professional development that will allow them to meet the students’ needs. ELL students need specific instructional strategies that will address their learning needs as well as language development. The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of the SIOP Model at ACIS to support teachers in delivering subject-specific content while at the same time developing language skills of English language learners. Archival data was used in this case study to answer the following research questions: What strategies, interventions, and/or protocols from the SIOP Model are being use by teachers? What barriers and obstacles have teachers faced with implementing the SIOP Model? What are the perspectives of teachers regarding support and training that would improve their use of the SIOP Model? The findings of the research indicate that teachers used different components of the SIOP Model. The increase in NWEA MAP reading scores over the course of a year suggests that using the SIOP Model had a positive impact on student learning. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents found that there were no barriers to implementing the SIOP Model, which suggests that some teachers may be unaware of expectations, therefore, unaware of barriers. The four areas that emerged as areas for further research were Strategies, Response to Intervention (RTI), lesson preparation and assessment. Time management also emerged as a possible area for further training. The recommendations for future practice are to continue to fully implement the SIOP Model. School leadership should continue to support the model by providing dedicated professional development and ensuring that all teachers are provided with resources that support the SIOP Model. The student achievement data showed promising results for ACIS’ first year of implementing the SIOP Model