Staff PD Teaching and catering for EAL students Jacqui Pacholski & Renae Phelan

EAL common classroom situation Youtube video of EAL classroom situation

The connections between learning a first and second language: “Begin producing spoken English as single words or phrases and then begin combining these elements to form utterances based on their growing understanding of the language.” Language is learned through use, exposure, need and experimentation.

How students learn a second language: EAL students use “formulaic expression” and gradually start testing their own English utterances to develop a clearer understanding of individual word meanings. EAL students know that language expresses meaning as they have had the experience of learning their first language. EAL students have to learn their second language in a completely different environment to their first language. EAL have to learn a language and also learn through a language and learn about a language and the socio-cultural underpinnings of the language.

Socio-cultural elements When learning a second language students must learn new:  Sounds-symbol relationships  Intonation patterns and meanings  Lexis (i.e new words for known concepts)  Syntax (way of structuring sentences)  Non-verbal signs  Social signals  Culturally shared information  Different registers (social formality for language in different contexts)

Implications  Need to be informed of the socio-cultural background of EAL individuals and be sympathetic to their needs.  Need to encourage EAL students to adapt to their English-speaking, socio-cultural environment but also retain their individual identity and connection to their culture.  Need to be aware of these cultural differences when conversing with EAL parents.  Need to foster confidence in students by catering lesson plans to individual competency.  Need to provide a meaningful context that develops purposeful language through concrete activities and visual clues.  Be prepared to wait when asking questions.  Be aware of your language and vocabulary.  Be aware of a students level of language acquisition, do not overcorrect.

Strategies for EAL teaching Formal and informal conversations Contextually relevant language use Students developing their own meaning Empowering students Using flexible teaching methods that cater to individuals but encompass the whole class Using language in its various forms Using repetitive and specific patterns Explicit teaching using simple grammatical structures that scaffold language, grammar and vocabulary.

Jazz Chants with Carolyn Graham  Real Language  Useful Language  Appropriate Language Video on the resourcefulness of ‘Jazz Chants’ in the classroom and with EAL students:

Brainstorm - activities Activities

Useful activities Cooking and writing up method Matching words to pictures Substitution tables Communicative activities - partner activities - crosswords - cloze activities

Resources for Staff  ABC TEACH – great ESL printables; grammar, flashcards, pronunciation etc.  ESL BEARS – great site!!!  BOGGLESWORLD – ESL site with lessons  – ESL activities for juniors with printables  ESL FLOW – pronunciation  ESL kids lab  ESL handbook  Keep Talking: Communicative Fluency Activities for Language Teaching Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers by Friederike Klippel Cambridge University Press, 1984 Cambridge Handbooks for Language TeachersFriederike Klippel  Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) Ground Floor, Statewide Resources Centre 150 Palmerston Street Carlton 3053 VIC

How are we going to cater for an EAL student? Research culture Educate class on EAL student’s background and culture

“In terms of classroom procedures, they need much more repetition and practice, more explicit instruction and concept-checkin g, more careful paraphrasing of difficult vocabulary, more demonstration and modelling, more highly structured and sensitive elicitation of existing knowledge, more opportunities for controlled teacher-student and student- student interaction and more time to absorb the rhythms and patterns of the target language. They need methodical, planned language development, not just opportunities for use” (1990, p.16 – Chris Davison)

Resources  “TESOL Techniques Book of Readings” Semester one,  Youtube.com  LMERC centre, Carlton, Melbourne