Teachers provide challenging and ambitious learning activities that help students meet their full potential through consistent effort and improvement. EAL/D learners have the same academic capability as their English-speaking peers. Working towards the same syllabus outcomes as other students while offering targeted English language support illustrates high expectations for EAL/D learners.

Teachers can access EAL/D professional learning on how to support EAL/D learners in their English language learning needs while meeting stage appropriate syllabus outcomes. CESE’s EAL/D effective school practices research finds that amplification of the syllabus through message abundancy and multiple opportunities for engagement with content and new language supports EAL/D learners in a culture of high expectations. Classrooms of possibility (staff only) suite of videos offer illustrations of practice in supporting EAL/D learners, particularly for students from refugee backgrounds. Designing lessons and programs using the principles of either Universal design for learning or backward design promotes the creation of high challenge/high support teaching and learning for English language learners.

Teachers clearly explain, model and demonstrate new concepts while providing timely, targeted feedback. Students are given adequate time to ask questions, act on feedback and apply their knowledge through practice. EAL/D learners require explicit English language instruction as well as multiple opportunities to encounter KLA-specific language. They also need to be explicitly taught types of texts, sentence structure, paragraphing, and grammar and how these elements of literacy are applied in each KLA. EAL/D learners may have very different numeracy learning needs. See Supporting EAL/D learners with numeracy and listen to Numeracy for EAL/D Learners (Part 1) and Numeracy for EAL/D Learners (Part 2). There is information on explicit teaching for teachers of EAL/D learners.

Teachers provide students with relevant, constructive and specific information about their performance on a task against learning outcomes from the syllabus or clearly defined success criteria. Feedback needs to be comprehensible for EAL/D learners – that is, pitched to their phase of English language proficiency – and focus on what’s next in terms of both content and language learning.

Teachers and school leaders use data to monitor and analyse student learning and wellbeing, to inform decision-making to improve student and school outcomes. EAL/D Learning Progressions phase of students is part of the triangulation of data, and decisions of how to best support EAL/D learners should be informed by ACARA’s statement ‘an EAL/D learner who is below a year-level benchmark is not necessarily underperforming; achievement may be consistent with their phase of English language development.’

Teachers regularly monitor student progress using a mix of assessment approaches to inform their next steps in teaching, determine the effectiveness of teaching strategies and provide evidence of student understanding. The EAL/D enhanced teaching and learning cycle includes prompts to consider how to assess EAL/D learners in the ‘How do I know when my students have got there?’ phase and to use EAL/D Learning Progressions phase assessment data in ‘Where are my students now?’ phase.

Teachers create the conditions for learning by minimising disruptions, maximising instruction time and encouraging students to engage in learning. Practices elaborated in CESE’s EAL/D effective school practices create learning environments in which EAL/D learners understand the cultural expectations of schooling in Australia. Content on what creating and maintaining supportive and safe learning environments for EAL/D learners look like is detailed in the EAL/D elaborations on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Teachers and school leaders facilitate student wellbeing through a sense of belonging, an ongoing commitment to cultural inclusivity, promoting positive relationships and supporting student resilience. CESE’s EAL/D effective school practices identifies strategies to create respectful relationships leading to a culture of cooperation and high care as essential for EAL/D learners, their families and communities to thrive. Listen to EAL/D specialist teachers discuss how to know, value and care for EAL/D learners.

Teachers and school leaders work together to share evidence-informed practices, knowledge and problem-solving to achieve agreed learning goals. Listen to 3 EAL/D podcasts discussing best practice in collaboration and co-teaching for EAL/D learners: An introduction to EAL/D co-teaching, The co-teaching cycle and The co-teaching models.