EAL/D education toolkit
This toolkit is designed to equip school leaders with the necessary information and resources to effectively advise their school communities on EAL/D Education practices and processes which are aligned with the Multicultural Education policy.
Purpose of the toolkit
Our Plan for NSW Public Education outlines our commitment to equity and excellence where every student can learn, grow and belong at school. This is achieved in safe, inclusive and culturally responsive school environments that promote and support the English language learning needs of all EAL/D learners and value the knowledge, skills and perspectives they bring from their diverse backgrounds.
This toolkit provides information to support school leaders to communicate with the whole school community about EAL/D education, and the tools and resources available to effectively and appropriately support EAL/D learners and their families.
How to use this toolkit
- Maintain for your reference: Access key EAL/D resources that reflect your school context, inform your planning and support your school community.
- Tailor for your context: Use the resources to reflect your school’s distinct community, and target and support its specific needs.
- Build capability: Enhance your staff’s ability to support the personal, academic and wellbeing needs of all EAL/D learners in your school, and foster positive school/parent engagement.
Key documents
The key documents below assist principals to build understanding of current EAL/D school advice and practices that ensure the language, learning and wellbeing needs of EAL/D learners are recognised, considered and supported.
- Multicultural Education policy
- Multicultural Education procedures
- EAL/D School Evaluation Framework (PDF 141KB)
- EAL/D effective school practices school resource (PDF 953KB)
- EAL/D advice for schools (PDF 5.4 MB)
- New Arrivals Program Operational Guidelines (PDF 1.9MB)
- Intensive English Program Operational Guidelines (PDF 2.0MB)
- Supporting students from refugee backgrounds guide (PDF 705KB)
Communicating with students, parents and carers
By using the department’s interpreting and translation services and translated documents, school leaders and staff can establish an inclusive school community, build trusting relationships with parents and carers, and communicate clearly and effectively with all stakeholders who do not speak or understand English well.
Professional Learning
A range of professional learning opportunities in EAL/D education and pedagogy is available to develop the knowledge and capability of school leaders, teachers and student support staff to effectively cater for the English language learning needs of EAL/D learners, including newly arrived students and students from refugee backgrounds.
Frequently asked questions
- Students whose first language or dialect is a language other than Standard Australian English and who need support to learn English must have their level of English language proficiency identified using either the Kindergarten EAL/D Learning Progression (PDF 1.6MB) or the ACARA Reformatted EAL/D Learning Progression.
- These learning progression tools describe a typical pattern of language learning for EAL/D learners and can be used to assess EAL/D learners initially and in an ongoing manner, to inform appropriate teaching and learning, and to monitor their English language development.
- The New Arrivals Program supports eligible students in primary schools and rural and regional high schools.
- Intensive English Centres and the Intensive English High School support secondary students in Metropolitan Sydney, Wollongong and Armidale.
- The Intensive English Outreach classes support some secondary students in rural and regional high schools. Participation in these classes is by invitation only.
- All EAL/D learners must have information about their English language proficiency and development included in their school report as outlined in the Policy Standards for Curriculum Planning and Programming, Assessing and Reporting to Parents K–12.
- EAL/D reporting requirements: written reports for parents (PDF 358KB) provides advice on planning for reporting on the English language proficiency of EAL/D learners.
- Information for parents and carers about written reports for EAL/D learners is available in various languages.
The EAL/D Education team comprising Leader, Coordinator and EAL/D, Intensive English Programs, New Arrivals Program and Refugee Student Support advisors, provide expert advice and guidance to school principals, teachers and staff to support the wellbeing, language and learning needs of EAL/D students in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote schools across NSW.
The EAL/D Education Leadership Strategy aims to build the capability of schools to achieve the best possible outcomes for all EAL/D learners.
EAL/D Education Leaders (PDF 127 KB) provide professional support for school leaders, teachers, SLSOs and other school staff in primary and secondary schools in Principal Networks across all School Performance Directorates.
The Aboriginal English EAD principal toolkit helps school leaders share consistent messaging with their school communities about Aboriginal ways of using English, including Aboriginal English.
The department’s Multicultural Education English as an additional language or dialect webpages are a useful source of information and direction to support teaching and learning, and professional development.
The EAL/D conversations podcast provides insights into EAL/D education, second language acquisition and effective practices that support EAL/D learners.
Henry Parkes Equity Resource Centre provides access to a wide range of resources including multi-media classroom resources, teaching and learning resources, and professional development materials and NAP resource kits.
- The EAL/D specialist teacher position description (PDF 83.7KB) details the role and responsibilities of the position.
- The Teach and Learn Scholarship (Specialist Teaching Areas – EAL/D) enables qualified primary and secondary teachers to gain the academic learning and formal qualifications to become EAL/D specialist teachers.
- The EAL/D NSW statewide staffroom is an online space for school leaders and teachers of EAL/D learners to connect, share ideas, ask questions, access resources and participate in professional learning.
- The EAL/D Newsletter is released each term and provides current EAL/D updates including announcements, events, professional learning, resources and research.
- EAL/D Connect Networks are professional learning networks organised by EAL/D teachers and EAL/D mentors that hold regular meetings across NSW, building professional links across schools and share teaching ideas and resources.
- EAL/D Viva Engage is an online EAL/D community in which school leaders and teachers can ask questions and share and exchange information.
Contacts
- For general EAL/D enquiries, principals can contact: EALD.Education@det.nsw.edu.au
- For enquiries about the New Arrivals Program, contact: eslnap@det.nsw.edu.au
- For specific advice and support, contact: EAL/D Education team