Whole School Approach for
ESL Learners
By
Margaret Gray Meadowbank Primary School September 2005
Margaret Gray studied ESL Learners in the Mainstream school tting and the development of an effective whole school approach as well as professional development strategies to inform staff at Meadowbank Primary School and Campmeadows Primary School. Margaret believed that a joint approach between the two school ttings would develop valuable links and a shared experti.
Gray
Contact Details: Margaretthereyouwillbe
Primary
School
Meadowbank
Gerbert Street, Broadmeadows
Tel: (03) 9309 2355
Fax: (03) 9309 0621
E mail: ***************************.gov.au
Individual Teacher
1. Title
Whole School Approach for ESL Learners
2. Type of activity undertaken through Teacher Professional Leave.
The main activity undertaken was an investigative study using rearch by an individual teacher with links to a ba school and a neighbour school to share findings into the provision of an effective program for ESL Learners in the Mainstream tting.
The leave also involved undertaking study through the “ESL in the Mainstream” cour.
3. Context of school or schools.
The study was bad at Meadowbank Primary School with contact links to Campmeadows Primary School to share findings and develop common understandings for common issues. The schools are neighbour schools that share the common issues of low socio-economic clients, low literacy levels in the home environment and a large and varied ESL population. The schools are small schools with enrolments under 200, in the Like Schools Group 9, and are located in the Northern Metropolitan Region in Broadmeadows.
4. Area that TPL address.
The study address ESL Learners in the Mainstream school tting and the development of an effective whole school approach as well as professional development strategies to inform staff at both schools. It was believed that a joint approach between the two school ttings would develop valuable links and a shared experti.
5. What are you trying to improve?
The study developed from informal surveys conducted in 2004 with parents, teachers and students. Quality tools were ud to asss common issues with regard to the provision and delivery of an effective ESL program. The main opportunities for Improvement that became apparent were:
•Lack of relevant background information on students and families with regard to languages spoken, previous schooling and relevant history.
•Lack of effective identification of ESL students.
•Teachers were not familiar with the ESL Development Stages of the ESL Companion to English.
•Lack of effective asssment tools for ESL students.
•Ineffective reporting to parents by using the CSF II outcomes.
•Lack of common understandings and strategies to address the needs of New Arrivals and P–6 students in the Mainstream tting.
6. What has been achieved?
hac是什么意思Many of the main issues have been addresd and others are in draft form or part of ongoing rearch. Personal Professional Development outcomes have been extremely rewarding and promi to continue to develop in the future.翻译器在线翻译
The main areas addresd to date have been:
•The development of a new enrolment process in flowchart format with additional categories and responsibilities clearly defined. A distinction
was made between English Speaking Background (ESB) and Non –
English Speaking Background families (NESB) and parate process
tessa lanewere developed, the main difference being – an MEA (Multicultural
Education Aide) would be available to spend time with parents to
complete a Sociolinguistic Profile to gain relevant background
日剧蜂蜜与四叶草information and build rapport with families
•New asssment tools are being trialled with ESL learners to develop more authentic asssment to inform teachers
•New reporting formats are being trialled to gauge suitability for our school, feedback from teachers from the June Reporting Process to
parents will assist in developing a specific format for Meadowbank
Primary School and Campmeadows Primary School
•Checklists related to ESL Companion to English developed by Collingwood English Language School and Western English Language
School for New Arrivals have provided a guide for developing a format for
our students to monitor progress in a more relevant way
•Links to experienced ESL personnel have been extremely valuable for advice
•Links with the Best Start program and the Pre School Coordinator at Meadowbank Primary School have assisted the implementation of a
Development Play Program with Pre–school and Prep to Year 2 students
at Meadowbank Primary School starting in Term 3, 2005
• A Bilingual Story telling program using trained story tellers from the community will be implemented in Term 3, 2005 for Pre–school and Years
Prep to 2 students at Meadowbank
• A whole school policy is being developed to incorporate all the new initiatives
• A process for identification of “at risk” students provides additional data to assist the program
•Professional development ssions have been implemented and will continue at both schools. A whole school Curriculum Day to develop ESL
common understandings was conducted in Term 2
•Implementation of the VELS in relation to ESL students is currently being conducted to make links to student learning that will be incorporated into
whole school policy.
7. What has been learnt?
Key Learning Learning activities that most promotedmeet>偶像运动会2014
learning
•Need to collect relevant
background information at the
point of enrolment
•Provision of suitable interpreters to improve communication with
families
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•Development of common
understandings amongst staff of
ESL issues and specific cultural
considerations
•Need for a collaborative approach amongst all staff working with
students
•Understand the appropriate
strategies and approaches to
implement with ESL students •Need for authentic asssments and data to inform teaching and
gauge student progress
•Don’t assume cognitive
development is reflected by
English proficiency •Involvement of families to assist learning and develop rapport •Need to continue professional development and readings •ESL in the Mainstream – (10 week cour)
•Whole Day PD ssion at LMERC for ESL teachers to develop A Whole
School Approach and strategies to
implement
moviemaker•PD at Western English Language School (WELS)- 3 ssions
•Visit to Collingwood English
Language School
•Visits to Debney Meadows Primary School to discuss ESL approaches at that school with experienced staff and principal
•Visit to Meadow Heights Primary School to discuss approaches with
ESL teacher and Principal
•Critical friends –Daina Coles and Janet Saker at the ESL Branch •Cheryl McCashney – Asssment and Reporting - at DE& T •Languages and Multicultural
Education Resources Centre.
•Pam Luizzi at LMERC雄杰
8. How have you applied (or intend to apply) the learning to practice?
Learning will applied by the continuation of the development of improved practices in:
•Information gathering during interviews with parents
•Data collection aided by authentic asssments
•The implementation of programs to identify and address specific needs of students eg.-`Bridging the Gap` using Pre and Post. Testing for Years 4 to
6 ESL students
-ESL Language Assistance Groups P-6, related to identified ESL Developmental Stage.
-Literacy Intervention Groups for P–4 Students
