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Meeting the needs of English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners in the VCE Vocational major and Victorian pathway certificate.

Meeting the needs of English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners in the VCE Vocational major and Victorian pathway certificate.

VicTESOL Symposium 2023.
Friday 13th October, 2023, The Academy of Teaching and Leadership

Presenter: Sarah Douglas, Leading Teacher: EAL/Literacy/Numeracy, River Nile School

Summary

This session introduced how schools can cater for EAL learners within the VCE vocational major (VM) and Victorian Pathway Certificate (VCP). Drawing from principles of applied learning and informed by VCAA EAL curriculum the session covered ways to effectively plan for EAL learners based on VCAA language levels. The session demonstrated both how language can be developed through the VM required units; Literacy or VCE English, VCE VM Numeracy or VCE Mathematics, VCE VM Work Related Skills and VCE VM Personal Development Skills. This included focusing on key vocabulary required for each unit scaffolding text and language to support English language development and utilising principles of communicative language scaffolding. The session also unpacked the ways VM units can be designed to be culturally responsive to EAL learners such as including relevant topics for leaners cultural context including health, financial and civic literacy, and  the use of authentic assessment tasks.

The session provided practical examples of how EAL learners can be catered for within the VM pathway and the ways in which teachers of VM can user understanding of learners’ language progression to inform units that support language development.

Resources

Download (PDF, 1003KB)

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Meet the Assessors Online 2024

Meet the Assessors Online 2024 29 February 2023, 4:30pm – 6:00pm, Online Summary In this online event, co-chief assessors Jenna Gomes and Glynis Rose, and experienced assessor Michael E Daniel…

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Multilingual authors ‘standing taller’ in arts-rich translanguaging spaces

Multilingual authors ‘standing taller’ in arts-rich translanguaging spaces
15 February 2024, 4:30pm – 5:30pm, Online

Summary

In this professional learning webinar, Dr Julie Choi and Dr Rafaela Cleeve Gerkens introduced us to some of their recent work around translanguaging in collaboration with community organisation Kids’ Own Publishing. They began with a discussion around what teachers might already do in their own classrooms to bring students’ home language into their learning. They then provided us with some practical and visual examples of a 6-week case study that involved year 4 EAL students participating in a bookmaking experience. Julie and Rafaela discussed how to foster students’ identities as resourceful multilingual writers and the importance of using arts-rich experiences. They also allowed participants to reflect on any challenges they have encountered when drawing on plurilingual strategies. The evidence highlighted how translanguaging and playful multimodal opportunities can support and lead language interactions where students can build their identities in the classroom. Thank you to both Julie and Rafaela on a very informative and useful session!

Recording

Resources

Download (PDF, 18.69MB)

TQ article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/tesq.3279

Kids Own Publishing: https://kidsownpublishing.org.au/

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NGV at the VicTESOL AGM

NGV at the VicTESOL AGM
Monday 4th December, 2023 from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm, Virtual Event

Summary

Leah Santilli from the NGV took attendees of the 2023 VicTESOL AGM on a virtual tour of some the NGV’s collection. She showcased the strong relationship between VicTESOL and the NGV by talking about some of the wonderful events we have been involved in together this year. She also gave attendees the opportunity to be students, and try out some activities analysing different artworks.

Many thanks to Leah and her team for all their work putting this together, and we look forward to working with you again in the future!

Recording

Resources

Download (PDF, 2.72MB)

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Steering the Agentic Vehicle

Steering the Agentic Vehicle: Exploring English as an Additional language (EAL) Teachers’ Professional Agency since the 2021 Victorian EAL Curriculum Reform November 22, 2023 from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm,…

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‘Engaging Learners’ for teachers working in the SEE program

‘Engaging Learners’ for teachers working in the SEE program November 15, 2023 from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm, Virtual Event Summary In this presentation, we all benefited from the breadth…

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For Existing users of the EALF – what’s new and different in the new curriculum

For Existing users of the EALF – what’s new and different in the new curriculum
October 18 from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm, Virtual Event

Summary

On the 17th and 18th of October adult sector teachers from all corners of Australia joined webinars that provided information on the recently accredited Victorian EAL Framework curriculum. The Curriculum Maintenance Manager, Nadia Casarotto provided an overview of the curriculum, highlighting the major changes from the current version. Angela Di Sciascio then looked at an example unit of competency from Certificate II EAL (Access) and stepped through the process of unpacking a unit. Angela also explained the relevant sections of the new unit structure for teachers as well as some tips on how to integrate units, skills and knowledge into assessment. Lots of questions were generated and these will be compiled into a FAQ page on the VicTESOL website – stay tuned for more information.

Recording

Resources

Angela DiSciascio Presentation

Download (PDF, 296KB)

Nadia Casarotto Presentation

Download (PDF, 748KB)

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For new users of Victorian EALF – introduction to the new curriculum

For new users of Victorian EALF – introduction to the new curriculum
October 17 from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm, Virtual Event

Summary

On the 17th and 18th of October adult sector teachers from all corners of Australia joined webinars that provided information on the recently accredited Victorian EAL Framework curriculum. The Curriculum Maintenance Manager, Nadia Casarotto provided an overview of the curriculum, highlighting the major changes from the current version. Angela Di Sciascio then looked at an example unit of competency from Certificate II EAL (Access) and stepped through the process of unpacking a unit. Angela also explained the relevant sections of the new unit structure for teachers as well as some tips on how to integrate units, skills and knowledge into assessment. Lots of questions were generated and these will be compiled into a FAQ page on the VicTESOL website – stay tuned for more information.

Recording

Resources

Angela DiSciascio Presentation

Download (PDF, 333KB)

Nadia Casarotto Presentation

Download (PDF, 775KB)

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The role of schools in supporting settlement: Focusing on wellbeing in migrant and refugee education.

The role of schools in supporting settlement: Focusing on wellbeing in migrant and refugee education.

August 30 from 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm, Virtual Event

Summary

This session explored the vital role schools play in the settlement journey of migrant and refugee-background students. Mollie Daphne (Secondary School Teacher & PhD candidate, Victoria University) unpacked key frameworks which support the conceptualisation of settlement as a multifaceted, multidirectional process shaped by various factors. Throughout the session, participants were invited to consider the roles schools can play, through collaboration with other services, towards supporting the academic and social and emotional needs of newly arrived children and young people.

The session also including an engaging panel of presenters who all currently work in schools, supporting newly arrived students: Elena Di Mascolo, Sarah Douglas, Meagan Becker and Megan Salter. The panel discussed the challenges schools face in seeking to address settlement needs and shared examples from their own extensive professional experience of practical ways schools can advocate for and support young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

Recording

Resources

Download (PDF, 971KB)

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Online LMERC Resourcing Event

Online LMERC Resourcing Event

September 6 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Virtual Event

Summary

Participants had the opportunity to learn about Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) and the resources and assistance available.

Recording

Resources

Resources to Come