Professional learning for EAL teachers in the context of digital transformation in the VET sector
July 26 from 4:00 pm – 5:30pm, online
Summary
The professional learning session on digital transformation in the VET sector for EAL teachers by Tanja Rykovska on 26th July was highly successful in introducing the European Framework for Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) and SELFIE for Teachers – an online self-reflection tool designed to evaluate their digital literacy skills within the context of professional engagement, teaching, assessment practices, and supporting learners’ digital skills development. Participants engaged in hands-on experience with SELFIE for Teachers, using the tool to self-reflect on their current digital competencies. The tool guided teachers through a series of questions, enabling them to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Participants left the session with a renewed enthusiasm for leveraging digital technologies in their classrooms and a clear path for enhancing their digital competencies. The practical insights and discussions fostered collaboration and professional growth, positioning teachers to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences for their EAL adult learners.
https://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.png00Association Officerhttps://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.pngAssociation Officer2023-08-06 09:24:002023-08-06 09:33:37Professional learning for EAL teachers in the context of digital transformation in the VET sector
Using Chat GPT to support EAL teaching and planning
Introducing a new series of three videos from VicTESOL on using Chat GPT to support EAL teaching and planning. Join us as we explore how to use Chat GPT to create a range of educational materials that are tailored to the needs of EAL learners. In these videos, we will show you how to create a worksheet, a differentiated model text, and a science unit for EAL learners on the topic of climate change. Watch and learn as we demonstrate how Chat GPT can help you to provide engaging and effective learning experiences for your EAL students.
Please note the above description was generated by Chat GPT!
Using Chat GPT to create a worksheet
Using Chat GPT to create a differentiated model text
Using Chat GPT To create a unit of work
https://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.png00Association Officerhttps://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.pngAssociation Officer2023-04-21 14:41:342023-04-22 14:10:10Using Chat GPT to support EAL teaching and planning
Strategies for Teaching Digital Literacy and Resilience in the Adult EAL Classroom Emily Tucker March 16 2023 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Summary In her presentation, Strategies for Teaching…
This content is available for VicTESOL members. Become a Member
https://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.png00Association Officerhttps://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.pngAssociation Officer2023-04-05 13:28:002024-01-02 10:03:20Strategies for Teaching Digital Literacy and Resilience in the Adult EAL Classroom
At the recent AMEP Virtual Roadshow – Resources for the EAL Framework webinar, TESOL teachers from across the country zoomed in to hear Mary Wallace from LWA provide a detailed introduction to a range of future focussed resources that are being rolled out to support Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) providers deliver the future national curriculum for AMEP, the EAL Framework. She highlighted the key features of three sets of resources: a new series of booklets designed for pre-certificate level learners called English Ready; the updated AMEPOnline that will be available from Course in Initial EAL to Certificate III in EAL (Access); and the AMEP Digital Literacy Framework and Guide and companion Teacher Resources. All of these resources will be made available free of charge to teachers, regardless of whether you teach in the AMEP or not. These valuable resources, funded by the Department of Home Affairs, are a welcome addition to the suite of tools available to teachers of EAL in the adult sector.
VicTESOL, the state association for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) & Multicultural Education, held our annual Symposium on Tuesday 31 August. This was live online event from 4-5:30pm AEST. For this event, we had a panel of speakers, experts in TESOL and multicultural education and related fields who discussed what they see as implications of the COVID pandemic for the field of teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL) in Victoria and Australia.
They discussed what TESOL might look like in the next few years and in the longer term as a result of what we are currently experiencing. With the pausing and slowing of some programs during the pandemic, is there a chance that TESOL and other programs may change? Is there a chance that while there are no new arrivals that existing programs and services will be affected, not only in the short term, but also in the longer term? How might this look? What might be some of the advantages of possible changes? What might be some less positive consequences of change during and post COVID? What can we do to prepare ourselves for ensuring we maintain and build on the quality of EAL and associated learning and support that has been established over many, many years?
You can view the recording of the event here:
Panelists:
Jessica Bishop, Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne)
Margaret Corrigan, CEO of Carringbush Adult Education and President of the Australian Council of TESOL associations
Dr Susan Creagh, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Education, The University of Queensland
Associate Professor Russell Cross, Language and Literacy Education, Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Carmel Guerra, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Multicultural Youth
Mark Melican, Principal of Blackburn English Language School
Matt Rodger, Senior Schools Support Officer – RESP Education & Early Years Program Practice & Sector Development, The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture
The panel was chaired by Dr Shem Macdonald, VicTESOL President and Lecturer at La Trobe University.
To view the collated comments of participants from the registration process, see below. Participants were asked to identify one positive and one negative coming out of their experience of working in the TESOL field during the pandemic. .
The recent issue of TESOL in Context contains an editorial related to the topic covered in today’s session. It is referred to within the symposium event.
Teaching and learning English in the age of COVID-19: Reflecting on the state of TESOL in a changed world
Many thanks to all who were involved in this event.
https://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.png00David Kezilashttps://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.pngDavid Kezilas2021-08-31 23:23:312021-09-02 15:40:05*Resources Page* VicTESOL Symposium 2021 – TESOL in a time of COVID: Implications and Possibilities
Online Event – Presentation and Conversation Rooms
This was an opportunity for teachers who are at a similar stage of their careers to share practice with teachers from other schools and institutions. A big part of this session was EAL resource sharing with Jennifer Peck from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) and and Eileen Wan (Blackburn English Language School). They presented on LMERC’s online and physical resources. This session was for pre-service teachers and early-career teachers (0-2 years) of EAL students, and teachers who are new to teaching EAL students.
https://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.png00Association Officerhttps://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.pngAssociation Officer2021-06-03 15:31:322021-06-06 18:56:38Online Resourcing and Networking session for pre-service, early-career EAL teachers and teachers new to EAL
Tuesday March 30, 4:30-6:00 pm Online Event VicTESOL held an afternoon of sharing on the topic of multimedia use in the adult TESOL classroom. The session began with three teachers…
This content is available for VicTESOL members. Become a Member
This workshop was based on the premise that digital literacy is vital for living, learning, and working in contemporary Australian society and therefore needs to be a key feature as both a support and an outcome of any relevant EAL program. The session detailed the experience and learnings of one such program that was specifically designed (pre-COVID) to engage low level EAL learners in online learning. The session covered the basic course design principles of our EAL online courses, the strategies developed to engage and support the learners and their challenges and achievements learning in an online environment. Luke and Tanja’s presentation was followed by Q&A and small group discussion.
Luke Treadwell is a senior teacher with many years of program and proect management in AMES. Luke has taught EAL students for many years across many programs and has recently worked extensively with ASMES online learning program.
Tanja Rykovska is an EAL teacher with extensive experience teaching English, designing and delivering EAL programs in various settings and for diverse cohorts. She has a special interest in technology in language learning and has integrated technology in her teaching throughout her career. She has been involved in AMES online learning initiative since 2015.
Online discussion forum and mini-presentations Tuesday 5 May & Thursday 7 May, 4:00-5:45pm
Clare Blackman & Jessie Sambell (Blackburn English Language School)
Emily Tucker (Carringbush Adult Education)
Nathan Chong (Brunswick English Language Centre)
Jennifer Peck (Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre- LMERC)
VicTESOL provided an online space for teachers to come together to discuss their experience of teaching and supporting EAL students remotely during the COVID-19 crisis.
The session began with a number of mini-presentations with presenters sharing what they have implemented so far and their reflections on the experience of remote teaching and learning. This was followed by small group discussions between participants in which there was an opportunity for participants to share their experience and also hear what other teachers are implementing, sharing tips and advice for future learning. Librarian Jennifer Peck from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) then presented some of their multilingual and EAL online resources.
Click here to access the information shared by Jennifer Peck from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC).
Click here to view the ideas and the resource list compiled from teacher comments and discussions during these professional learning sessions.
Click here to join the teacher discussion forum on Facebook ‘LBOTE Families and home learning’. Click here to access further information on the VicTESOL website about this discussion group.
Click here to access information relating to the Department resources.
https://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.png00Association Officerhttps://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.pngAssociation Officer2020-05-07 07:27:182020-05-15 11:59:43Learning from Home: Supporting EAL students remotely – Recordings from PL sessions (5 May & 7 May 2020)
Victoria Butterfield, Voula MacKenzie, Heena Sharma, Panayiota Kai The Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program of the Victorian School of Languages (VSL) Tuesday 28 April, 4-5pm Online Webinar
Are you faced with the challenge of teaching your EAL students online during the COVID-19 crisis?
This session provided practical strategies for teaching EAL online, followed by a Q and A session with a panel of expert primary and secondary EAL teachers who work with the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program.
Participants learnt tips and strategies for the effective use of videoconferencing to teach EAL learners. Examples were shown of how engaging lessons can be conducted online for F-10 EAL learners at all levels.
This professional learning session focused on working with EAL students who have access to videoconferencing software at home.
About the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program [VNAP]
The Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program supports new arrival EAL students using video conferencing sessions delivered through a distance education model at the Victorian School of Languages (VSL). The Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program (VNAP) is specifically for newly-arrived EAL learners in remote country schools who cannot access an English Language School or English Language Centre.
Victoria Butterfield is co-coordinator and a teacher in the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program (VNAP). She is a highly accomplished EAL teacher who has taught in English Language Schools and Centres in Victoria for the past twelve years. Since 2017, Victoria has taught in the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program to support newly-arrived EAL learners and teachers in regional Victoria.
Voula MacKenzie is an experienced EAL, Information Technology and Humanities teacher, who has taught in Victorian secondary schools, English Language centres and most recently at the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program (Distance Education) hosted at the Victorian School of languages campus in Thornbury. Since 2014, Voula has led the development of the Virtual EAL program, which began as a pilot project, and is now an established program with 65 students throughout rural Victoria. Voula co-coordinates the program.
Heena Sharma is a generalist teacher specialising in EAL. She has worked in government Primary schools for over 15 years and in collaboration with Panayiota Kai teaching EAL. Heena Sharma joined the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program team in 2017.
Panayiota Kai is a generalist teacher specialising in Languages and EAL. She has taught in government Primary and Secondary schools for over 20 years. Panayiota has worked as an EAL Coach, trained EAL Leaders and offered PD on EAL issues. Panayiota has been part of the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program as Curriculum Co-ordinator since 2015.
https://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.png00David Kezilashttps://i.imgur.com/aeJqqIF.pngDavid Kezilas2020-04-28 16:14:422020-05-04 21:01:55Teaching EAL learners online using video conferencing
