Module 9: Programming and whole school models of support for ESL students

Reading 1: Reviewing ESL provision within a culturally inclusive curriculum

Section 1 – developing a culturally inclusive curriculum

• scope of curriculum for developing inclusivity: how to assess, how to identify, how to prepare
• profile of school and community: how to develop, how to research/investigate, how to record, how to apply to the school setting, learning environment, activities
• school organisation and curriculum: how to review, how to involve wider community, how to determine process for reviewing specific aspects

Section 2 – gathering knowledge about LOTE background speakers

• range of students’ cultural and language backgrounds: how to identify, support, include in curriculum, consider the effects on students’ school life
• first and second languages’ experiences: how to identify and make use of, how to maintain and develop first languages

Section 3 – valuing the cultural and linguistic knowledge and experience of LOTE background speakers

• information about LOTE background speakers:  accessibility, opportunities for staff to discuss, ways to use this info
• cultural and linguistic knowledge and experience within KLAs: how can staff plan for it, and demonstrate an appreciation of it
• teaching and learning for cultural inclusivity: ways to review content, methodology, language and resources; ways that staff are involved in planning and review across all school levels

Section 4 – organising ESL teaching and learning within a culturally inclusive background

• identify ESL teaching and learning needs:what kinds of descriptors, which strategies are used to select priorities
• school context for ESL teaching and learning: how comprehensive is the school profile? policies? qualified staff? funding?
• priorities for ESL teaching and learning: ways to group students; establishing curriculum priorities; determine prof dev priorities
• roles of ESL specialist and class teacher: who has what range of responsibilities? what conditions needed to support each role? how is the role established; working relationships
• organisational approaches: which approaches are used?what are the contexts for ESL teaching and learning? which staff are involved? timetabling?
• process for English language and learning development: how to develop and implement stages in the process? type and range of ESL teaching available? what are the monitoring and assessment practices; how to report progress and achievements
• evaluate ESL teaching and learning: what are the structures and procedures? who is involved at each level of school staff? how to apply evaluation outcomes to ESL practices

 

Something new: I hadn’t really considered that evaluation of ESL teaching and learning would include every level of the school – I would have thought previously that assessing student gains and evaluating the individual programs would be all that was necessary or practical.

Something that confirms prior knowledge: that we should seek out ways to include students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds when planning the curriculum

Something to investigate further: the possible ways to establish priorities for ESL teaching and learning programs: how to group students, how to establish curriculum priorities, how to determine prof dev priorities