Annotated Content Descriptions | English Pre-primary LANGUAGE/CULTURAL CONTENT DESCRIPTIONS TEACHING STRATEGIES CONSIDERATIONS Language Language variation and change EAL/D students may be bilingual with When exploring different languages learning experience in at least one spoken in Australia, investigate the Understand that English is one of other language. Maintenance of their languages used in the classroom and many languages spoken in Australia first language is important to their by students’ families at home. and that different languages may be English language learning. spoken by family, classmates and Ask students to share words and community (ACELA1426) texts from their first language and display these in the classroom to assist all students to learn new words in languages other than English. Language for interaction Some students may use language Explicitly teach ways to use English dialects at home that differ from the appropriately in school, taking into Explore how language is used way language is used in the school account audience and purpose. For differently at home and at school setting. One use of language is not example: depending on the relationships better or worse than another. They playground language between people (ACELA1428) are simply different, and it is informal language of classroom important not to assign values to speaking to teachers those differences. academic-specific language. Language for interaction The vocabulary of feelings and Classroom discussions can be used to emotions is challenging for EAL/D teach new vocabulary to EAL/D Understand that language can be students, as it is often abstract. students. When students contribute used to explore ways of expressing Often, language is learned through ideas and vocabulary to discussion, likes and dislikes (ACELA1429) visual reinforcement, and this is not teach that contribution back to the always possible for abstract nouns. whole class to ensure that EAL/D EAL/D students are more likely to students have shared understanding know this vocabulary in their first while simultaneously building their language. vocabulary. For example, act out or draw facial ‘miserable’, expressions for and so ‘sad’, ‘excited’ on. Ask parents or bilingual assistants to assist in translating abstract emotions. Explicitly teach ways to use language appropriately depending on context and relationship between speaker and listener. Role play is an excellent vehicle for this kind of explicit teaching in the early year levels.
Annotated Content Descriptions | English Pre-primary CONTENT DESCRIPTIONS LANGUAGE/CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS TEACHING STRATEGIES Language Language variation and change Understand that English is one of many languages spoken in Australia and that different languages may be spoken by family, classmates and community (ACELA1426) EAL/D students may be bilingual with learning experience in at least one other language. Maintenance of their first language is important to their English language learning. When exploring different languages spoken in Australia, investigate the languages used in the classroom and by students’ families at home. Ask students to share words and texts from their first language and display these in the classroom to assist all students to learn new words in languages other than English. Language for interaction Explore how language is used differently at home and at school depending on the relationships between people (ACELA1428) Some students may use language dialects at home that differ from the way language is used in the school setting. One use of language is not better or worse than another. They are simply different, and it is important not to assign values to those differences. Explicitly teach ways to use English appropriately in school, taking into account audience and purpose. For example: playground language informal language of classroom speaking to teachers academic-specific language. Language for interaction Understand that language can be used to explore ways of expressing likes and dislikes (ACELA1429) The vocabulary of feelings and emotions is challenging for EAL/D students, as it is often abstract. Often, language is learned through visual reinforcement, and this is not always possible for abstract nouns. EAL/D students are more likely to know this vocabulary in their first language. Classroom discussions can be used to teach new vocabulary to EAL/D students. When students contribute ideas and vocabulary to discussion, teach that contribution back to the whole class to ensure that EAL/D students have shared understanding while simultaneously building their vocabulary. For example, act out ‘miserable’, or draw facial expressions for ‘sad’, ‘excited’ and so on. Ask parents or bilingual assistants to assist in translating abstract emotions. Explicitly teach ways to use language appropriately depending on context and relationship between speaker and listener. Role play is an excellent vehicle for this kind of explicit teaching in the early year levels.