More than a quarter of learners in Australian schools are learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D). They include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and migrants, refugees and international students born overseas. This paper highlights recent trends in the theory and practice of EAL/D teaching and learning. It offers a range of suggestions for supporting EAL/D learners in the classroom especially the importance of talking and listening in both their first language and Standard Australian English and the value of using learners’ bilingualism in developing language awareness for all classroom members.
Reference: Teaching EAL/D learners in Australian classrooms. Michèle de Courcy, Karen Dooley, Robert Jackson, Jenny Miller and Kathy Rushton - PETAA Paper 183.
Link: https://foundationforlearningandliteracy.info/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/PETAA-Paper-183.pdf