Teachers’ Experiences of Educating EAL Students in Mainstream Primary and Secondary Classrooms

Many schools in Victoria, Australia, are multicultural, with students coming from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Content area teachers often educate EAL students in their classrooms, even though they may not have specialised EAL teaching qualifications. This paper presents the experiences of primary and secondary teachers working in multicultural schools in Victoria. It explores the way in which teachers meet the needs of EAL students in their classrooms, and the support that is available to assist them to do so. This paper reports that teaching practice, school leadership, professional learning, and identity, influence the way in which teachers educate EAL students. However, this paper reveals that teachers require more support to assist them with educating EAL students. The most beneficial forms of support are professional learning, collaboration between staff, and understanding different cultures. This paper also argues that experienced teachers require relevant ongoing professional learning throughout their careers.

Speaking across curriculum in the public university

This paper presents the status of Language Across Curriculum (LAC) as an approach in developing the speaking skills of the students in a public university, particularly at Cagayan State University. It provides baseline data on how English teachers, content area teachers, administrators and the administrative personnel develop students’ speaking skills in school-based speaking transactions and learning experiences. The study utilizes the descriptive method of research employing survey and comparative techniques supplemented by Focus Group Discussion and actual voice recordings. Findings reveal that LAC is evidently adopted as an approach in developing the speaking skills of students; however, the efforts in carrying this out are not consistent due to lack of a policy requiring the use of English in school-based communications. Both students and teachers assess that students do not receive maximum development of their speaking skills due to limited exposure in the use of English. Trainings and orientation on the role of the school community members, most especially among content-area teachers and administrative personnel and more extensive use of English as a medium of communication in the school are highly encouraged.

An Analysis of the English Language Needs of Customer Contact and Secretarial Operation Coordination Trainees: Some Selected Technical and Vocational Colleges in Ethiopia

This study is mainly conducted to find out the English language needs of Customer Contact and Secretarial Operation Coordination Level IV trainees. To achieve this objective, purposive sampling technique was used to select content area teachers while comprehensive sampling technique was used to include trainees and English language teachers. A survey research was the design of this study. To this end, questionnaire and interview were employed to collect data. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis were used in the study. The findings of the study showed that writing, speaking, reading and listening skills are prioritized by trainees according to their order. In the area of micro skills, listening to lectures to take notes and listening to class discussions were showed as highly needed micro-skills. With regard to speaking activities, asking and answering questions and participating in whole class discussion were highly needed speaking micro-skills. Reading reference books and reading lecture notes, writing different project works like term papers, assignments and sample personal and business letters were identified as the most important speaking and writing micro-skills. Vocabulary was found more important than grammar. Most trainees reported that they find asking and answering questions and writing different project works like term papers and assignments, sample personal and business letters difficult. The reason for this might be because the courses offered are inefficient to help them develop these skills. Disparity was also found between their language problems and the courses they take. Finally, based on these findings, recommendations were also forwarded.

Formare gli insegnanti all’inclusione

This article is based on a case study funded on data collected from a number of teachers undergoing specific training in courses aimed at qualifying candidates to teach through CLIL methodology. This was done with a survey focused on how content area teachers’ awareness develops as regards language education issues, with particular reference to inclusive language education. The longitudinal study carried out encouraged considerations concerning both the specific case study and a wider vision of the general field of inclusive language teaching, which was the central topic of the conference held at the University of Parma in September 2019. In order to do so, the article considers some preliminary epistemological remarks on inclusive language teaching and the nature of the language for study purposes.This article is based on a case study funded on data collected from a number of teachers undergoing specific training in courses aimed at qualifying candidates to teach through CLIL methodology. This was done with a survey focused on how content area teachers’ awareness develops as regards language education issues, with particular reference to inclusive language education. The longitudinal study carried out encouraged considerations concerning both the specific case study and a wider vision of the general field of inclusive language teaching, which was the central topic of the conference held at the University of Parma in September 2019. In order to do so, the article considers some preliminary epistemological remarks on inclusive language teaching and the nature of the language for study purposes.

Assessments and Accommodations for English Language Learners: A Literature Review

While research in how English language learners (ELLs) use assessment accommodations is lacking, there are some general conclusions that one can draw. First, teachers must know their students’ abilities. This includes knowledge of their English proficiency, knowledge of their first language skills, especially as it pertains to literacy skills, and knowledge of their content area understanding. If teachers are aware of areas of weakness in students’ assessments, they should work to compensate for them by either changing their instruction or providing assessment accommodations. Second, it is important for teachers to recognize the various types of assessment accommodations that are available in their teaching situation. More vitally, teachers must be able to assign assessment accommodations appropriately to their students and know differences between ELL accommodations and Special Education accommodations. If accommodations are applied without regard to individual student differences, it can cause more harm to the assessment procedures and evaluations than benefits. Finally, there is a difference between high-stakes standardized tests and classroom assessments. While content-area teachers may have more freedom in modifying their classroom assessments, standardized tests are usually more constrained in their testing format and accommodations they are allowed to offer. Identifying gaps in research related to assessments for ELLs will benefit the field as content-area teachers continue to increase their work with students of diverse backgrounds.

Educazione linguistica inclusiva e CLIL

This article is based on a case study founded on data collected from a number of teachers undergoing specific training in courses aimed at qualifying candidates to teach through CLIL methodology. This was done with a survey focused on how content area teachers’ awareness develops as regards language education issues, with particular reference to inclusive language education. The main focus of the research covered two aspects: self-assessment of language education methodological competences and the perception of the need for further methodological training. The work illustrates the results gathered on both issues, whereas the results just regarding the former have been presented in another article. The longitudinal study carried out boosted considerations concerning both the specific case study and a wider vision of the general field of inclusive language teaching. In order to do so, the article considers some preliminary epistemological remarks on inclusive language teaching and the nature of the language for study purposes. It was through this initial work on both theoretical and practical aspects that the questionnaire distributed to the sample could provide examples of a diffused presence of competences in the CLIL teacher which can be referred to inclusive language education issues.

Feasibility of Introducing English as a Partial Medium of Instruction in Iranian Senior High Schools

The use of Content and Language Integrated Learning has been increasing in many European countries simultaneous to the use of English as a medium of instruction in the non-Anglophone countries due to globalization and internationalization. Since the 1979 revolution, discussion on English as a medium of instruction in the Iranian formal education has been a taboo. This study aims to figure out the possibilities of introducing English as a partial medium of instruction (EPMI) for mathematics and science at senior high schools. The convergent mixed methods design was used to collect perspectives of students, content area teachers, parents, and administrative staff in Bojnord through e-mail interviews and survey questionnaires. The majority of the interviewees in the qualitative phase as well as most of the students, parents, teachers, and administrative staff in the quantitative phase have supported the possible use of EPMI. The findings of this study suggest future considerations to assist language education authorities in taking decisions to overcome students’ language proficiency constraints while developing efficient and effective programs for CLIL.

Teacher Perceptions and Implementation of a Content-Area Literacy Professional Development Program

The Common Core State Standards recommend that all educators equip students with the literacy skills needed for college and careers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine middle-level content-area teachers’ perspectives on a district-led literacy professional development program and their implementation of the literacy strategies they learned. The conceptual framework included Bruner’s constructivist, Bandura’s self-efficacy, and Knowles’s andragogy theories. These theories informed the investigation of adult learners’ perspectives regarding the way they learn and gain confidence in providing literacy instruction. Eleven English, math, science, and social studies teachers participated in the study through individual interviews. Data were also gathered via classroom observations and lesson plans. The findings of the study indicated that teachers did implement the literacy strategies following the professional development provided despite lacking perceived self-efficacy with these skills. Although teachers saw value in literacy, their perceptions of the professional development were affected by their commitment to content instruction, time constraints, the organization of the professional development, and a forced compliance district mandate.