Non-English Speaking Background
Definition:
Students who do not speak English as their first and primary language are referred to as students from non-English speaking backgrounds or English as a Second Language (ESL). However, the term ESL is not as commonly used anymore as many students may learn a number of languages before learning English, and therefore English isn't always a 'second' language. Students from non-English speaking backgrounds make up approximately 15% of all students in metropolitan schools (Victorian Government, 2007).
Impact on Student Learning
Peter Westwood (2004) outlines some of the classroom learning problems for students from non-English speaking backgrounds include (p. 62):
- Listening comprehension difficulties due to limited vocabulary, poor grasp of syntax, and the speed at which other speak.
- Reading difficulties due to differences in basic phonology, limited sight vocabulary, and (when reading fiction) not having had firsthand experience of situations or contexts being described.
- Inability to engage meaningfully with new information, concepts and problems due to lack of understanding of the associated language.
- The communication difficulty can also limit social interactions with other children.
Impact on Teaching
Teachers need to be conscious of how they deliver information to students who are from a non-English speaking background; they should be aware of the phrasing they use to deliver information, and the speed, tone, and pitch of voice.
Teaching Strategies
The South Australian Government Department for Education and Child Development (2012) suggests the following teaching strategies to assist students from non-English speaking backgrounds:
- Keep talk to a minimum
- Use clear, common and consistent instructions and repeat or rephrase if necessary
- Speak at a normal pace and volume
- Don’t use too much jargon or slang
- Support instructions with visual cues as much as possible
- Create an environment where learners feel secure and are prepared to take risks
- Support and value learners’ languages and cultures
- Build on the linguistic understandings students have of their own language
- Encourage the use of the learners’ first language if the learner is literate in that language
- Use themes and topics which are relevant to learners’ particular needs
- Focus on purposeful communicative activities which are comprehensible and appropriate to the learner’s age and needs
- Try to teach the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in an integrated way,
- Focus on developing learners’ oral language skills for oral language development and to support writing
- Explicitly teach new language in the context of a theme or topic
- Use pair and group work often
- Recycle language to ensure its learning
- Encourage older learners to keep a glossary or a personal dictionary of words and meanings
- Ensure that assessment tasks, activities and criteria are relevant to the student’s stage of English language development.
Westwood (2004) suggests that to overcome some of the learning obstacles faced by students from non-English speaking backgrounds it is recommended that teaching be carried out using a bilingual approach so that the mother tongue can supplement and support the learning of the new language, however this is not
always possible (p. 63).
Support Networks in Schools
The Government provides funding to schools to enable them to support students from non-English speaking backgrounds and incorporate ESL programs which support students in their English learning across all areas of the curriculum (Victorian Government, 2007, p. 4).
Schools that have a significant number of students from non-English speaking backgrounds can obtain funding through the Student Resource Package (SRP) offered by the Government. Schools may also be eligible to obtain funding for Multicultural Education Aides which offer additional support to students and teachers (Victorian Government, 2007, p. 5).
Support Networks in the Community
There is support within the community available to students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Upon arrival in Australia, those from non-English speaking backgrounds are able to access the New Arrivals Program. The New Arrivals Program provides an intensive full time program or support to assist with the ‘initial stages of learning English (Victorian Government, 2007, p. 4).
Relevant Legislation
Students who come from a non-English speaking background have the right under Australian law to access education. Some examples of legislation that depict this right includes:
The Children's Services Act 1996 which states that every child should have access to education, even those who are from a non-English speaking background (Australian Government, 1996).
The Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 also outlines the requirement for children, including children for whom English is not the primary language spoken, to have access to appropriate quality education (Australian Government, 2005).
The Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 outlines the desire for the quality of education for all students to be continuously improving. Teachers should strive to deliver the best education possible to students who are from no-English speaking backgrounds (Australian Government, 2010).
In the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 it is outlined that students need to be provided with the assistance required for their special needs. Students who come from non-English speaking backgrounds must be provided with service, extra assistance, and modified tasks required for them to reach their full educational potential (Australian Government, 2006).
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 is an international legislation which outlines the human rights of all people. One of the outlined rights is the right to education which should be made available to students from non-English speaking backgrounds (United Nations, 1948).
Useful Links
The ESL Handbook:http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/student/eslhandbook.pdf
Guidelines for students with English as a second Language, Queensland Government: http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/framework/p-12/esl-learners.html
English as a Second Language, Northern Territory: http://www.det.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/2391/ESL_introduction.pdf
Students who do not speak English as their first and primary language are referred to as students from non-English speaking backgrounds or English as a Second Language (ESL). However, the term ESL is not as commonly used anymore as many students may learn a number of languages before learning English, and therefore English isn't always a 'second' language. Students from non-English speaking backgrounds make up approximately 15% of all students in metropolitan schools (Victorian Government, 2007).
Impact on Student Learning
Peter Westwood (2004) outlines some of the classroom learning problems for students from non-English speaking backgrounds include (p. 62):
- Listening comprehension difficulties due to limited vocabulary, poor grasp of syntax, and the speed at which other speak.
- Reading difficulties due to differences in basic phonology, limited sight vocabulary, and (when reading fiction) not having had firsthand experience of situations or contexts being described.
- Inability to engage meaningfully with new information, concepts and problems due to lack of understanding of the associated language.
- The communication difficulty can also limit social interactions with other children.
Impact on Teaching
Teachers need to be conscious of how they deliver information to students who are from a non-English speaking background; they should be aware of the phrasing they use to deliver information, and the speed, tone, and pitch of voice.
Teaching Strategies
The South Australian Government Department for Education and Child Development (2012) suggests the following teaching strategies to assist students from non-English speaking backgrounds:
- Keep talk to a minimum
- Use clear, common and consistent instructions and repeat or rephrase if necessary
- Speak at a normal pace and volume
- Don’t use too much jargon or slang
- Support instructions with visual cues as much as possible
- Create an environment where learners feel secure and are prepared to take risks
- Support and value learners’ languages and cultures
- Build on the linguistic understandings students have of their own language
- Encourage the use of the learners’ first language if the learner is literate in that language
- Use themes and topics which are relevant to learners’ particular needs
- Focus on purposeful communicative activities which are comprehensible and appropriate to the learner’s age and needs
- Try to teach the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in an integrated way,
- Focus on developing learners’ oral language skills for oral language development and to support writing
- Explicitly teach new language in the context of a theme or topic
- Use pair and group work often
- Recycle language to ensure its learning
- Encourage older learners to keep a glossary or a personal dictionary of words and meanings
- Ensure that assessment tasks, activities and criteria are relevant to the student’s stage of English language development.
Westwood (2004) suggests that to overcome some of the learning obstacles faced by students from non-English speaking backgrounds it is recommended that teaching be carried out using a bilingual approach so that the mother tongue can supplement and support the learning of the new language, however this is not
always possible (p. 63).
Support Networks in Schools
The Government provides funding to schools to enable them to support students from non-English speaking backgrounds and incorporate ESL programs which support students in their English learning across all areas of the curriculum (Victorian Government, 2007, p. 4).
Schools that have a significant number of students from non-English speaking backgrounds can obtain funding through the Student Resource Package (SRP) offered by the Government. Schools may also be eligible to obtain funding for Multicultural Education Aides which offer additional support to students and teachers (Victorian Government, 2007, p. 5).
Support Networks in the Community
There is support within the community available to students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Upon arrival in Australia, those from non-English speaking backgrounds are able to access the New Arrivals Program. The New Arrivals Program provides an intensive full time program or support to assist with the ‘initial stages of learning English (Victorian Government, 2007, p. 4).
Relevant Legislation
Students who come from a non-English speaking background have the right under Australian law to access education. Some examples of legislation that depict this right includes:
The Children's Services Act 1996 which states that every child should have access to education, even those who are from a non-English speaking background (Australian Government, 1996).
The Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 also outlines the requirement for children, including children for whom English is not the primary language spoken, to have access to appropriate quality education (Australian Government, 2005).
The Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 outlines the desire for the quality of education for all students to be continuously improving. Teachers should strive to deliver the best education possible to students who are from no-English speaking backgrounds (Australian Government, 2010).
In the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 it is outlined that students need to be provided with the assistance required for their special needs. Students who come from non-English speaking backgrounds must be provided with service, extra assistance, and modified tasks required for them to reach their full educational potential (Australian Government, 2006).
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 is an international legislation which outlines the human rights of all people. One of the outlined rights is the right to education which should be made available to students from non-English speaking backgrounds (United Nations, 1948).
Useful Links
The ESL Handbook:http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/student/eslhandbook.pdf
Guidelines for students with English as a second Language, Queensland Government: http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/framework/p-12/esl-learners.html
English as a Second Language, Northern Territory: http://www.det.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/2391/ESL_introduction.pdf