Bentley Park College has specialist English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) teachers to support EAL/D students, whose first language is a language or dialect other than English and who require additional support to assist them to develop proficiency in Standard Australian English (SAE).
These students may include:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- students with Maori or Pacific Islander backgrounds
- students of Australian South Sea Islander background
- immigrants to Australia and temporary visa holders from non-English speaking countries
- students with a refugee background
- children born in Australia of migrant heritage where English is not spoken at home
- Australian citizens or residents returning from abroad having lived for extended periods of time in countries where their schooling was not in English
- children of deaf adults who use Auslan as their first language
- international students from non-English speaking countries (for students monitored through DET International).
Not all students from these backgrounds will require additional support to meet the curriculum expectations for their age cohort. Schools identify EAL/D students on enrolment or through ongoing processes of identification. EAL/D students receive differentiated instruction of the Australian Curriculum for their age cohort. Some students may require additional focused or intensive teaching.
To maintain effective communication with students and their families not proficient in SAE, schools arrange translating and interpreting services. These services can be provided via telephone or on-site to ensure equitable access to information and services. Where interpreters are not available, schools carefully consider how to communicate effectively with these students and their families.