The English as a second language (ESL) program aims to develop students' English language competence and improve their learning outcomes throughout the curriculum to a level where they can fully participate in schooling and independently pursue further education and training.
ESL programs support whole school programs and initiatives. ESL teachers focus on the English language and literacy learning of their students. They also contribute to meeting the objectives of class and subject programs by planning and delivering an ESL focus to the teaching program with the class teacher.
To achieve maximum effectiveness, the ESL program operates as an integral part of the whole school curriculum, with ESL teachers working in cooperation with class teachers and other specialist teachers to support ESL students. All teachers are responsible for establishing a class environment that promotes collaborative learning and values cultural and linguistic diversity. ESL programs are delivered in a variety of ways to meet the different needs of ESL students at different stages of learning English.
Reading recovery
Reading recovery is a school program offering special help to Year 1 students to become better readers and writers. Students take part in reading recovery for 12 to 20 weeks. A trained reading recovery teacher works with a child for 30 minutes. This individual support is additional to classroom reading and writing lessons.
Reading recovery students are taught to be ‘independent' in the sense that they take the initiative for problem solving both in reading and writing, rather than just having an answer ‘told' to them. If they ask for help, provide ways for them to come to the information without telling them outright and encourage problem solving.
Reading recovery students are taught to analyse unknown words with the following strategies:
- work on it, don't give up, make an attempt
- re-read and start to say the first part
- think of what would make sense
- look at the picture to see if it helps
- think of what would sound right
- look for a part of the word that is similar to a known word (for example, since I know ‘day', I can read ‘way')
- mask the end and solve the first part of the unknown word.
Reading recovery students are taught to notice when something doesn't make sense or sound right, or look right. Praise them for stopping and noticing even if it is not self-corrected.
Reading recovery students are learning to write by saying some words slowly and writing the sounds they can hear. They are learning to write high frequency words quickly and accurately.
Reading recovery students have a ‘work' page on which they can trial the spelling of words, and have multiple attempts at making words ‘look right'. This year we have 6 students doing reading recovery at a time, 4 work with Miss Rigby and 2 with Mrs Silva.