Reporting Student Achievement and Progress Foundation to 10

Reporting to parents and carers – EAL proficiency and progress

The progress of English as an Additional Language (EAL) students in learning English should be reported against the levels of the Victorian Curriculum F-10 EAL Achievement Standards rather than the Levels of the English Achievement Standards.

The Victorian Curriculum F-10 EAL Reporting Resource, developed by the department, allows teachers and schools to report on the English language proficiency of students before they reach the achievement standards. This resource is designed to complement and support the Victorian Curriculum F-10 EAL. As EAL students may not reach the achievement standard described by the curriculum for more than one reporting cycle, teachers can demonstrate that during this time students are making satisfactory progress in learning English as an additional language. The resource allows teachers to use Beginning (.1), Consolidating (.2) and Achieved (.3) proficiency levels for assessment and reporting purposes for EAL students.

All third-party software providers will continue to enable teachers and schools to use the .1, .2 and .3 descriptors in student reporting.

The length of time during which a student will be assessed against the EAL standards depends on many factors, such as the:

• existing English language proficiency of the student
• number of years of schooling completed
• level of literacy in their first language, and
• background experiences.

Teachers should continue to use the EAL standards, if:

• a teacher’s assessment of an EAL student against the English achievement standards places the student well below their peers, and
• the student still requires substantial support in learning English as an additional language.

It is not appropriate for an EAL student to be assessed against:

• the English standards in one language mode, such as Speaking and Listening, and
• the EAL standards in other language modes.

While the oral language proficiency of an EAL student may appear to correspond to that of their peers, as students progress through the year levels, the demands of the curriculum become more complex, and these students can struggle to cope with the academic requirements of the English curriculum.

Students can be transferred to the Victorian Curriculum F-10 English for assessment and reporting purposes once they have reached the end of their respective A, B or C Pathway, and achieved the standard in all 3 language modes of:

• Speaking and Listening
• Reading and Viewing
• Writing.

The curriculum companion resources provide more detailed advice about when to transfer students, and information about the typical pathways EAL students might follow along the Victorian Curriculum F-10.

EAL teachers should use a range of assessment data and strategies to inform their judgements regarding EAL students’ progress. For more information about the assessment of EAL students, refer to Tools for Enhancing Assessment Literacy for teachers of English as an Additional Language students (TEAL).

The format of the report for EAL students can be modified to reflect their achievement and progress. This will be determined by the school, in partnership with parents and carers.

As students begin to demonstrate appropriate knowledge and understanding of the curriculum content and they can express their understanding of ideas and information well enough in English, the same reporting format and approach as for other students can be used.

Interpreting services are available for communicating with parents and carers who require assistance in understanding their child’s progress. Refer to Interpreting and Translation Services.