Gaylene Price

All countries or organisations working in the field of teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL) use some form of framework with progressions or scales to describe student achievement and competency in the target language. In Aotearoa/NZ there are differences between the frameworks used by the international education sector, the tertiary sector and the school sector for example.

What might a leadership role look like in a primary school? Specialists in the field of English as an additional language (EAL) have a distinctive body of knowledge and expertise that complements that of classroom teachers, literacy specialists and learning support leaders such as SENCOs. It is a significant, and sometimes complex, field of knowledge in its own right which is central to the success of bilingual and multilingual students and their families’ engagement with schools. When discussing this role with a group of leaders recently, some of the chat was about the more non-specific and essential leader characteristics or variables; nurturing, accepting, valuing.

As a bicultural nation, cultural and linguistic diversity has always been part of our educational landscape. Culturally and linguistically diverse students may be New Zealand-born or migrant students who understand or use languages other than English at home. A diversity of cultures, ethnicities and languages is an increasing part of the population in many regions and schools.