Adult ESOL Sector News: New publication released First Nations and migrant learners’ experiences with foundation skills courses was released by NCVER last Thursday. This research uniquely amplifies the voices of First Nations and migrant learners who have disengaged from foundation skills courses. By understanding their goals, experiences, and recommendations, ways to better support their […]
Supporting EAL learners effectively: Important research A new research report from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) examines 9 years of data from over 110,000 NSW students and reveals that Australian English as an additional language (EAL) learners need sustained support to thrive academically. One key finding from the research was that students commencing
2025 June – Important research: Supporting EAL learners effectively Read More »
How long does it take to learn English? On April 8, 2025, members of the combined ACTA Schools/Indigenous EALD Consultancy Groups attended an important presentation by Dr Lucy Lu from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). Dr Lu presented a summary of recent AERO research into how long it takes EAL students in NSW schools to develop
Opportunity to participate in a national research project: Deadline extended! Great news! The State of EAL/D Education in Schools National Survey deadline has been extended. You now have until 20 December to take the survey. Investigating the state of English as an additional language/dialect (EAL/D) education in Australian schools and tracing EAL/D teaching courses at
ACTA’s submission to the Senate Education Inquiry into the Better and Fairer Schools Bill has now been published. Our submission includes ACTA’s response to the NT Government’s recent announcement that targeted funding for bilingual programs will be pooled within the ‘needs-based’ allocations to schools. Click here to read submissions to the committee on the APH
Announcement: We are thrilled to announce that ACTA’s contribution to the Foundation for Learning and Literacy Symposium is now online! Join ACTA Councillor Fran Murray as she explores “The role of First Language in Learning: The Power of Literature in students’ First Language in developing Bilingualism and Biculturalism” with co-presenters Jacinta Alimankini, Rachel Kantilla (Wurrumiyanga)
The ACTA Consultancy Group on Indigenous English as an Additional Language or Dialect provided feedback on the draft International Decade of Indigenous Languages Priorities Paper (the Priorities Paper) in 2023. In partnership with the International Decade of Indigenous Languages Direction Group (the Directions Group), the authors of the draft Paper incorporated ACTA’s feedback into the
Closing the Gap Webinar Recording On 29 February the Commission hosted a webinar where Commissioners Romlie Mokak and Natalie Siegel-Brown shared key messages from the Closing the Gap Review. See the recording of the webinar below. Other resources can be found on the Commission’s website. Share your Experience of the Review The Productivity Commission
2024 March- Closing the Gap Review Webinar Recording and Feedback Survey Read More »
ACTA had a meeting with key members of the federal Department of Education’s National Schools Reform Agreement Task Force recently and committed ACTA to several follow actions, including: Developing a draft of what a national EAL/D measure can do, how it addresses Recommendation 5c, what it might look like, and what would be involved in
2024 February -Meeting with Key Members of National Schools Reform Agreement Task Force Read More »
Following a meeting with interim ACARA CEO Stephen Gniel and Director, Curriculum Sharon Foster on 8 February ACTA was asked to review the proposed changes to the existing ACARA EAL/D Course Advice and Annotations. To kick off the review Sharon Foster spoke to a joint forum of the ACTA Schools and First Nations EAL/D Consultancy
2024 February- ACTA to review ACARA EALD curriculum changes Read More »