The term EAL/D refers to individuals whose first language or dialect is not English. As an educator, we need to provide opportunities for EAL/D students to develop proficiency in English. ACARA (2015) outlines that EAL/D students come from multilingual and diverse backgrounds that may include:
- “overseas- or Australian-born students whose first language is a language other than English
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students whose first language is an Indigenous language, including traditional languages, creoles and related varieties, or Aboriginal English”.
Included below is a flow chart provided by the Government of Western Australia which outlines some steps you could take to identify an EAL/D student and their learning difficulties.