Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting

This article aims to highlight the complexity of English language related experiences and interactions of a small group of teachers in an Australian, Early Childhood (EC), mainstream setting with children four to eight years old. It draws on data collected from a qualitative case study which investi...

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Main Authors: Dobinson, Toni, Buchori, S.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Social Science Press 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/27616
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author Dobinson, Toni
Buchori, S.
author_facet Dobinson, Toni
Buchori, S.
author_sort Dobinson, Toni
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This article aims to highlight the complexity of English language related experiences and interactions of a small group of teachers in an Australian, Early Childhood (EC), mainstream setting with children four to eight years old. It draws on data collected from a qualitative case study which investigated four teachers' perspectives and anxieties when it comes to 1) achieving a balance between use of home languages and the use of Standard Australian English in classrooms 2) mainstream teacher knowledge of, and confidence in, using appropriate practices to enhance English language learning experiences for EAL/D students in mainstream classes. Through data collected from teachers via semi-structured interviews, and observations of teaching practices, discussion focuses on the challenges and dilemmas that mainstream teachers can face in the absence of effective formalised English language teacher education. Recommendations for possible ways forward are made.
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publishDate 2016
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-276162017-09-13T15:10:07Z Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting Dobinson, Toni Buchori, S. This article aims to highlight the complexity of English language related experiences and interactions of a small group of teachers in an Australian, Early Childhood (EC), mainstream setting with children four to eight years old. It draws on data collected from a qualitative case study which investigated four teachers' perspectives and anxieties when it comes to 1) achieving a balance between use of home languages and the use of Standard Australian English in classrooms 2) mainstream teacher knowledge of, and confidence in, using appropriate practices to enhance English language learning experiences for EAL/D students in mainstream classes. Through data collected from teachers via semi-structured interviews, and observations of teaching practices, discussion focuses on the challenges and dilemmas that mainstream teachers can face in the absence of effective formalised English language teacher education. Recommendations for possible ways forward are made. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/27616 10.14221/ajte.2016v41n2.3 Social Science Press fulltext
spellingShingle Dobinson, Toni
Buchori, S.
Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting
title Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting
title_full Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting
title_fullStr Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting
title_full_unstemmed Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting
title_short Catering for EAL/D students' language needs in mainstream classes: Early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one Australian setting
title_sort catering for eal/d students' language needs in mainstream classes: early childhood teachers' perspectives and practices in one australian setting
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/27616