Supporting EAL students in mainstream Secondary Science and Maths classes

Secondary Science and Maths teachers and support staff with no EAL training

For many mainstream Science and Maths teachers, catering to the needs of EAL (English as an Additional Language) and CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) students is a challenge. What exactly do they need? What can I do to help them? Don’t EAL students just need extra time to complete tasks? What are they doing in their English classes?

This workshop is designed specifically for Secondary Maths and Science teachers and will provide a brief overview of how additional languages are learned and participants will spend time looking at school through the eyes of an EAL student. They will learn techniques used by EAL teachers and look at how they can incorporate these into their current practices. In addition, participants will explore practical ways they can use technology to make their subject more accessible for EAL students.

This is a hands-on workshop and participants will work with Rowena to make some of their existing classroom activities more EAL-friendly and they will come away with a host of new ideas to use in their classroom. Participants will need access to course documentation and learning activities which they currently use, in order to participate fully throughout the day.

Rowena Bata has been a Languages teacher for 25 years and she has worked at schools in Victoria as well as in France, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. She has held various positions of leadership and has taught students of all ages, from Prep to adult. Rowena holds a Master’s degree in Linguistics and she is a Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer. She is interested in bridging the gap between second language acquisition theory and what happens in a classroom, and she has a particular focus on the role that technology can play in the language learning process. Rowena has a wealth of experience that she brings to her presentations and her workshops are always practical and full of ideas for teachers to take away and use in their class immediately.

“It is the first P.L. in a long long time that I haven’t been checking in with my watch.”

Passionate &  Authentic Speakers – Meaningful Strategies

I love the fantastic variety of workshops and conferences on offer. Always look forward to Critical Agendas PD’s.

Just a big Thank you for giving us the opportunity to attend the Critical Agenda Workshop yesterday.  David presented a great program, lots of handy strategies and he was very engaging and supportive. Highly recommended.  I was very happy we did not have to do any Role play’s.

Inspirational Speakers –  the knowledge gained will be so beneficial in my classrooms

Keep up the fantastic PD opportunities! Very  professional and well-researched workshops and conferences.

The best P.D. I have attended in living memory!” I loved every minute of this engaging, interesting and informative PD. And I have been teaching for 40+ years!

Loved the honesty in the sharing of information and stra