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Structure for the ESL Companion

The ESL Companion should be viewed as:

• an overview of the broad stages of English language development through which an ESL student passes
• a set of outcomes describing what might be expected of ESL learners given optimum learning conditions
• an outline of the major components of ESL curriculum.

The stages of ESL learning described in this document are structured as follows:

Lower primary Middle/upper primary Secondary

(Years P to 2) (Years 3 to 6) (Years 7 to 10)

Two stages Three stages Four stages

A1 and A2 B2, B2 and B3 S1, S2, S3 and S4

No time frame is suggested for moving through these stages. The structure is designed for students who are literate in their first language and who have had educational experiences similar to those that would be expected for their age group.

Two additional stages are also described to cater for students who have little or no literacy in another language and who are beginning their schooling in Australia:

• BL for Middle/upper primary students with little or no literacy in their first language, who are at early stages of learning English
• SL for Secondary students with little or no literacy in their first language, who are at early stages of learning English.

Likely pathways for preliterate background students are difficult to predict due to the range of student backgrounds and the differing degrees of learning support they receive. Preliterate background students who have completed stages BL and SL are likely to move to stages B1 or S1 of the ESL Companion. When considering the appropriateness of ESL learning outcomes for such students, teachers must always take into account the student's language learning background and any initial levels of literacy in the first language.

The following diagram illustrates the ESL stages of the ESL Companion, and shows the way in which the ESL Companion relates to the English CSF.

Click here for a larger image.