View KLA Structure for all Levels

Communication

In stage SL, the focus of the Communication substrand is on developing ESL students' understanding of the concept that spoken text can be represented in a written form and fulfils a similar communicative function. As well as attending to literacy development, the teacher assists students to adjust to the formal learning context of the classroom and to develop skills which relate to classroom management and routine. These include punctuality, sharing the teacher's time with other students, and listening to others. Teachers also provide students with support in organising for their school and literacy learning. This involves, for example, managing writing implements, organising folders, ruling lines with a ruler and cutting with scissors.

Aspects of language

Contexual understanding

In stage SL, the focus of the Contextual understanding substrand is on the development of the students' understanding of the context in which particular spoken or written English is produced or used. Through a variety of activities, students develop an understanding of the purpose of school-based learning and literacy tasks. Students may be unfamiliar with some school-based concepts, or their particular cultural interpretation may be different from the way they are represented in English. Activities that explore the extent of students' background knowledge and vocabulary are undertaken before new content is introduced. By introducing texts using hands-on activities and strong visual support, teachers guide students in associating language features with the concepts they represent.

Linguistic structures and features

In stage SL, the focus of the Linguistic structures and features substrand is on the development of the students' control over the linguistic structures and features of spoken and written texts for initial learners of English. As well as developing an early concept of the place of school and literacy learning, students need to develop control over the language structures and features that enable them to communicate in spoken and written English.

Strategies

In stage SL, the focus of the Strategies substrand is on development of learning strategies that enable students to utilise their emerging English language skills to purposefully participate in learning. Within a communicative classroom students use strategies to maintain and enhance communication and to develop a base for continuing development of English competence. Students also need to develop strategies for managing their learning in the language classroom, such as how to use a folder or workbook in an organised way. Teachers devise language activities that consolidate and extend material covered in previous lessons.