Pathway A of the Victorian Curriculum F-10 EAL is also called the Early immersion pathway and relates to students in Foundation to Year 2. EAL learners at Pathway A are in the early stages of their school lives as they begin learning in an English immersion environment.
For more information, see:
EAL Pathway A: Early immersion (Foundation–Year 2)
Reporting Resource
Pathway A: Foundation to Year 2 – Reporting Resource for Levels A1 and A2
EAL Reporting Resource: At a glance – provides an explanation of the one-page documents that describe each level of language learning in a given mode, for example, Level A1 in Speaking and Listening.
EAL Reporting Resource: At a glance – plain language statement
Pathways and transitions
This general advice is provided to support teachers in understanding the possible pathways students may take based on their year level and proficiency level. Advice is provided for students who are working
within the range of a proficiency level (Beginning or Consolidating), or who have reached the standard (Achieved) in all three language modes.
Foundation
Beginning A1, Consolidating A1, Achieved A1
A Foundation student working within the range of Level A1 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway A of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.
Beginning A2, Consolidating A2
A Foundation student who is working within the range of A2 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway A of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.
Achieved A2
A Foundation student needs to consistently demonstrate the final achievement standard in Pathway A (Level A2) in all three language modes before they transition to the English curriculum.
They will need to be equally capable across all three language modes to be able to meet the learning expectations in the English curriculum at the level taught to their mainstream peers, and without substantial language support.
They will need to be sufficiently proficient in understanding and using the academic language across the learning areas to participate in learning activities across the Victorian curriculum.
They will also need to be able to understand and use the academic English of the curriculum in subsequent years without substantial language support, when the cognitive and linguistic demands of the Victorian curriculum increases, for example in Year 3 and 4.
Year 1
Beginning A1, Consolidating A1, Achieved A1
A Year 1 student working within the range of Level A1 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway A of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.
Beginning A2, Consolidating A2
A Year 1 student who is working within the range of A2 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway A of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.
Achieved A2
A Year 1 student should consistently demonstrate the final achievement standard in Pathway A (Level A2) in all three language modes before they transition to the English curriculum.
They will need to be equally capable across all three language modes to be able to meet the learning expectations in the English curriculum at the level taught to their mainstream peers, and without substantial language support.
They will need to be sufficiently proficient in understanding and using the academic language across the learning areas to participate in learning activities across the Victorian curriculum.
They will also need to be able to understand and use the academic English of the curriculum in subsequent years without substantial language support, when the cognitive and linguistic demands of the Victorian curriculum increase, for example in Year 3 and 4.
Year 2
Beginning A1, Consolidating A1, Achieved A1
A Year 2 student working within the range of Level A1 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on the EAL curriculum in all language modes.
At the end of Year 2, all students who are working within the A1 range or who have achieved the A1 standard will transition to Pathway B in Year 3.
Beginning A2, Consolidating A2
A Year 2 student who is working within the range of A2 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway A of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.
At the end of Year 2, all students who are working within the A2 range will transition to Pathway B in Year 3.
Achieved A2
A Year 2 student should consistently demonstrate the final achievement standard in Pathway A (Level A2) in all three language modes before they transition to the English curriculum.
They will need to be equally capable across all three language modes to be able to meet the learning expectations in the English curriculum at the level taught to their mainstream peers, and without substantial language support.
They will need to be sufficiently proficient in understanding and using the academic language across the learning areas to participate in learning activities across the Victorian curriculum.
They will also need to be able to understand and use the academic English of the curriculum in subsequent years without substantial language support, when the cognitive and linguistic demands of the Victorian curriculum increase, for example in Year 3 and 4.
The teacher may also exercise their professional judgement to place the student on Pathway B of the EAL curriculum rather than transitioning them to the English curriculum. The teacher reviews the student’s language proficiency across the Victorian curriculum learning areas and determines where the student is best placed on Pathway B in each of the three language modes. The student will then start on Pathway B of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.
Illustrated pathways
These illustrations of student pathways and transitions from one EAL level to the next or from EAL to English aim to support teacher judgements of student language proficiency and readiness to transition. They are supported by examples of student work.
Parvati – illustration of the pathway of a hypothetical student, Parvati, who arrives in Australia at age three
Mei – illustration of the pathway of a hypothetical student, Mei, who arrives in Australia at age six and in the early stages of developing literacy in her first language
Yasmin – Pathway A to Pathway B: illustration of a hypothetical student, Yasmin, with detail about her language and learning background, how her English language proficiency develops and how she transitions from Pathway A to Pathway B.
Naoto – Pathway A to the English curriculum: illustration of a hypothetical student, Naoto, with detail about his language and learning background, how his English language proficiency develops and how he transitions from Pathway A to the English curriculum.
Pathways and transition stories: At a glance – an annotated example
Pathways and transition stories: At a glance – plain language statement
Student work samples
Annotated examples of student work illustrate the language features and markers that support judgements of student proficiency and decisions about the next steps on each student’s pathway.
Video work samples: At a glance – outlines the features of the annotated samples of student work for Speaking and Listening and Reading and Viewing
Written work samples: At a glance – outlines the features of the annotated samples of student work for Writing
Video work samples: At a glance – plain language statement
Written work samples: At a glance – plain language statement
Student work samples: Level A1 Speaking and Listening
Student work samples: Level A1 Reading and Viewing
Student work samples: Level A1 Writing
Student work samples: Level A2 Speaking and Listening
Student work samples: Level A2 Reading and Viewing
Student work samples: Level A2 Writing
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