Standard 6.4 | Aitsl Portfolio

6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning

AITSL Standard 6.4 Example 1

I have undertaken professional learning programs designed to address identified student learning needs. To improve my EAL/D students' learning, and to cater for their needs, I engaged in the following professional learning:

I attended the AISWA Supporting EAL/D Learners in the Classroom Professional Development, please see notes in Figure 1
I read the DEECD - Victoria - Learning English as an Additional Language in the Early Years Resource Booklet, please see notes in Figure 2.

Figure 1 - Notes from AISWA Supporting EAL/D Learners in the Classroom professional development

After attending the AISWA Supporting EAL/D Learners in the Classroom Professional Development I improved my practice to support English as a Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) students by:

pairing native-speakers and EAL/D learners up to encourage scaffolding
respecting the silent period
explaining vocabulary
not putting EAL/D learners on the spot to answer questions
providing EAL/D learners with wait time
using more visuals in lessons
using gestures in my lessons.

Figure 2 - Examples of pages from the Learning English as an Additional Language in the Early Years Resources Booklet

After reading the Learning English as an Additional Language in the Early Years Resources Booklet, I improved my practice to support EAL/D students by:

providing EAL/D learners with wait time
use of more visuals in lessons
use of gestures in my lessons
providing a welcoming physical environment that reflects diversity both indoors and outdoors
displaying a variety of books, fiction and non-fiction in English and other languages
selecting items for the home corner that reflect diversity including kitchen utensils, materials and dolls
supporting families to understand the value of maintaining their first language, please see Figures 3 and 4 regarding reading in other languages
greeting students everyday using repetitive language such as ‘Hello’, 'How are you?’, ‘Bags go here’, ‘You can hang up your coat’
helping students become familiar with English by using routine phrases every day such as, ‘Come and sit on the mat’, ‘Is everyone listening?’, ‘Would you like to do a puzzle?’ ‘You can wash your hands’
using visual clues when speaking with students, using photos of familiar routines such as lunch and fruit times and referring to visual timetable
encouraging students to repeat the words said by other students
using gestures to describe what is happening, E.g. hand movements of washing hands when instructing students to wash their hands
acknowledging what students say, including single words
providing ‘props’ to encourage socio-dramatic play
providing opportunities for students to hear everyday language and introduce new vocabulary in context
encouraging student’s attempts at communication
using visual materials such as pictures, photos, toys and puppets when talking with students
modeling and extending the language used by the students
asking open-ended questions, rather than questions that require a 'yes' or 'no' response
praising student’s attempts to communicate.

Figure 3 - Letter to parents regarding reading

Figure 4 - Extract from letter encouraging reading in other languages

EYLF Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

NQS Quality Area: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

Domains: Language, Personal, Social, Physical, Creative, Cognitive, Emotional & Spiritual

AITSL Standard 6.4 Example 2

I undertake professional learning programs designed to address identified student learning needs. Inquiry Learning is a central strategy to promote gifted students' learning in multiple modalities and is a powerful, research-based best practice for these students. I engaged in professional learning on Inquiry Learning when I attended the AISWA Play School Professional Learning on Object-Based Inquiry, please see Figure 5, and improved my practice for my gifted students by implementing Inquiry Learning into my classroom.

Figure 5 - Notes from AISWA Play School Object-Based Inquiry professional learning

Inquiry learning is an approach to learning that emphasises the student's role in the learning process, it enhances the development of critical thinking skills and promotes self-directed work. The students were encouraged to explore, ask questions and share ideas in their inquiry-based learning on spiders. I used ICT with my gifted students to develop their knowledge and together we used Google to investigate some of the questions the class had on spiders. The gifted students used the microphone to ask their question, I read the student some information that was relevant to their question, then they wrote the answer to their question into the class Floorbook, please see the students' work in Figure 6.

Figure 6 - Gifted students' responses to inquiry questions after investigating on Google

EYLF Outcomes: 1, 2, 4 & 5

NQS Quality Area: 1, 2, 3 & 4

Domains: Language, Personal, Social, Physical, Creative, Cognitive, Emotional & Spiritual