ESL-ILSS

=**The ESL for Indigenous Language Speaking Students Team Vignette - June 2008**= (under construction)

What is ESL-ILSS?
Federally per capita calendar year money to help schools prepare Indigenous ESL learners (usually Early Years) who are below NTCF Level 1 Speaking for formal schooling. Commenced in the NT in 1998.

Where is the ESL-ILSS project in 2008?
Over 1,000 students across the NT 91 schools, some with their associated homeland centres 6 roving ILSS positions in 5 Group Schools (one currently unfilled) 7 full-time over-establishment ILSS teachers in schools 21 over-establishment 0.5 ILSS teachers in schools

Strengths
We have a single target: ESL Speaking Level 1. Strong focus on data - student attendance, entry and exit ESL Speaking Levels. This can be used to look for patterns, e.g. relationship between speaking Levels and geographic location or attendance. Wholistic : focus on __best practice for Indigenous ESL Phase 1 students__ - oral English across the curriculum, Early Years pedagogy (REAL), ESL pedagogy, health issues - e.g. hearing

Existing and emerging partnerships

 * ILSS team and the Early Years team
 * ILSS team and the AL team
 * ILSS, EY and AL teams joint PD 'ILSS in AL Schools'
 * ILSS team and AfL team - assessment and moderation of ESL speaking and listening
 * ILSS team and Student Services Division - Hearing and Early Childhood Intervention
 * ILSS team and the Indigenous Catholic Community Schools - CEO outsourcing support to ILSS team
 * ILSS and the Business Intelligence Centre - streamling data collection - attendance (SAMS) and assessment (C eTool)

Strategic directions - aims and ideas

 * Aim to integrate ILSS targets into NT DEET Operational Plans - e.g. the importance of competence in oral English for ESL Phase 1 Indigenous students
 * Aim to have ILSS more fully student focused - not tied to a calendar year, but until students move into ESL Phase 2 (ESL Speaking Level 3e)
 * Equity of support - more support / more funds for the more needy students, e.g. those from the most remote locations with the least access to Standard Australian English
 * More ILSS Education Officers for two to three years - e.g. one per Group School (instead of roving ILSS teacher) and one for the rest of Central Australia, one for Darwin, one for Arnhem, one for Rivers. This would allow an intense focus on best support for all Phase 1 Indigenous students across the NT, with the intent of this becoming part of normal practice and knowledge across the system
 * Upskill Indigenous staff in communities. Look to professional learning model of AL and SMART Maths. How can we upskill Indigenous staff to eventually be the main ones responsible for the program?
 * What are the most effective ways of us presenting professional development - i.e. which result in the most improved student outcomes?