Investigation A

Survey the opinions of your colleagues with respect to the length of the second-language-learning delay. You might like to ask the following questions:

How long do you think it takes an EAL student to reach the level of proficiency of an average L1 English school student:

• in speaking and listening?

• in reading?

• in writing?

Ask your colleagues to make these estimates with a particular student in mind. Then compare their estimations with those reported in Cummins (2001) and discuss this information and its implications for your students’ language learning.

ESOL funding

New Zealand-born Pasifika students and migrant Pasifika students are eligible for ESOL funding from the Ministry of Education if assessment shows they are considerably below the level of their cohort in English-language proficiency. The ESOL Funding Assessment Guidelines (Ministry of Education, 2004) explain and illustrate this assessment process.

Funding for these students and other EAL students has recently been increased, as has the number of years for which these students may continue to receive funding. This change takes into account the second-language learning delay . New Zealand-born students are now entitled to up to 3 years of funding support, while migrants are entitled to 5 years of support. However, most of these students will not reach the ‘cohort level’ within the time they are entitled to funding support, and so their class teachers need to provide them with continued support in language development.