Author: John Polias, Director, Lexis Education

Title: A linguistic tool for reporting on achievement in schooling

Abstract: The ESL Scope and Scales (Polias 2002), a resource for reporting on ESL students¹ language development using the SFL model for its organization and its descriptions of achievement, was written as part of South Australia¹s latest curriculum renewal. One requirement was that it be able to be used by all teachers with an ESL learner in their class. Another requirement was that it link to the outcomes of all the curriculum. These two requirements have had a profound impact on the document itself and its application in schools. It has meant, for example, that the outcomes of the various subjects are now described in broad linguistic terms. Because of this, the Scope and Scales is a tool that links what ESL students are choosing to what their first language counterparts are choosing.

Now that the Scope and Scales has been steadily implemented in South Australian schools since 2002, a number of observations can be made such as its positive reception by teachers, including those who traditionally would not wish to use a linguistic document.

This workshop will focus on taking people through the document itself with ongoing discussion about the issues arising from its development and its implementation.