For Teachers
This is where I plan to put links to Australian resources: old hands will know about them, but some may be useful to new teachers or tutors. Please send me updates!
NEW RESOURCES
If you work with biscriptal learners in a bridging class (or in any intermediate context), take a look at Dr Pauline Bunce’s new resource: According to the Script – I’ve interviewed Pauline too, on the blog!
FREE STUFF
Living English is just one of the English language learning programs on The Australia Network site. Living English has short streamed video segments, with transcripts and language exercises, suitable for good beginners.
What’s The Law? (Australian law for new arrivals) is produced by AMES Victoria, but available from Legal Aid Commissions.
Beach Safety is produced by AMES NSW, with DIAC and Surf Life Saving Australia. Also from AMES NSW, Calling an Ambulance, Understanding Good Health, and Fire Safety. Go to the VETRES Learning Resources site.
Free e-readers and worksheets (beginner level) are available from what was once Central AMEP, now known as North Metropolitan TAFE AMEP. Titles are: Bad Hair Day, A Snag Free Barbie, A Day to Remember, and Learner Driver (all by Karen Barber).
Stay safe readers are available from the old AMEP Research Centre site. These are written at a very simple level.
A Money Management kit is available from ASIC.
Language for Living in Australia is a set of materials produced by the Edmund Rice Centre in Mirrabooka, Western Australia. From their home page, go to Programs and Activities > Language for Living in Australia. Topics are Enrolling a Child in School, Fire Emergency Service, Getting to Know You and Money.
They also have 11 modules on Driver Education, for language learners learning to drive. From their home page, go to > Programs and Activities > Driver Education.
Finally, my own ‘free book’ in the ESL Extras series: My Job is the Best (Beginner A). This book (with teacher notes and worksheets) is free to download from The Book Next Door website.
PUBLISHERS
ATESOL has a page listing Australian publishers of ESL materials and there’s also a link to the Community Wiki: #AusELT Resource Wiki.
IDEA AND REFLECTIONS
If you’re interested in finding out more about Extensive Reading, the place to go is the Extensive Reading Foundation. (OK, not Australian, but the place to go for ‘all about ER’.)
BECOMING AN ESOL TEACHER (adult)
Some useful information at ATESOL and VICTESOL. Courses like CELTA are terrific for teaching overseas, or for teaching international students at colleges in Australia. However, to teach migrant English in the AMEP you may well need a postgraduate TESOL qualification, as well as the Cert IV in Training and Assessment. For the latest updates from local providers, why not post a query on the Facebook pages for either the Adult Adult ESOL Interest Group or AusELT. Schools have their own requirements.
