EAL

The first few weeks in Term 2 have been busy and eventful for the EAL team. On May 5th, Adam Lorkin, John Nichol, Yi Jiang and Alisa Hammersley joined Foundation House and Centre for Multicultural Youth in the Hope Centre at Heathmont College to celebrate the conclusion of the Refugee Education Support Program along with 6 other schools. We have been involved in this program since 2020 and have engaged in multiple sessions of professional learning and networking during the last two very challenging years. The celebration offered us an excellent opportunity to look back on things we have proudly achieved, as well as important lessons we have learned from this journey. Sharing stories with other primary and secondary schools in the area has also given us an insight into what our future cohort will look like and what the team should focus on to accommodate the quickly changing needs of our EAL and refugee students.  

The following week, we welcomed a group of Chin Church leaders to visit Mooroolbark College. These representatives were from Victoria Chin Baptist Church and Melbourne Immanuel Baptist Church, and came and shared great stories of working with Chin young people. Our previous and current Chin students also talked openly about their journey settling in a new country. 

EAL Homework Club has fantastic attendance, especially from our Senior students, and its great to see them modelling a good work ethic to their younger peers. Our EAL students are showing not only a great attendance at Homework Club but also beautiful participation on the Athletics Day. Many of them dressed up for the day, did multiple events, helped around, and worked incredibly hard to earn points for their Houses. 

Bawi Dong, Peter, and Esther from year 12 

B Chin Chin in Year 8, supporting Durang House.

Great to see Mary, Jade and Bella participating in athletics.

Yi Jiang

EAL Coordinator