Editorial: Teaching EAL/D learners across the curriculum

Abstract

This Special Issue has two primary goals. Firstly, we aim to bring together diverse perspectives and voices from across Australia that showcase the remarkable efforts that teachers and educators are already doing to cater for the needs of EAL/D learners in schools and mainstream environments. Secondly, and while acknowledging these commendable efforts by educators, we argue that more work is needed to address the persistent challenges in providing tailored support that addresses the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of EAL/D students. We acknowledge that catering for EAL/D learners’ needs in schools and mainstream classes involves more than just structural adjustments. It necessitates a paradigm shift in educational perspectives. Beyond the accommodation of linguistic diversity, there is a crucial need to challenge and disrupt dominant deficit views that may prevail in educational settings. The insights gathered from these articles illuminate the multifaceted and dynamic landscape of EAL/D education in Australia. They collectively underscore the necessity for an integrated approach that encompasses not only specialized pedagogies but also a deep understanding of the cultural and linguistic diversity present in our classrooms.