Teaching and Learning
Learning at Caulfield Primary School
Presented by our School Improvement Team Leaders
Olivia Gibson (Literacy English Learning Specialist)
Asami Onda (Numeracy Learning Specialist)
Takako Morita (Bilingual Leader)
We are excited to introduce a regular “Learning at Our School” feature in our school newsletter. Each edition, one of our curriculum leaders will share insights into teaching and learning across the school, highlighting what students are exploring in the classroom and how we support their growth.
Empowering Our Bilingual Learners: Our Teachers' Learning
At CPS, we are committed to ensuring your children thrive in both English and Japanese. Our teachers recently participated in a professional development session delivered by Kylie Farmer from the University of Melbourne.
We explored a framework by educational researcher Jim Cummins, which guides how we design everyday classroom activities.
The Two Types of Language: Playground vs. Classroom
When children learn a new language, they actually develop two different sets of language skills:
- Social Language (BICS): This is the casual, everyday language used on the playground, at the dinner table, or while playing sports. It is conversational, filled with visual clues, and usually takes about two years to speak fluently.
Academic Language (CALP): This is the formal language needed for school success. It is the language used in textbooks, science experiments, and maths problem-solving. Because it is more abstract, it takes between five to seven years to fully master.
Why Both Matter in a Bilingual School
As a bilingual school, our goal is not just to help your children chat with their friends. We want them to think, speak, and excel academically in both languages.
According to Cummins, a "conceptual pathway." looks like this. We start a lesson using familiar, everyday social language so students fully understand the core concept. Once they grasp the big idea, we carefully guide them toward the advanced, academic vocabulary they need to write reports and solve complex problems.
What This Looks Like in Year 3 Maths
Here is how teachers should build this language pathway during a Year 3 Maths lesson on fractions:
- Step 1 (Social Language): Students work with paper circles. They talk with their partners using everyday words: "Let’s cut this pizza into four even pieces so we can share it equally."
- Step 2 (The Academic Bridge): The teacher connects those everyday actions to formal mathematical labels. They point to the top and bottom numbers, explaining what they represent.
Step 3 (Academic Language): By the end of the unit, students use precise vocabulary to explain their math thinking: "I divided the whole shape into four equal parts, meaning each piece represents one quarter. The denominator is four."
By bridging the gap between playground chat and classroom excellence, we ensure our students are not just bilingual, but biliterate and academically successful!
Takako Morita
Bilingual Leader