English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The Hutchins School offers specialist EAL classes for students. All students receive assistance and direction to help them become literate and articulate in English.

International students are a very important and highly valued group at Hutchins. We are very happy to welcome all students from a wide variety of countries to our School, from the Early Learning Centre through to Senior Years.

Many of our international students are learning English as an additional language to their native tongue and Hutchins has developed a comprehensive program of support, to help these students to develop their fluency in English so that they may participate fully in the academic and co-curricular life of the School.

Students entering the Middle and Senior Schools will be assessed for their level of fluency before being offered a place at the School. Where their ability is judged to be sufficient to do well at Hutchins, they will be placed into one of the existing, timetabled EAL classes. These classes support students as they improve their listening and reading comprehension and as they develop fluency in speaking and writing English.

As EAL is offered at a pre-tertiary level in Tasmania, students can study the English language up to a 3C level and they can use their scores as part of their TCE for entry into universities and other tertiary institutions.

For those younger students entering our school, small groups or individual tuition is organised, to ensure that they can assimilate and participate in the life of the School as quickly as possible. These lessons are taught by well qualified and highly experienced EAL specialist teachers. For weaker students in the Middle and Senior Schools, further English support is provided in small Intensive English classes. Details of the EAL support provisions are offered to prospective families at the time of enrolment.

All classes cater for a mix of abilities, with the aim of bringing lower level students quickly up to the level of more competent students and then further extending their abilities.

Our teaching is tailored to the specific level of each class, with an emphasis on making the learning of English an enjoyable and engaging activity, which each student can feel confident of achieving.