Over the last 10 years, AISNSW, through the Education Research Council, has extended invitations for School Based Research Projects applications. A range of successful schools have been granted funding and support as a result.

Hunter Christian School is the last of the final three schools participating in this program to report on their progress.


Brief Description

The NSW K-2 English Syllabus (ACARA, 2023) implemented in Term 1, 2023, introduces for the first time Oral Language and Communication and Vocabulary outcomes in the Early Years. The Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) states that reading comprehension is a product of two components: word decoding and oral language comprehension. In Scarborough’s Reading Rope (Scarborough, 2001), the two components are illustrated as two main strands. The word recognition strands (e.g., phonological awareness and decoding) and the oral language comprehension strands (e.g., verbal reasoning, vocabulary, language structures) develop in tandem and “weave” together over time with teaching and practice, leading to skilled reading.

Current research indicates that 20% of Australian children at the age of four have below average oral language skills (Speech Pathology Australia, 2022). There are also reports of a substantial gap between disadvantaged children and their more advantaged counterparts on oral language skills. Early intervention has the potential to narrow this gap. The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) was developed to provide targeted language support to children with weak oral language skills. It aims to provide the foundations needed for good oral language, which helps to prevent negative effects on later literacy, and social and emotional wellbeing. An added value of NELI is that it also helps build capacities of school staff regarding supporting children oral language and early reading development.


Research Approach

This project involves a small pilot replication of the NELI Tier 2 Small Group program developed by Dr Silke Fricke (University of Sheffield), Dr Claudine Bowyer-Crane (NIESR) and Professors Margaret Snowling and Charles Hulme (University of Oxford). Longitudinal studies with the NELI program in schools across England have shown that small group intervention focusing on oral language in the first year of formal schooling can improve oral language skills (Hulme et al., 2020; Speech Pathology Australia, 2022; West et al., 2021). In addition, there is emerging evidence that implementation of the NELI program is positively impacting behaviour and psychosocial development (Fricke et al., 2017).

The UK based NELI team also offered access to the Tier 1 Classroom version of NELI which is currently in pilot form in UK schools. During the project period, all Kindergarten students at Hunter Christian School receive access to the NELI program. This includes whole class Tier 1 teaching and additional Tier 2 intervention for students with poor oral language skills.

At the school, Nathan Hill (Head of Primary) oversees the project, with support from the Principal, Simon Herd, and Joe Forbes (Assistant Head of Primary). External mentors, Dr Natalie Munro (University of Sydney) and Kathryn Thorburn (Speech Pathologist, Language and Learning), prepared the initial set-up of resources in liaison with the UK NELI team and gained ethics approval for the project. They also assist with the compilation and analysis of data.

AISNSW supports Hunter Christian School through the ongoing support of Dr Shani Hartley, Senior Research Specialist in The Evidence Institute.


Progress to Date

Receipt and set-up of the NELI materials took place in January 2023. The set-up of materials required a larger time allocation than anticipated and schools will need to factor this into implementation timelines. All pre-project assessment was completed during Term 1 and a group of six participants identified.  Participants included students with identified disabilities, students from non-English speaking backgrounds, indigenous students, and students in and out of home care.

The implementation of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 NELI has been jointly co-ordinated by the Kindergarten Classroom Teacher and Teacher’s Aide with some interruptions due to a change in staffing.


Evaluation of project

The role of the Classroom Teacher is essential for integrating Tier 2 intervention with classroom activities. Without Tier 1 NELI instruction, skills targeted in Tier 2 sessions might not transfer effectively to the classroom. Tier 2 sessions consist of small group and individual sessions with the Teacher’s Aide.

The classroom teacher needed to create a small number of resources to align NELI themes with the NSW English Syllabus. However, as became evident during unit delivery, the NELI content has numerous cross-KLA links. Aligning NELI units with syllabus outcomes across KLAs would help integrate Oral Language outcomes throughout the curriculum.

Lessons have sometimes needed to be shortened due to time constraints, but students respond well to NELI content, lessons and games in both whole class and intervention settings. Kindergarten students particularly enjoy the oral stories and retell activities, especially when they have been able to share the resources with their families.

Synchronising Tier 2 and Tier 1 sessions is a major contributor to the project's success. This approach allows students receiving Tier 2 intervention to preview and practice content before the whole class lesson. Consequently, at-risk students are better prepared for success through early exposure to vocabulary and narrative tasks with small group and one-on-one support.


Final Comments

The unexpected outcome from the initial stage of this project is the importance of the classroom teacher and the Tier 1 program to the outcomes for the students receiving Tier 2 intervention. It challenges the concept that students need additional revision after they have experienced significant difficulties in learning. Instead, it highlights the benefit of intervention support prior to whole class lessons to proactively support students by previewing lesson content. This allows them to be primed for maximum learning alongside their peers.




References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2023). My School. https://www.myschool.edu.au/

Gough, P. B., & Tunmer, W. E. (1986). Decoding, Reading, and Reading Disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7(1), 6-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/074193258600700104

Hulme, C., Snowling, M., West, G., Lervag, A., & Melby-Lervag, M. (2020). Children’s Language Skills Can Be Improved: Lessons from Psychological Science for Educational Policy. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 29(4), 372-377. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721420923684

Speech Pathology Australia. (2022). Fact Sheet - Communication Impairment in Australia. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SPAweb/Resources_for_the_Public/Fact_Sheets/Fact_Sheets.aspx