IPSHA EAL/D Collegial Group Meeting Term 3 2025

Professional Development hours:

PD workshop attendance: 3 hours, Presentation research, planning and creation: 8 hours. Total 11 hours PD

Presenters: Jade Peartree, Jane Graham & Trish Tynan

Please see the link to a PDF of the PowerPoint Presentation:

10.09.2025 IPSHA EAL-D Hub – Westminster PowerPoint

On Wednesday, 10th September 2025, I had the pleasure of co-presenting at the IPSHA EAL/D Collegial Group, hosted by Westminster School. The afternoon brought together EAL/D educators from Independent Schools across Adelaide to share best practices, explore innovations in language support, and strengthen our collegial network.

The session began with a warm welcome from Simon McKenzie, Head of Preparatory School at Westminster, followed by table introductions and collaborative discussions about school-based EAL/D programs. The Westminster team showcased their inclusive, co-teaching model that embeds EAL/D instruction within the classroom and emphasises collaboration between EAL/D and Inclusive Learning staff. Their approach highlighted how differentiated, language-focused support leads to strong student progress and deeper teacher engagement.

I was delighted to work alongside Trish Tynan from St Peter’s Girls’ School to co-create and deliver a presentation on the integration of AI and digital tools to enhance EAL/D learning. Our presentation explored AI’s growing role in education—balancing its benefits with emerging ethical considerations—and demonstrated practical tools such as HeyGen, an AI video translation platform, and Toddle AI for language assessment and moderation. I also showcased oral language resources and conducted a demonstration lesson, illustrating how multimodal and scaffolded oral language experiences build confidence and proficiency in English learners.

The agenda then shifted toward practical classroom applications, including persuasive and narrative writing units designed for language development. Trish shared narrative writing strategies such as frontloading vocabulary, modelling success criteria, and using digital storytelling tools to engage multilingual learners. while I demonstrated persuasive oral tasks that encourage speaking and listening through scaffolded reasoning and use of conjunctions.

The day concluded with collaborative discussions on EAL/D partnerships, resource sharing via the IPSHA EAL/D Google Drive, and updates to LEAP Levels and Version 9.0 ACARA materials.

A highlight of the meeting was acknowledging Trish Tynan’s outstanding leadership as IPSHA EAL/D Collegial Group President. We presented her with flowers and a digital card as a token of our appreciation for her dedication and contribution to the EAL/D community.

I was honoured to be announced as the new IPSHA EAL/D Collegial Group President, and I look forward to continuing the spirit of collaboration and innovation within this network. Our next collegial group meeting will be held at St Andrew’s School in Term 1, Week 8, 2026 (18th March, where we’ll continue to share ideas, tools, and research to support multilingual learners across South Australia.

Uploaded to this blog is a document which outlines the origins and history of the IPSHA EAL/D Collegial Group that Trish Tynan founded and was the inaugural President.

Trish Tynan – President IPSHA EAL-D Collegial Group

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