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Mill Park Secondary College values its culturally and linguistically diverse community. The College is committed to providing specialist tuition to students for whom English is a second or additional language.

At the Middle Years Campus, an ESL Program is provided for students from language backgrounds other than English who satisfy both these requirements: Have been enrolled in an Australian school for less than five years, and Speak a language other than English at home as their main language.

These students attend core ESL classes instead of core English classes. ESL curriculum is designed for both the subject area of English and for the language-learning needs of other subjects, in keeping with the ESL Companion to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS). Assessment of progress in all subjects will be made in the context of the students development as a learner of English.

New Arrivals Program
This is for students who have just arrived in . It is an intensive course in which students learn and develop English-language skills within the context of all the learning areas. This program is delivered through government English Language Schools or Centres and is mainly for Australian citizens or Permanent Residents (including those returning to ), although some temporary students may also be able to enrol. It is only available to students within six months from their date of arrival in .

Students can enrol directly at the English Language School or Centre, or they can be referred by the College. For example, many of the College s ESL students will first attend either Collingwood English Language School or Broadmeadows English Language Centre. Students are enrolled in a full-time program for a term or several terms, depending on their progress. The College works closely with the English Language Schools and Centres to ensure the smooth transition of students.

All eligible students are encouraged to undertake the New Arrivals Program. For students who may already speak English, including those that have attended an English-medium school overseas, this program builds important skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking, to the standards required for academic success in Australian schools.

Further information
For further advice about any of the above, please consult the Campus Principal and/or the College Coordinator for ESL.

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