Teaching young children in English in multilingual contexts

Overview

Teaching young children in English in multilingual contexts (TYCEMC) is a globally recognised professional learning program designed for teachers of young EAL and multilingual students. The course equips teachers with practical strategies to accelerate language development, strengthen academic learning, and support student success across the curriculum in multilingual classrooms.

Designed for whole-school impact, the TYCEMC train-the-trainer program supports teachers and schools to develop a shared, consistent and explicit approach to literacy that strengthens teaching practice and improves learning outcomes for young multilingual students (aged 5–8).

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Who is this course for?

Teaching young children in English in multilingual contexts (TYCEMC) is designed for classroom teachers working with young multilingual learners. It is particularly suited to teachers who:

  • teach multilingual students aged 5–8 years
  • work in contexts where students are learning through a language that is not their primary language
  • want to better understand how language impacts learning
  • are seeking to advance their professional practice and career, including teachers looking to deepen their expertise in EAL, take on leadership roles, or contribute to whole-school language-informed teaching initiatives.

How does the whole-school model work?

When a teacher does a tutor course with Lexis Education, they not only learn the skills they need in the classroom, but they also learn how to be a Tutor for other teachers. This train-the-trainer method ensures that schools can roll out the course across their whole school and benefit from our professional development in a cost-effective way; one that creates ongoing, in-house literacy expertise.

Teachers attend a Tutor Training course to become Certified Tutors. Once certified, they are fully qualified and licensed to deliver the Teacher Course in their schools and professional learning settings, upskilling as many educators as needed, as often as needed.

Why a whole-school approach?

✓ Equitable outcomes: Built on the principle that language is deeply implicated in learning in all subjects, TYCEMC benefits all students.

✓ Evidence-based, results-focused: TYCEMC transforms teacher practice and raises young multilingual student achievement in diverse school settings.

✓ Empowers leadership and sustainability: The train-the-trainer model produces in-house expertise that ensures a self-reinforcing PD cycle, reducing reliance on external presenters.

✓ Cost-effective and scalable: After the initial investment, the PD model continues to benefit future cohorts at minimal cost (see 2026 schedule of costs).

What will teachers gain?

In TYCEMC, teachers will develop a deeper understanding of:

  • the language-related needs of students learning through a language that is not their primary language
  • the ways in which language underpins all learning
  • how literacy is a capacity for making meaning across the whole curriculum.

Teachers will also learn to:

  • design and implement teaching practices that explicitly and holistically address young students’ language and learning needs
  • build students’ language and visual resources so they can access, engage with, and demonstrate learning across the curriculum
  • use positive strategies for self-reflection and self-appraisal to strengthen their professional practice
  • develop collaborative working relationships with teachers
  • share learning and leadership by supporting language-informed teaching practices across the whole school.

By the end of the course, teachers will be able to:

  • plan and teach lessons that improve learning for young multilingual students
  • support young students to use language and visuals effectively to show what they know
  • work collaboratively with colleagues to strengthen whole-school approaches to multilingual learning.

 

Implementation overview

Tutor Training (4 days)Necessary to become a Certified Tutor, this is intensive face-to-face or remote (live via Zoom) training that equips Certified Tutors with pedagogical expertise and facilitation skills.
Teacher CourseDelivered by Certified Tutors, the Teacher Course includes group workshops, practical readings, and classroom-based activities. The course entails 18 hours of face-to-face learning.
ModulesCover core concepts—including language as meaning making, scaffolding, comprehension and composition strategies, vocabulary development, writing support, listening and assessment, and establishing sustainable whole-school programming.
Flexible DeliveryRemote or in-person options suit various contexts; modules can be adapted for primary or secondary contexts.

What does it cost?

Pricing reflects the scope of a whole-school professional learning program designed for sustained impact over a number of years. The cost of the TYCEMC Tutor Training (per Certified Tutor) is:

  • Face-to-face, full fee: AUD 4,850
  • Face-to-face, early bird: AUD 4,190
  • Remote: AUD 4,190

GST will be added for participants based in Australia. The cost includes the training, certification, training materials and, where it is delivered face-to-face, lunches and refreshments on the training days. Other costs, such as for transport or accommodation, are not covered.

We do offer significant discounts for schools wanting to train more than 4 Certified Tutors.

Ready to lead transformative PD in your school?

Get in touch to book a free consultation with one of our experts, so that we can better understand your context and needs.

Course Content

Module 1: Meaning making in multilingual contexts

In this first module, we begin with an exploration of meaning-making as a way of discussing the challenges that our students face in schooling contexts. From there, we consider how we develop language, our most complex meaning-making system, by looking at the role of parents and caregivers in the early stages of language development and reflect on the implications for our work as teachers. We experience a lesson in an unfamiliar language as a way of looking at supportive scaffolding practices.

Module 2: Scaffolding learners

In this module, we are introduced to an explicit teaching and learning cycle that will be an informing framework for the rest of the course. We consider the notion of scaffolding and consider three broad levels: macro-, meso- and micro-scaffolding, and the role each plays in providing the support students need to take up the meanings expected of them in the early years of schooling.

Module 3: Getting active with language

This module deals with actions and the language of hands-on activities. The focus is, therefore, on the procedure genre and, through small teaching and learning cycles, we learn how to develop students’ understanding of how a procedure is structured. We also learn how students can analyse the language patterns of these texts in hands-on ways such as through patterned questions and colours.

Module 4: Understanding stories

In this module, we work with the generic structure of narratives. Stories are a dominant genre in early childhood settings, yet the meanings—visual and verbal—in these texts can be highly complex. However, as we see, the complexity also makes stories a rich source of opportunities for the development of language and learning.

Module 5: Learning the language of stories

The focus in this module is on the language of narratives. The specific aspects of language considered are the resources for: locating events in time and place; describing, classifying and qualifying; and expressing actions, thoughts and sayings. The module concludes with activities around the evaluation of settings, characters and events in narratives.

Module 6: Learning to explain how things happen or are done

In this module, we build on previous work on procedures by considering how we can provide a macro- scaffold for students to begin developing control of two new genres: procedural recount and explanation. The activities include moving into more technical fields, recounting accurately, learning to behave scientifically, and explaining how and why things occur.

Module 7: Planning for meaning-making success

In this final module, we bring together all the understandings developed in the previous modules and apply them to a program of work that participants intend to deliver. Participants will share this program with others in the course and, in doing so, will be modelling the importance of opening up our pedagogical practices to our peers.
  • “Even better than I had imagined. The impact this can have for GEMS schools is huge. So relevant and applicable immediately. Looking forward to taking this forward!”
    Niamh Drysdale Allen, Corporate Head of EAL, GEMS Education
  • “Great course! Loved the very practical and organized approach to supporting the language development for MLLS.”
    Mats Haaland, Strategic Learning and EAL Coordinator, Hong Kong Academy
  • "Fantastic – exactly what our school was looking for. Full of practical strategies to effectively teach language."
    Thomas Hawkey, EAL/D Teacher, Mabel Park State High School
  • “Absolutely loved the course. It has had a major impact on me as an EAL teacher."
    Caroline Delhommeau – EAL Specialist, Bali Island School
  • “A very valuable course which has helped me a great deal and prepared me well to help others to help their students.”
    Jacob Huckle, Head of Multilingual Learning and Language Development, Dulwich College Suzhou

Upcoming Venues

3L: Language and literacy for learning

Location: Adelaide, Australia
Date: 24/03/2026 - 27/03/2026

Teaching in English in multilingual classrooms

Location: Remote (Europe, via Zoom
Date: 11/05/2026 - 22/05/2026

Teaching in English in multilingual classrooms

Location: Remote (Asia, Australia), via Zoom
Date: 30/06/2026 - 08/07/2026

3L: Language and literacy for learning

Location: Remote (Australia), via Zoom
Date: 01/07/2026 - 08/07/2026

Teaching in English in multilingual classrooms

Location: Brisbane, Australia
Date: 17/08/2026 - 21/08/2026

3L: Language and literacy for learning

Location: Brisbane, Australia
Date: 18/08/2026 - 21/08/2026
All Upcoming Venues