“They can slip through the cracks”: Supporting domestic EAL students as they begin university studies

Author: Jenny McDougall, Caroline Henderson-Brooks & R. E. Harreveld
CQUniversity

Edition: Volume 65, Number 2, July 2025

Introduction: Since EAL (English as an Additional Language) students in higher education are not always considered ‘equity’ in current Australian government policy, the assumption might be that they are no longer ‘at risk’. This paper explores the ongoing challenges faced by these students as they commence university, our focus being a group transitioning to a regional university via a preparatory program. We report on a small-scale Participatory Action Research study, based on interviews with students and lecturers, to understand how educators can better respond to these needs from a ‘whole-of-student’ perspective.

Findings suggest that EAL students remain a vulnerable group whose insecurities extend well beyond academic writing. These adult learners experience many of the same disadvantages as other equity students, but with additional linguistic, cultural and social challenges. Therefore, creating inclusive, personable learning environments, and adopting clear, responsive modes of communication should be prioritised in online and face-to-face settings. Giving students autonomy over their learning through flexible modes of delivery and diverse media formats is another key recommendation. Not all teaching staff have specialist expertise in teaching English, but all can be proactive in supporting EAL students so that fewer “slip through the cracks” at the commencement of their university studies.

Keywords: English as an additional language (EAL), ‘whole-ofstudent’; participatory action research (PAR), non-English-speaking backgrounds (NESB), culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 65:2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.