EAL teachers’ professional learning about digital literacies: a socio-material perspective

It is widely acknowledged that to be able to teach digital literacies as an integral part of second language (L2) education, teachers need to engage in relevant professional learning. However, there appears to be lack of understanding as to what counts as relevant professional learning (PL) for L2 contexts, which has its own specificities. In response to this problem, this paper draws on the survey data and explores how 33 English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers in Victoria (Australia) perceive their needs in terms of professional learning related to digital literacies. Utilising a sociomaterial theoretical perspective, this study found that EAL teachers engage in professional development (PD) about digital literacies in a number of ways. However, they believed the provision of PD was inadequate because there was an apparent disconnect between what they perceived they need and the current provisions especially in terms of the materiality of teaching digital literacies and its specificity for EAL settings. The paper concludes with implications for professional bodies and future research.