Choosing resources for the EAL Framework.
A plain guide for RTOs adding or refreshing English as an additional language courses: what the framework is, how a course is put together, how to check it is current, what each resource format contains, and what stays with you.
What the EAL Framework is
The EAL Framework is a set of accredited courses in English as an additional language. They are Victorian accredited courses, which is what the VIC at the end of each code signals. They are not a national training package. Each course stands on its own, with its own accredited course document, and each is listed on training.gov.au.
The courses are arranged in four streams. Entry holds the courses that come before the certificates. Access covers general English for everyday life, from Certificate I to Certificate IV. Employment covers English for the workplace, from Certificate II to Certificate IV. Further Study covers English for further education and training, at Certificate III and Certificate IV. The course list shows every current code.
How a course is put together
Each course is made up of units. Like a qualification in a training package, an accredited course has packaging rules: which units every learner completes, and how electives can be chosen. Those rules sit in the course document and on the course's page on training.gov.au. Read them before you write your training and assessment strategy, because the units you select decide which resources you need.
This site does not repeat unit lists, hours or entry guidance. They belong to the course, and the authoritative version is the published one.
Check the course is current
Accredited courses are accredited for a set period. When a course is reaccredited, replaced or reaches the end of its accreditation, training.gov.au shows the change. Always check the current release on training.gov.au before you enrol learners. If a course you deliver is being replaced, plan the transition around the learners already enrolled and keep a record of the decisions you make.
Placement comes first
EAL learners arrive with very different histories. Some are new to reading and writing; others hold professional qualifications and need English for their work. Choosing the stream and the level is a professional judgement your RTO makes after assessing the learner. The placement helper on the home page is only a starting point for that conversation.
What each resource format contains
The CAQA Resources store lists these formats for each EAL course.
- Learning and assessment kit. Everything to begin training and assessing learners in the course. Contents: learner guide; PowerPoint presentation; session plan; classroom activities; self-study guide; assessment pack (student); trainer assessment pack (marking guide); mapping for each unit of competency; assessment record tools.
- Assessment kit. Everything to begin assessing learners in the course. Contents: assessment pack (student); trainer assessment pack (marking guide); mapping for each unit of competency; assessment record tools.
- Learner resources. Everything to begin training learners in the course. Contents: learner guide; PowerPoint presentation; session plan; classroom activities; self-study guide.
- LLND kit. For identifying and supporting learners' language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). Contents: LLND assessment tools aligned with the ACSF; mapping that links LLND performance to ACSF indicators; assessor guides, rubrics and marking keys; editable learner profiles and learning plan templates; digital literacy components.
- Training and assessment strategy. A template you customise to your learner cohort and your organisation.
- Vocational placement kit. A work placement kit to help assess practical skills in a simulated environment or an actual workplace.
Unlimited student licence: deliver to unlimited students within the purchased licence conditions. Read the licence on the store before you buy.
What your RTO still does
Resources are a start, not a finished system. Under the Standards for RTOs 2025 your RTO remains responsible for its training and assessment. Whatever you buy, plan to:
- contextualise the materials for your learners, their goals and your delivery mode
- validate your assessment tools and judgements through your own process; validation sits at Standard 1.5 of the Outcome Standards
- brief trainers and assessors so the tools are used as intended, and keep a record of the changes you make and why
- check each course on training.gov.au before enrolment
ASQA's Standards for RTOs page explains what the regulator looks for. No resource can promise an outcome at audit, and none of ours claims to.