The evidence

There is strong evidence and robust theory that underpins the practices promoted by LLEN. The theory of language is called Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL).

Over the past five decades, a substantial body of international research has established the effectiveness of SFL in educational settings, from early childhood to tertiary education, and shaped pedagogies that improve students’ literacy across languages, disciplines, and levels of schooling.

The attached document provides a sampling of research projects drawing on SFL theory. These studies highlight the capacity of language-informed approaches to equip teachers with tools to make language and literacy demands visible and teachable, especially in diverse and complex classrooms. Even smaller-scale projects, such as case studies in Indigenous and EALD classrooms, show students' growth in academic language when teachers use SFL-informed strategies to scaffold learning.

Crucially, this research tradition demonstrates not only improved outcomes but also meaningful theory-practice integration. As shown in the attached document, the evidence shows that SFL-based pedagogy is both theoretically sound and practically effective – offering educators a powerful framework for understanding and improving student literacy across all learning areas.