Assessing English as a second or an additional language (ESL/ EAL) learners in schools is a particularly challenging area for most teachers. With so many students requiring systematic and regular EAL support, all teachers need access to appropriate and useful assessment tools and advice, but most assessment systems are imposed on teachers, rather than negotiated with them based on a contextualised and detailed understanding of their needs. Drawing on questionnaire, focus group and teacher-based classroom observation data, this paper provides a snapshot of the views of more than 30 EAL specialist teachers drawn from with a representative range of teachers from selected government, Catholic and independent schools in Victoria and NSW. The paper concludes with a discussion of the key criteria needed for more effective EAL assessment.