CLOSE to 800 preschoolers across the Riverina will be introduced to the basics of learning a second language.
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The government funded Early Learning Language Australia program is being taught at 21 centres across the region and preschools can choose from a range of languages including Arabic, Indonesian, French, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Italian and Hindi.
Community Kids Early Learning Centre in Lake Albert, chose to teach Italian this year, teaching a different language from last year of French.
Community Kids preschool teacher, Ashley Woods, is from an Italian background and teaches to children aged three and four years old through a number of different activities through out the day.
Ms Woods said the program uses play-based digital applications as well as through teaching guides.
She said the children have learnt head, shoulders, knees and toes and counting one to 10 in Italian and excursions to La Porchetta for lunch to experience the Italian cuisine.
“It expands their knowledge of how a language works and how countries speak different languages,” she said. “It helps with their vocabulary because they’re so young, therefore they can pick it up easily. “They get quite excited when it’s Italian time, they’ve learnt the greetings so they’ll usually walk in the door and say ciao.”
Retired teacher, Keith Wheeler, said in this day and age teaching preschoolers a second language is a good idea as long as the children aren’t “bombarded” in learning.
“I think at a preschool level, children absorb everything and would be interested and fascinated in different languages,” Mr Wheeler said.
“As long as they’re just taught about recognising different languages worldwide and only learn a couple of greetings, then it is a good idea.
“Then their understanding can be developed further in primary and secondary schooling.”
Mr Wheeler said that preschools should be mindful to ensure that the chosen language taught at preschool doesn’t conflict with languages some children may speak at home.
Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack said the program gives them a “taste” of the world and provides them with skills which can set them up for the future.
