The students at Junee RSL Memorial Preschool are still a year away from uniforms and lessons, but they are already gaining a good grasp of multiple languages.
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Over the past four years, the preschool has become one of the first groups in the country to trial the ‘ELLA’, or Early Learning Languages Australia, program.
Using an interactive app-based platform, the students started learning French in 2015, graduated to Japanese in 2016, and have begun Mandarin this year.
“We started with French because a few of our staff had a basic high school level understanding, so it was easier to pick up,” said preschool director Rebecca Hart.
“We’ve been speaking with the high schools about they’re Japanese programs, so we’ll probably continue with Japanese next year to give them that kick start.”
They are also learning the language of the Wiradjuri through the Ninganah No More program.
What they learn now, if they continue with it throughout their lives, it’ll lock in and they’ll be multilingual forever.
- Rebecca Hart
The decision to introduce Mandarin this year has had far more immediate repercussions.
“We had several Chinese families join the preschool this year, so learning Mandarin has helped them feel like they’re part of the community,” said Ms Hart.
“It’s helped the kids all learn to communicate with one another.”
Alongside the app learning, the preschool hosts regular cultural cooking demonstrations.
“Our Chinese parents come in and teach the kids how to cook some of their dishes, and they give all the instructions in Chinese, so they’re picking up those language skills without really even noticing,” Ms Hart said.
“The educators in the room are learning too, but the children do pick it up a lot quicker than the adults.
The kids hear and repeat, they don’t have the same inhibitions that adults have, so they just give it a crack.
- Rebecca Hart
The preschool hopes that the ELLA trial will lead to all schools implementing similar programs.
“They’re a long way from having conversations in Mandarin, but it’s about cultural acceptance and awareness, and introducing them to different ways of living.
“Children’s worlds are small, especially so in small towns. We need to show them the world and hopefully one day they’ll become great little tolerant travellers.”
