Northern beaches preschools teaching kids a second language
A TABLET-based app is being used to give four-year-old youngsters the chance to learn Mandarin, Italian or Spanish in preschool.
Manly
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CHILDREN at a Brookvale preschool are adding ni hao and bái bái to their greetings repertoire.
Brookvale Early Learning Centre and Preschool is one of three Northern Beaches Council long day care centres to offer a language other than English by introducing Mandarin to its four-year-olds via a tablet-based interactive app.
Dee Why Children’s Centre is opting to teach Italian to their preschoolers while Narrabeen Children’s Centre has adopted Spanish.
Using the ELLA (Early Learning Languages Australia) program, the children initially learnt how to say hello and goodbye before progressing onto the second stage, which is learning colours and naming objects like animals.
The children enjoy play-based learning experiences and gain IT skills by using the tablets — and educators do not need any background in the language to run the program.
The Brookvale centre director, Cate Hancock, said they chose to introduce Mandarin because many of their children graduated to Brookvale Public School, which also offered the Chinese language.
“We already have five children (out of 70) who are learning or speak Mandarin, and we believe it will help all of our children in the future to expose them to a second language,” Ms Hancock said.
“It helps to improve memory, concentration and critical learning skills like literacy.
“We are a multicultural centre and we could also add another language down the track.”
The council’s planning, place and community general manager, David Kerr, said there were a number of advantages to learning a second language.
“People have better general intelligence, better memories and score higher on maths, reading and vocabulary,” Mr Kerr said.
“They are also shown to be more empathetic and better listeners, as well as being more creative and better organised.”
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