Polygots app a hit at Top Ryde Early Learning

CHILDREN at a Ryde childcare centre have surprised their teachers by singing, talking and answering in Indonesian as part of a languages trial.

CHILDREN at a Ryde childcare centre have surprised their teachers by singing, talking and answering in Indonesian as part of a languages trial.

The four- to five-year-olds at Top Ryde Early Learning have been using tablet apps designed to introduce them to another language.

The federal government has provided the equipment and teacher training in response to fewer students studying a second language at high school.

Children use The Polyglots app – named after the characters in the program – to learn words, count, sing songs and bake a virtual cake. They are asked to say words and phrases, which is checked by voice recognition.

Centre director Nicole Wade said the centre was given the Indonesian app for its 35 children when introduced last year.

Teachers spoke to children about Indonesia and its culture, and made avocado milkshakes as an activity.

Ms Wade was impressed by how much children had learned and enjoyed the apps.

“The children think it’s fun to answer teachers in Indonesian rather than English,” she said.

“The greatest thing is the sense of achievement.

“When they learn a word and are able to repeat it, they are building self-esteem with their success.”

The children spend 20 minutes per week using them. This is their only TV or computer use at the centre.

The play-based learning benefits children in other areas, Ms Wade said.

“They have a greater awareness of different sounds than just their own language.

“There is a lot of pattern making in maths and literacy and this extends to those areas because they learn patterns of communication.”

The centre is about to introduce new four to five-year-olds to the apps this year and Ms Wade expected the centre would choose French or Mandarin.

The centre is one of six centres in Sydney trialling the apps.