Effective practice in early years (Prep-Year 2) language programs

Abstract

The AFMLTA was engaged by the Queensland Department of Education and Training in June 2016 to conduct a scan of effective practice in languages programs in the early years of schooling (Prep-Year 2), and to provide recommendations for effective programs and planning processes for such programs. This process sits in a national context including focus on the recent roll-out of the Australian Curriculum: Languages (AC:L) for 16 languages, AFMLTA professional learning support for implementing the AC:L through its Ready? Set? suite of professional learning program for teachers of languages, as well as Federal Government support for apps designed to introduce languages in pre-schools and in the early years of schooling through the Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) program, and a commitment to increasing the percentage of students leaving school with languages capabilities. At a state level, Queensland state schools are strongly encouraged to provide a languages program from Prep to Year 12, and are required to do so in Years 5-8. Choice of languages offered, and year levels of provision are determined by principals, in consultation with the school community, attentive to current offerings, teacher availability, and community needs.