Embedding Diverse Languages in ECEC

In this episode of the Learn Play Thrive podcast, host Simone Brand sits down with Amanda MacDonald, Early Learning Specialist at Education Services Australia (ESA).

They discuss the national expansion of Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA), a government-backed, play-based digital language program into Foundation to Year 2 classrooms. Amanda shares how ELLA’s suite of 11 immersive, curriculum-aligned apps—offering 13 different languages—helps young learners build confidence, curiosity, and intercultural understanding right from their earliest years of education.

Whether you are a language specialist or an early childhood educator, this episode is packed with practical strategies to lower the barrier to language teaching. Amanda explores how digital play, music, storytelling, and everyday routines like greetings and counting can weave new languages into your daily program.

Tune in to discover why early language acquisition is a critical foundation for equity and belonging in today's interconnected world, and how ELLA's evidence-backed resources can inspire your children to see language as a vibrant tool for human connection.

Find out more:
https://www.ella.edu.au/

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to Learn Play Thrive the podcast, the ultimate early learning podcast for educators and leaders in the sector. Let's learn, play, and thrive together.

SPEAKER_00 0:11

The Learn Play Thrive podcast was recorded on the lands with the Dark and Jung people. We pay our respects to the traditional custodians, past, present, and emerging. Hands up, hands down, clear on Dark and Jung land.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Welcome listeners to Learn Play Thrive, the podcast, where we dive deep into the heart of early childhood education and care and the inspirational educators, researchers, advocates, and sector leaders who make it happen. I'm your host, Simone Brand. Today we're welcoming Amanda McDonald, an early learning specialist at Education Services Australia, ESA, to discuss the national rollout of Early Learning Languages Australia, ELA, a government-backed program that's just expanded into Foundation to Year 2 classrooms after a decade of success in early learning settings. Welcome Amanda to LearnPlay Thrive the podcast. Amanda develops resources and delivers professional learning for several education programs funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and managed by Education Services Australia. Amanda supports educators to learn how digital play can expand children's access to new content and support learning and relationships. Armed with a Masters of Education in Special Education and over 20 years experience teaching preschoolers, Amanda focuses on supporting the differing needs of individual children and teachers. Young children who learn another language often develop stronger memory problem-solving skills and cognitive flexibility because their brains are constantly switching between languages. Can you tell us why has early language learning become such a critical foundation for children in today's interconnected world? And in the whirlwind of a busy early childhood setting, what actually works when introducing a new language?

SPEAKER_01 1:54

Well, when we think about preparing children for the future, early language learning has become one of the most powerful and often underestimated foundations that we can provide. As teachers, we want to embrace multiculturalism into our programs. And language is not just a tool for expression, it's a gateway to understanding people, cultures, and perspectives. And importantly, the early years are the optimal time to begin. So the neuroscience tells us that young children's brains are uniquely wired for language acquisition. So in these early stages, they can absorb new sounds, patterns, meanings, and the intonations of language with remarkable ease. But what's particularly compelling is that learning an additional language doesn't just build communication skills. It strengthens memory and problem solving and flexible thinking. So programs like Early Learning Languages Australia or ALA really reinforce this. So they show that when children are introduced to language early, they don't just learn words, they develop curiosity and confidence, and they begin to see language as a bridge to other cultures and other ways of thinking. So early learning of a language is a really, it's really about positioning children within that broader world. So building cultural responsiveness and a sense of connection. So I guess the question is not really just why language learning matters, it's how do we make it work in that busy reality of early childhood settings, they're super busy. But we know that these environments are really dynamic and educators are managing competing priorities and tight schedules and also varying levels of confidence with language teaching. So the research and the ALA program make it really clear that it doesn't need to be complex to be effective. What works is play, consistency, and connections. So firstly, language learning has to be play-based. Young children learn through doing, through songs, through storytelling, games and role-playing. So when language is embedded in these experiences, it becomes meaningful and engaging. It's not an isolated task. When children use things like the Ala apps within their play, they're learning to not only play with the language, but use the new language in their play. And that's where it's really powerful. It's also about regular exposure, so not long formal lessons, but small repeated moments. Greetings, really easy, simple phrases, familiar songs. So all the things that early childhood educators are doing anyway, woven into their everyday routines. And then over time, these moments build the confidence and understanding. And probably the most reassuring thing for educators is that idea of co-learning, that educators don't have to be language experts. In fact, they can learn alongside the children. And being a co-learner and demonstrating all those co-learning skills is really important. So being curious, making mistakes, exploring better. Yeah, that's a really powerful model in itself. So I think finally, language learning is it's most effective when it's connected to culture and identity. So inviting families in to share their languages, celebrating diversity, and linking all of those experiences that children can have through things like the Ella apps, linking those to real experiences. That's what makes it authentic and inclusive.

SPEAKER_02 7:15

Ella supports the cultural awareness from an early age and uses specifically designed apps that are developmentally appropriate and engaging for young learners. Can you share with our listeners how the Early Learning Languages Australia program introduces the young children to new languages through the play, digital learning, and cultural exploration?

SPEAKER_01 7:34

Yeah, sure. So Ella is delivered by Education Services Australia, and we're celebrating 10 years of introducing young children to new languages through play. Congratulations. Yes, thank you. 10 years and so 10 years of having ALA in preschool, and now the program is expanding into foundation to year two, so the F to 2 classrooms. Since launching in 2014 and rolling out nationally, then in 2017, Ala's reached more than a million children across 5,000 early childhood services, which is really exciting when you think of the number of children that have gone into primary school with an experience of language learning and an excitement about learning languages. So all 13 of the languages of the Australian curriculum except Oslan. The program forms part of the Australian government's initiative to build a base of teacher resource hubs. So they provide curriculum-aligned evidence-backed resources for educators and families nationwide. So they're free government-funded resource hubs that provide resources. So for Allah, for example, teachers have access to digital materials but also printable games and posters and things. So it makes it really easy to use Allah in an early childhood classroom. Then of course, there's the apps. So the apps build a great foundation for Ala. There are seven apps for for preschool and an additional apps, so 11 apps available for primary school. The first seven apps are based on oral and oral, so listening and speaking of language. They don't include text. And then the four additional apps for primary school start to introduce the children to written text.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

Yeah, early childhood really is a prime time for language learning because the young brains are highly adaptable and children can pick up on those pronunciations throughout that play and throughout listening and responding to those playful apps. Why? So many educators in rural or regional centres might feel hesitant because they aren't language specialists themselves. How does the Ella digital tool and the apps lower the barrier for these teachers to lead the high quality language program with confidence?

SPEAKER_01 10:09

Yeah, I think this is such an important question because for many educators, particularly in rural and regional settings, confidence is often the biggest barrier, not capability. There's a common perception that you need to be a language specialist to introduce a new language. And that can feel really overwhelming when you're already managing a full busy program. But what we've seen through ALA is that when you remove that pressure and instead provide the right kind of support, educators can absolutely lead high-quality language experiences. And that's really where the ALA digital tools come in. They're designed specifically to lower those barriers. So firstly, the apps themselves are intentionally really easy to use and educator-friendly. You don't need any prior knowledge of the language. The content is structured through really interactive learning experiences, stories, and songs that guide the educator and the children. So in many ways, the app becomes a co-teacher in the room. So it's not replacing a teacher, obviously, and we would never be saying that we're going to replace language teachers, but it does model pronunciation and it gives children agency over the learning areas that they want to experience. So a child may spend all of their time in one particular section of the app, and that's particularly that's absolutely fine. They'll be hearing the same language as children who like to go in and out of lots of different play spaces. And it also provides that cultural context. So the app introduces children to foods, cultural costume, musical instruments, and little cultural elements of things from the country that may speak the language that you've chosen. What allows educators to really step into that co-learning role with confidence. So rather than being the expert, they can learn alongside the children, exploring and experimenting and making those mistakes together. And that's really powerful because we're modelling curiosity and a positive disposition towards learning itself and a really positive disposition towards learning a language. Because I think as adults, um, we want to get it right and we want to be right first time. We're often a little frightened to give it a go. So this is a um a great way to say, um, look, I'm I'm still learning too. And because the children are playing in the apps and they're hearing that modelled language, they pick it up a lot more quickly than the educators, of course.

SPEAKER_02 12:40

I love with the resources that uh you are able to bring out into the classroom. So there are resources attached where you can have a printable label of maybe it's a type of food, maybe you have a cafe corner or a kitchen area. There are labels and resources that are attached to the app that you're working with to be able to put up in your classroom as prompts for children and so that they could recognize that either text makes meaning, but also that language is being supported through the adult to be able to read that text and say that word again. So continuing that uh learning journey through play.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Yeah, there's a there's a whole stack of there's about 40 printable games and posters, um, and they're available in all 13 of the languages that are um that are embedded in Allah, and so anyone can jump on. So you you know, teachers, families, anyone can jump onto the Allah website and use those printable resources. So games, posters, things that include language, but also a lot of things that just mimic some of the images in the app so that the children are familiar with them. And because the program is play-based and embedded, it's not an add-on. So educators aren't being asked to find extra time or create entirely new lessons. Instead, the language sits naturally within the program through those, as you were saying, those play environments, the routines, and those everyday interactions. And like for a busy early childhood center, that's really critical because it means language becomes part of what they're already doing rather than something extra you have to plan for.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

And the children often become excited to share the new words and songs with their families, which builds that confidence and enthusiasm for learning with the child, but also with the family. Once they start to hear their child saying these words, singing these songs, uh, the family often will join in and within their real life experience, use that language throughout.

SPEAKER_01 14:31

Yeah, and and parents are really proud when they hear their their little people coming in and saying, you know, opening the fridge and going, oh, fromage. Or um, you know, that or they go into restaurants and it's can it you are, you know, because for the children, we're not saying that the children are going to go to school, you know, as as an expert in a second language, but they feel that they know another language. So they they can they feel like they can speak two languages um or often more than two languages because they can greet people and greeting people is so important. So even just being able to say hello and thank you in another language is you know a really great start.

SPEAKER_02 15:10

We always finish our podcast chats with the following key takeaways. Amanda, could you share with our listeners a theory-based takeaway for us today?

SPEAKER_01 15:18

So Allah aligns closely with the early years learning framework, particularly the view that children are capable, active learners who learn through relationships, play, and meaningful experiences. So at its core, ALA is built on play-based learning with intentional teaching. So using stories and games and interactions to introduce a language in a way that's engaging and purposeful, but also gives you an opportunity to have some of those intentional teaching moments. And it draws on social interaction and the early language acquisition theory. So recognizing that children learn best through repeated, meaningful exposure and shared experiences. So that it's not something separate, it's grounded in strong early childhood pedagogy and play and interaction and culture at the center of that learning.

SPEAKER_02 16:07

Practical. What would be your practical takeaway for Alice?

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Practical. You don't need to do more, you just need to embed the language into what you're already doing. Ella works because it's play-based, it's simple, and it's consistent. So it's about those small intentional moments, using a greeting, singing a song, and engaging with the app so that the children are able to revisit that modelled language regularly. So I guess the real shift is away from thinking of language learning as a lesson and instead seeing as it as something that sits naturally within your everyday interactions. So small, consistent, and learn alongside the children because that's where the impact really happens.

SPEAKER_02 16:47

What a beautiful resource to have for those in your service uh that do have a second language, for their peers to also be learning their home language within their childcare setting. Inspiring, inspire us.

SPEAKER_01 17:00

Oh that that's really important. For families to be able to come into your early childhood room and see their language and hear their language that they speak at home. You know, that that is when you can really build those relationships. But at its heart, early language learning, it's not about producing fluent speakers by age five. It's about fostering curiosity, it's about building confident communicators, and it's about helping children understand that there are many ways to see and speak about the world. Because in the end, language learning in early childhood, it's not another curriculum area. It's the foundation for connection, for empathy, um, and for all of those other learning aspects that you were talking about before.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Well, thank you so much, Amanda, for coming onto our podcast. Really enjoyed uh speaking about Ella, and I'm excited to see the rollout from Foundation to you too as well. That's um pretty amazing stuff that you're doing, and congratulations on the 10 years of uh successful rollout of the program so far. I know that from my services, we've had a lot of positive interactions with the children, but not only the children, the family and the community. As you said, connection is really important and it's definitely brought some of our families together. So thank you so much for your time today, and I look forward to chatting again soon. Thanks so much, Simone. Thank you for joining us on this episode of Learn Playthrive the podcast. We hope you found inspiration and valuable insights to fuel your journey in early childhood education. Remember the key to fostering learning, promoting play, and empowering young minds lies with your dedication and creativity. Stay connected between episodes by following us on Instagram at learnplaythrive underscore and join the conversation on Facebook at LearnPlaythrive Australia. If you've enjoyed today's episode, please like, subscribe, rate or review our podcast on your favourite platform. Your feedback helps us to continue to deliver content that resonates with you. And don't forget to visit us at our website at learnplaythrive.com.au for additional resources, blog posts, and professional development opportunities. Until next time, keep learning, keep playing, and keep thriving. We'll see you in the next episode of Learn Playthrive the podcast.