LANGUAGE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN PETRIE

Luke Howarth, Federal Member for Petrie said local preschools can apply to run the Morrison Government’s play-based program that teaches young Australians a foreign language.

The $27.5 million Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) program has already helped educate 110,000 children about foreign languages, across more than 3,500 preschools.

ELLA is a digital, play-based program that introduces young Australians to languages other than English. It can help teach 13 languages: Arabic, Mandarin, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Mr Howarth said Petrie is a very multicultural electorate with one in four people born overseas, and that learning a second language would give students an educational advantage and broaden their horizons.

“ELLA supports children to explore other languages and cultures, inspiring them to continue learning in years to come,” Mr Howarth said.

“Our Government is helping prepare students in Petrie for the future economy where having a second language will be an enormous benefit.

“Preschool educators don’t need any language training experience to run the ELLA program because extensive support material, offline games, learning resources, and a responsive helpdesk are all provided.

“I encourage preschool operators in Petrie to apply to run the ELLA program to introduce our children to the joy and challenge of learning a second language.”

The Coalition Government has already provided $11.8 million to expand ELLA into 300 schools for grades Foundation to Year 2. Visit www.ella.edu.au for more information, including eligibility criteria, device requirements and how to apply.

Current participating preschools in Petrie:

• Avenues Early Learning Centre Aspley – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Bracken Ridge Child Care Centre – Japanese
• C&K Bald Hills Community Kindergarten – German
• C&K Deception Bay North Community Kindergarten – Hindi
• Clontarf World Of Learning – French
• Community Kids Deception Bay – Japanese
• Creative Kids Clontarf – German
• Goodstart Early Learning Aspley – French
• Goodstart Early Learning Bracken Ridge – Spanish
• Goodstart Early Learning North Lakes College Street – Italian
• Goodstart Early Learning North Lakes Winn Street – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Goodstart Early Learning Redcliffe Williams Street – Japanese
• Grace Lutheran Creche and Kindergarten – Japanese
• Kids Capers Childcare Bald Hills – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Kids Capers Childcare Mango Hill – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Kids Capers Childcare North Lakes – Chinese (Mandarin)
• The Learning Tree Childcare Aspley – Spanish
• Little Scholars School of Early Learning Deception Bay – Japanese
• Lizards Early Learning Centre Aspley – Japanese
• Moreton Downs Early Education – Spanish
• North Lakes Kids Early Learning Centre – Spanish
• Rothwell Kids Early Learning Centre – Italian
• Sesame Lane Clontarf – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Sesame Lane Kippa-Ring Anzac Avenue – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Sesame Lane Kippa-Ring Regency Street – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Sesame Lane North Lakes Astley Parade – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Sesame Lane North Lakes Discovery Drive – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Sesame Lane North Lakes Joyner Circuit – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Sesame Lane North Lakes McLennan Court – Chinese (Mandarin)
• Sesame Lane Redcliffe – Japanese
• Sesame Lane Rothwell – Chinese (Mandarin)
• St Paul’s School Early Learning Centre – Japanese

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