YOUNGSTERS in the region have the opportunity to learn Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, French or Arabic through the federal government’s Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) app program.
Wright MP Scott Buchholz encouraged early learning centre operators who expressed an interest but missed out on trialling the language apps in 2015 to formally apply by March 4 to participate in 2016.
“This is a great opportunity to get young children interested in experiencing and learning a language other than English and I hope any local service operators who put their hand up to take part in last year’s program do so again this year,” he said.
“I urge those operators in Jimboomba, Woodhill, Oxenford, Gilston, Worongary, Mudgeeraba, Laidley and Gatton who expressed an interest in these great language apps last year to grab hold of this chance to expand the learning opportunities offered to youngsters in this region.”
Mr Buchholz said children must be taught by a qualified early childhood teacher and participate before they started full-time school.
“Preschools must provide their own devices and meet their own WiFi and internet costs, but the government will do the rest,” Mr Buchholz said.
Education Minister Senator Simon Birmingham said 40 of the 41 preschools which trialled the apps in 2015 were using it again in 2016.
For a copy of the ELLA guidelines and to formalise participation in the ELLA trial visit https://www.education.gov.au/news/early-learning-languages-australia-ella-programme-expressions-interest-now-open
