ECA Community of Practice: Literacy and language in early childhood

The purpose of this Community of Practice is to create a space for educators to come together to explore aspects of literacy and language.

Children come to early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings with a range of experiences; some may know and speak multiple languages. This reality presents a range of opportunities for early childhood professionals who educate and care for diverse groups of young children and their families. Understanding the process and supporting young children in learning language is integral to the role of ECEC professionals.

Language learning is a key developmental milestone in early childhood, with development of language and literacy skills being a life-long journey from birth. Australia is culturally and linguistically diverse with an increasing number of children growing up in homes where more than one language is spoken. These children may also transition into early childhood education and care settings, along with their families, where many languages may be present. The challenges and opportunities for early childhood professionals to provide practical ways to support children’s and families literacy and language engagement.

In this Community of Practice, you will reflect on and identify the practical ways literacy and language can be woven into everyday moments and rich environments. You will seek to identify, through action research and critically reflective dialogue, the role literacy and language play in each child’s learning journey.

Engaging in action research will allow you to focus on the unique experiences of the children in your own context and create a plan for meaningful support, change or learning within the environment.

Learning outcomes:

• Shift and extend your pedagogical understanding of how to plan and implement engaging literacy and language experiences  
• Expand your understanding of how to plan for children from diverse language backgrounds  
• Design, implement and evaluate an effective action research project 
• Become an active member of the CoP by engaging in critically reflective dialogue with peers and colleagues across Australia