Language immersion has a profound positive impact on children’s learning and applications are now open for early childhood services, including those from Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, to apply for state funding to deliver a Bilingual Kindergarten program from Term 1, 2024,
An investment of $3.7 million in the Victorian Budget 2023-24 will double the footprint of the Bilingual Kindergarten program from 10 to 20 services – giving more children across the state increased cultural, social and educational skills and knowledge.
Around 800 children currently attend the 10 existing bilingual kindergartens where they learn in a language other than English for 12 hours of their weekly 15-hour kindergarten program.
Qualified language teachers incorporate language learning into everyday kinder experiences through fun and engaging activities like singing, dancing, painting and storytelling. This environment boosts learners’ reading and writing skills, raises their self-esteem and strengthens their cultural identity.
In selecting their language program, early childhood service providers are asked to consider community diversity and languages of newly arrived children in their area. Service providers with a large proportion of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are also encouraged to apply to run one of the 10 new programs.
While existing programs currently offer Mandarin, French, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Punjabi, and Auslan, new participating early childhood services can offer any language of their choosing.
Kindergartens interested in applying are further encouraged to deliver a local Aboriginal language program and will be supported to seek Traditional Owner approval to do so.
All Early Childhood services joining the Bilingual Kinder initiative will be supported to recruit a qualified language teacher if they do not already have one within their staff.
Expressions of interest close on August 13.
Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Minister Ingrid Stitt said Bilingual Kinder strengthens cultural ties and connect our children to the world.
“It’s fantastic that 10 more kindergartens will soon be part of this extraordinary learning program,” she said.
Details: vic.gov.au/expression-interest-bilingual-kindergarten.
