ELLA is an Australian government initiative, which was launched in 2015 with $9.8 million to trial ELLA in 41 preschool services to determine the effectiveness of children learning a language through applications (apps) without a proficient language teacher, with the aim of significantly increasing the number of Year 12 students studying a language other than English within a decade.
ELLA is a child-centred programme specifically aimed at children in the year before school. The five languages which have been developed under this initiatives are Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese and French.
The Polyglots are the ELLA play-based applications (the apps), custom developed for language learning on mobile tablet devices. The apps provide children the opportunity to develop recognition of the different sounds and concepts of another language through play-based learning. Children are introduced to words, sentences and songs in the language and through age appropriate experiences and practices in the language.
As a result of the successful trial in 41 preschool centres around Australia, the Government will provide $5.9 million over two years from 2016-17 to expand the Early Learning Languages Australia program to all preschool services nationally from the 2017 school year. The expansion will provide more preschool children, including those in regional and remote areas, with the opportunity to study a language other than English on an opt in basis through play based learning using mobile devices.
For more information on the Australian Governments Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) programme go to:
