communication book - gowrie training | gowrie training
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This document is an updated version of Communication Book developed by PSC in Tasmania under the Australian Government Inclusion and Professional Development Program (IPSP) 2013-16
Communication Book
Supporting children from culturally and
linguistically diverse and/or humanitarian
refugee backgrounds to understand routines
and transitions within early childhood and
child care settings.
Communication Book
This ‘Communication Book’ has been designed to support children from culturally
and linguistically diverse and/or refugee backgrounds who may have little or no
understanding of English who are currently settling into Early Childhood and Child
Care services (ECCC).
How to use the resource
To communicate instructions and routines:
Visual presentation through signs, symbols, pictures and photographs helps a child
who uses language other than English, or a non-verbal child, to at least partly
understand what is being said. Instead of expecting the child to understand
instructions or to perform self-help routines by following others, (e.g. to wash hands or
to go outside), this book is a useful tool to communicate transition from one
experience to another, and also to communicate daily routines. Pictures also
provide children with little or no English an opportunity to express their wants and
needs to educators throughout each day.
For children under 3 years, it is best to use real objects (use a real plate to
communicate meal time) to support communication of routines and transitions then
move to photos and gesture as displayed within this resource.
To support the child’s first language:
During initial placement/enrolment interviews with families, Lady Gowrie Tasmania
Inclusion Agency recommends services spend a few minutes going through the
resource with families, (with the support of an interpreter and/or bicultural worker (if
required) accessible through Innovative Solutions Support Funding. Lady Gowrie
Tasmania Inclusion Agency will support ECCC services with this application process
so that families can understand the use and value of this resource within care
environments.
The resource is best utilised when educators working in the daily care environment
phonetically writes the pronunciation of words from child’s home language into
English script. If words are written into script of child’s home language, educators
are generally not able to read the script and therefore the resource is not relevant
for everyday use within the setting. Similarly, if the bicultural worker or family write
the word into English script again the pronunciation is often lost.
Capitalising on opportunities to use the child’s home language within aspects of
your daily program will assist the child’s understanding and also acknowledge and
value the child’s home language as valid communication. Other children will enjoy
learning and using words from another language and these can be incorporated
into everyday experiences with your encouragement, role modeling and support.
To further support educators to include aspects of children’s home language within
daily programs we have included sections for;
• family,
• numbers 1-10,
• days of the week, and,
• other useful words for child care settings.
Once educators have gathered phonetic translations for these words from either
families or interpreter/bicultural workers, these translations can used within daily
routines or small group times to support the inclusion of children’s home languages
across each day.
How to access this resource
Whilst this resource has been developed as an inclusive document for use across
both long day care and family day care it is also acknowledged that services may
choose to use service specific photos and information. Accordingly, the resource is
available to services in both PDF format for use as currently designed and as a word
document for services who would like to upload specific photographs. Both formats
can be downloaded from Gowrie Training and Consultancy:
https://www.gowrieconsultancy.com.au/communication-book/
Respect for Diversity
Respect for diversity is one of the five principles of the ‘Early Years Learning
Framework’ (EYLF) which underpins our daily practice as early childhood educators.
Respecting diversity means within the curriculum valuing and reflecting the
practices, values and beliefs of families. Educators honour the histories, cultures,
languages, traditions, child rearing practices and lifestyle choices of families. They
value children’s different capacities and abilities and respect differences in families’
home lives.
Educators recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and
provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing. For Australia it also includes
promoting greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of
knowing and being.
When early childhood educators respect the diversity of families and communities,
and the aspirations they hold for children, they are able to foster children’s
motivation to learn and reinforce their sense of themselves as competent learners.
They make curriculum decisions that uphold all children’s rights to have their cultures,
identities, abilities and strengths acknowledged and valued, and respond to the
complexity of children’s and families’ lives.
Educators think critically about opportunities and dilemmas that can arise from
diversity and take action to redress unfairness. They provide opportunities to learn
about similarities and difference and about interdependence and how we can
learn to live together. Early Years Learning Framework, 2009, pg.13.
Cultural Competence
The development of a strong sense of identity is critical in the very earliest years of life
and underpins the Principles, Practices and Learning outcomes of the EYLF. Culture
is the fundamental building block of identity and the development of a strong
cultural identity is essential to children’s healthy sense of who they are and where
they belong. Children must have access to services that nurture, celebrate and
reinforce their culture and support the development of the cultural identity.
Cultural identity comes from having access to:
• your culture – its institutions, land, language, knowledge, social resources,
economic resources
• the institutions of the community (lifestyle) – its codes for living (social and
environmental), nutrition, safety, protection of physical, spiritual and
emotional integrity of children and families
• cultural expression and cultural endorsement (Durie 2003).
Educators Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework, 2010, pg. 21-22.
The Importance of Maintaining
Children’s First or Home Language One of the greatest gifts we pass on to children is language. The first language,
learned in the home, is extremely important and forms the foundation for all
later language development. Parents, family members and early childhood
professionals are the most significant influences on the development and
maintenance of the first language.
Evidence shows that young children can learn more than one language with ease,
as long as they are exposed to good language models and have plenty of exposure
to both languages. Maintaining the first language does not interfere with the
learning of English. Research suggests the opposite – that knowing one language
can help the child understand how other languages work. The maintenance of the
first or home language is particularly important for the child’s development of a
positive self-concept and well-being.
Children who have the opportunity to maintain their first language can extend their
cognitive development, while learning English as a second language.
Their level of competence in the second language will be related to the level of
competence they have achieved in their first language (Cummins 1984).
Children with a sound knowledge of their first language will be able to transfer skills
from one language to another.
Early childhood professionals can play a vital role in the maintenance of children’s
first languages. They can provide opportunities for children to use their first
language in early childhood settings and at school and encourage families to use
the first language at home in order to provide a good foundation for learning
English. It is important to reassure families that children will learn English as a second
language from English speakers.
Excerpt from Clarke P, (2009) Supporting Children Learning English as a Second Language in
the Early Years (birth to six years) pg.9.