Early Years Literacy Strategy Aboriginal 3 year old resource

1. Early Years Literacy StrategyAboriginal 3 year old resource • “….we let things follow their natural course – like the seasons.”. Building Bridges. ( 2002) AECA

2. State Bid: $800,000 per annum Equivalent to 13.5 teacher salaries Professional development Literacy resources & materials Over 1,000, 3 year old Aboriginal children will benefit from this initiative Key elements:Child to staff ratio 1:8 Professional Development & Research/Resource Leadership Resources equivalent to 13.5 teachers salaries

3. Intended Outcomes • Improved learning for Aboriginal 3 year old children • Reduced child: staff ratio • Increased access to professional development and leadership resources to build capacity in all educators • Identification of new and effective teaching and learning approaches, to meet the literacy needs of Aboriginal children, which are sustainable

4. How was the model determined? Calculated the average 3 year old enrolment in 2004 T2 & T4 Data. • Three levels of sites • Sites with 1 – 4 enrolments, • Sites with 5 – 8 enrolments, and • Sites with 8 or more enrolments (other factor included sites with significant and continuous high enrolments.) In 2004, 373 3 year old Aboriginal families accessed preschool services in 163 sites - 155 DECS sites, 5 MACS sites and 3 Aboriginal Independent sites. We also identified there were 10 specific sites with significant and continuous Aboriginal enrolments – 5 DECS, 2 MACS & 3 Aboriginal Independents.

5. Literacy Literature Review. Hill, Comber, Louden, Rivalland & Reid (1998) • Language and literacy learning is facilitated when there is a close match between home and school discourses • Literacy involves issues of social justice, conflict resolution and critical literacies • Social action and change in the hierarchical power relationship in school the early literacy curriculum and between school and community are on the critical agenda

6. Listening to one another Fleer and Williams-Kennedy ( 2002) • “….we let things follow their natural course – like the seasons.” • Cross-cultural teaching, like cross-cultural research, requires a great deal of energy and skill trying to move into another cultural framework – and you may never get there. But the rewards of connecting with and beginning to see with another set of lenses will be great for you and the children you teach. • Your own personal experiences will influence how you interpret the stories.

7. Reflective aspect • What is our understanding of • community literacies • Understanding of culture and learning • oral literacies – (Who initiates the conversation? (the child or the adult) • What can this resource do • Give staff time and space • Identify and reflect on practice • Identify Research Framework • Complete an evaluation plan cycle • Determine the range of literacy tools that worked for the educator and child. • Develop processes to share/engage other sites. • Identify further professional development and develop new professional learning resources to capture our new knowledge • Evaluate sustainable practices • What did I plan to do? • How did I prepare myself? • What happened? • What have I achieved and why? • What haven’t I achieved and why? • Was it what I anticipated? • If yes, what went well? • If no, what could I have done differently? • How did I spend my time? • Did I do what I planned? • Has my thinking changed,has my action changed and if so how?

8. Aboriginal Learners Forum The Aboriginal Learners Forum will • Establish a professional educators network Identify key elements of effective Literacy learning for Aboriginal children • Support staff within early childhood education. This will be achieved through: • The articulation of an experiential learning process • Through recalling, reflecting, asking questions and analysing all we they do. • Provide increased opportunity to gain insight and understanding of the knowledge base from which educators draw their information • Apply that knowledge into action.

9. Early Years Literacy Plan‘START Model’Sharp (1996) Strategy for the project Targets groups and needs to be met by the project Aims, intended outcomes and when will they be met Review of the project performance and its outcomes for participants Transfer and sharing o the lessons learned. ( Enter the START cycle at whatever state is appropriate for your project)

10. Challenging our ThinkingThe only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change. (Carl Rogers) 1961 Description (What happened?) Action planFeelings (If it arose again (What did you think what would you do?) and feel at the time?) ConclusionEvaluation (What else could you (What was good and bad have done?) about the experience?) Analysis (What sense can you make of the situation?) • We often plan for action, do we reflect on the action and review ourselves to • What is the level of engagement of Aboriginal children in my site? • Who initiates the conversations? How many times does ‘Jacob’ actually seek information and who is he getting it from? • Do I know what the family literacy practices are? • What do I think I know and how is this • What assumptions am I making? Gibbs, G ( 1988): Learn by Doing. Oxford

11. Respecting Time and Space