ELLI

KU Early Language and Literacy Initiative (ELLI)

KU received $497,000 to be utilised over 4 years as part of the Australian Government's 'Stronger Families and Communities - Invest to Grow' strategy. This funding is to be used by the Early Language and Literacy Initiative (ELLI) to implement and evaluate a literacy development program in two of KU's South West Sydney preschools.

The programs, based on existing research into early language and literacy development, will help to enhance the language development of children seen to be educationally at-risk, and will work to increase the literacy knowledge of these children in their preschool years.

Why is KU ELLI important?

KU ELLI brings together the existing research and knowledge regarding the influence of preschool experience and family interaction on the language and literacy development of children seen to be educationally at-risk.

In particular, development in language and literacy learning has been shown by Snow and by Dickinsen as an inherently social experience - an interactive process by which a child makes their own meaning of the sounds, words, reading and writing that they experience. It is a process that is influenced by the child’s family and their cultural and ethnic background.

The programs have been specifically aimed at an area of Sydney where there are particular concerns about the literacy levels of children entering school. It is also an area where a significant number of children have been identified as having speech and language delays/disorders/disabilities. 

How is the KU ELLI program implemented?

The KU ELLI program provides centre staff with inservice opportunities to learn about industry-leading practices in the development of language and literacy. This knowledge is then used to develop centre programs that meet the needs of children within the local community.

The program also works closely with families to assist them in better understanding the language and literacy needs of their child/ren. This is achieved by providing families with interactive learning experiences as part of the centres' programs and through the support of a Speech and Language Pathologist and Literacy Support Specialist.

It is anticipated that each year approximately 70 children and members of their families will benefit from their participation in the KU ELLI program.

Key findings of the KU ELLI program

The KU ELLI preschools have successfully implemented a number of social constructivist strategies to promote the children's development of language and literacy. These strategies take into account the cultural and social diversity of the communities in which the programs operate and reflect the relationships that exist between the staff, the children and their families.

The strategies that have proven to be most effective in enhancing children's development include:

  • A focus on enhancing the relationships within the context of the preschool, between staff and adult family members, and with the children.
  • Offering a comprehensive staff development program that not only provides information to staff on areas such as the development of speech and language, early literacy and working with families, but also emphasises the importance of planning for these areas as part of the daily program offered at the preschool.
  • The provision of a Speech Pathologist and a Literacy Support Specialist to support the preschool staff in planning programs that cater to the children's language delays and disabilities and to share their knowledge and experience with the children's parents and families.

Further information on KU ELLI

If you would like more information about the KU ELLI program, please visit the Programming Ideas page or email Judy Croll, the Project Coordinator, at judy.croll@ku.com.au.