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.

Home Language……………………..

hello goodbye

happy sad

tired angry

book painting

draw music

puzzle blocks

hat coat

outside slide

sandpit bike

toilet wash hands

computer sleep/rest

bag drink

lunch fruit

lunchbox drink bottle

Family

Mummy

Daddy

Sister

Brother

Numbers

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Days of the Week

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Other useful words for

early childhood settings