Following a study, that 4-year-olds showed improved reading skills after 13 and a half hours of phonics lessons, researchers are calling for phonics lessons to be rolled during preschool.
Staff-to-child ratios could be scrapped and Educator qualifications relaxed after a Senate report questioned the evidence for stringent regulation within the early childhood industry.
To develop children's speech and language skills it's important to talk to children. New Studies suggest that how you talk to children matters just as much as how long you spend talking to children.
Educators will strike again for equal pay, on the 5th September, the fourth in 18 months, demanding equal pay is taken seriously at the next election.
For Educators who use YouTube Kids to show videos of current interests to children, as part of your intentional teaching or for extension of learning please be warned that there could be graphic material hidden inside of the video. Please watch the video before showing the children.
I'm toast in the toaster (bend down low, place hands on knees and tap)
I'm getting very hot (repeat above action)
Tic, toc, tic, toc (move head left and to the right)
Up I Pop! (jump up and stand up)
While working with children, early childhood educators have an increased risk of contracting a range of vaccine-preventable diseases through their daily interactions with children.
For NSW children, from April 2018, children from 6 months to under 5 years will be offered free influenza shots.
In Victoria, there are loopholes that allow violent sex offenders obtain working with children checks by appealing to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) when working with children's checks had previously been denied by officials.
An easy science experiment that uses simple ingredients to form salt crystals.
A new study from Macquarie University has found that Educators talk less to babies and toddlers ranging from 50 words per minute while some Educators only use 10 words per minute.
Budget documents have revealed that the Turnbull government is withdrawing funding for preschool children, putting preschool at risk for thousands of young children.
The $440 million cut, reported in the Australian Financial review, reveals the government spending on the national Partnership agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education will end from June 30 2020, saving more than $440m. Combing this with also cuts to the Quality Agreement program announced in the May budget will earn savings close half a billion dollars.
Under the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education, Victorian children aged four receive 15 hours of kinder each week.
Mitchell Institute Megan OConnell said compared to the rest of the world Australia is lagging behind by offering only 1 year of funded preschool for children when 2 years is regarded as international standard.
The Lifting Our Game report highlights that not only is Australia ranked 24 out of 26 OECD nations in terms of its investment in early childhood education, but it is one of just 11 nations worldwide to provide one year of preschool – putting it on par with countries like Angola, Bermuda, Iran and Nigeria.
Preschool children and Preschool educators across Australia are now facing doubts on the viability of preschool. Preschool is an important part of a child's learning as it set them up for school. It will be a missed opportunity for all young children if the funding gets withdrawn.
Reference:
"Turnbull To Scrap Finder Funding", Premier Of Victoria Media Release, 6 August 2018
