Turkish

At the Zoo

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App 4 overview

At the Zoo

The Polyglots at the Zoo includes animals and food items from a range of cultures within the diverse environment of an open-range zoo. The learning experiences encourage developing an understanding of the interdependence between people and animals. The app introduces new language relating to fruit and drinks while building on language learnt in apps 1, 2 and 3. Children will encounter many other animals in the zoo, some are endangered species while others are culturally significant. Children will meet a camel; this species is native to and significant to Turkish culture. There is also a Japanese macaque, a French water vole, a panda from China and an Indonesian orangutan.

Language learning features

  • Repetition: Turkish language is repeated in meaningful contexts, providing many opportunities to hear the language.
  • Visual cues: visual cues and gestures are aligned with spoken language to reinforce and emphasise meaning. The app uses the interactive functionality of the tablet.
  • Production: children have opportunities to produce the language. The learning experiences encourage children to mimic and play with Turkish sounds, words and short phrases.

Cultural references

Language learning experts emphasise the importance of linking language to culture. To inspire children’s curiosity about Turkish culture, the learning experiences feature cultural items and characters from Türkiye.








Unique learning experiences

Each community is unique. Teachers may find a variety of ways to apply the learning experiences in The Polyglots at the Zoo apps to a particular child, group of children, preschool, school or community.

Links to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and Australian Curriculum

Each of the learning experiences in The Polyglots at the Zoo is aligned to the EYLF and the Australian Curriculum: Languages, for Foundation to Year 2. Teachers can use this data to support planning or print the outcomes for children’s portfolios from Groups and Outcomes in the Educator dashboard.

Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

Belonging

‘Children belong first to a family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood and a wider community.’ (EYLF)

All children have the right to belong. This is reflected in the cultures and relationships of the characters in The Polyglots at the Zoo. This app provides imaginative play experiences that parallel many children’s own experiences of visiting a zoo. In this space, characters are portrayed as belonging to a community, just as children do.

Being

‘Childhood is a time to be, to seek and make meaning of the world.’ (EYLF)

When using The Polyglots at the Zoo, children can explore and expand their understanding of the world. They can take time, perhaps several weeks, to investigate other ways of being. 
Becoming

‘Children’s identities, knowledge, understandings, capacities, skills and relationships change during childhood.’ (EYLF)

When children engage with the apps, they can broaden their knowledge, understandings, capacities and skills. With tablet technology, the apps expose children to Turkish language and culture and provide for many other learning experiences.

Australian Curriculum

General capabilities - Intercultural Understanding

Reflecting on culture and cultural diversity - Explore the influence of cultures on interactions 

Students are supported to reflect on how their cultural identities relate to others and how others’ cultural identities relate to them.

Engaging with cultural and linguistic diversity - Communicate responsively

Students are supported to learn to tailor their communication in a range of contexts, demonstrating sensitivity and respect for cultural and linguistic diversity. They use their understanding of this diversity to keep communication open, flexible and focused on constructive processes and outcomes.

Navigating intercultural contexts - Adapt in intercultural exchanges

Students are supported to apply their learning in a range of interactions, using their understanding of culture and cultural diversity, and skills in perspective-taking and empathy.

Resources

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