Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) program
The Polyglots: Arabic
Information for primary school educators
ELLA is a fun, digital, play-based language learning program for children in preschool. The aim is for children to recognise the different sounds and concepts of a language other than English through the introduction of words, sentences and songs in age-appropriate experiences and practices. Early experience in language learning is an important platform for encouraging language learning in the later years of education.
Preschools involved in this project have chosen one of the available languages to incorporate into their educational program. The ELLA apps are designed to provide children with early language learning experiences and are aligned to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the Australian Curriculum (Foundation to Year 2).
The ELLA apps
- The ELLA apps are designed to be engaging and educational.
- The design and development of the ELLA apps was guided by experts in languages, early childhood and technology.
- Children play together as they explore the apps, sharing ideas and helping each other.
- Learning experiences within apps are play-based and draw on the interests and activities of young children; for example, a sandpit, cooking experiences, art activities, building and role-play.
- Educators and children learn together – an effective and collaborative learning method.
What are the benefits for children of participating in ELLA?
There are many benefits to learning another language in the ELLA program.
- Children expand their knowledge of how language works and apply these skills to other literacy tasks such as listening carefully to sounds in words. These skills will be used when children learn to read and write.
- Language learning increases memory, concentration and critical thinking skills.
- Children use social skills when they play with the apps. They share the tablets and their knowledge, and they interact and help each other.
- The apps provide opportunities for children to increase their digital skills.
- The apps create opportunities to celebrate culture and diversity, to share home languages, and to strengthen links between families and the preschool.
- The skills and understandings developed through ELLA can be extended in children’s language learning experiences at school, whether this be continuing with the same language or transferring to a new language.
The ELLA program is funded by the Australian Government and managed by Education Services Australia.
Want to find out more? Visit the ELLA website
Key Arabic language included in the ELLA apps
Each of the ELLA apps engages children in play-based activities in different contexts to provide meaningful opportunities to hear and use language. There are also many cultural elements included in the apps.
Below is a brief description of each app and some of the key words and phrases that children are introduced to.
App 1: The Polyglots in the Playroom
When exploring The Polyglots in the Playroom, children become familiar with language relating to greetings, introductions, farewells and expressing likes and dislikes.
Through engaging with App 1, children will begin to develop skills to:
- sing the ‘Hello’ song in Arabic
- say some simple greetings in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !مرحبا marHaban! Hello! مَعَ السَّلَ مَةَ! ma'a ssalaama See you later! (name) أن aaloo! Hello! (on the phone) - introduce themselves in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation (name) أنـا anaa (name) I am (name)
App 2: The Polyglots at the Beach
The Polyglots at the Beach provides a playful environment and opportunities to explore the language of colours.
While playing above and below the water, children are encouraged to interact with the language of colours, sea creatures and expressions of preference.
Through engaging with App 2, children will begin to develop skills to:
- name some colours in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation أزرق azraq Blue أخضر akhDar Green برتقالي burtuqaali Orange وردي wardi Pink أحمر aHmar Red أصفر aSfar Yellow - express some likes and dislikes in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation ر أحب أن anaa uHibbul aHmar! I like red! !األصفر أحب ال أ anaa laa uHibbul aSfar! I don’t like yellow!
App 3: The Polyglots at the Birthday Party
The Polyglots at the Birthday Party is an opportunity to explore the language of numbers through counting candles, singing songs, making cakes and saying how old children are.
Through engaging with App 3, children will begin to develop skills to:
- count to ten in Arabic
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation واحد waHid One إثنان ithnaan Two ثالثة thalatha! Three أربعة arba'a Four خمسة khamsa Five ستة sitta Six سبعة sab'a Seven ثمانية thamaniya! Eight تسعة tis'a Nine عشرة’ 'ashara Ten - say how old they are in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !خمسة أنا anaa khamsa! I am five! - say happy birthday in Arabic
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !سعيد ميالد ع 'eedu milaadin sa‘eed! Happy birthday!
App 4: The Polyglots at the Zoo
The Polyglots at the Zoo features animals in an open-range zoo and introduces children to words for foods and drinks, and phrases for being able to say they are hungry and thirsty, for asking politely and saying thank you.
Through engaging with App 4, children will begin to develop skills to:
- name some fruits in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation تفاحة tuffaHa Apple موزة mawza Banana برتقالة burtuqaala Orange فراولة farawla Strawberry
- say I’m hungry/thirsty in Arabic
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !جائع أ anaa jaai‘! I’m hungry! !عطشان أن anaa 'aTshaan! I'm thirsty! - say thank you in Arabic
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !شكرا shukran! Thank you! - make simple requests in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !عصيرا أ ureedu 'aSeeran! I’d like some juice!
App 5: The Polyglots at the Circus
The Polyglots at the Circus takes children to the magical space of a circus, providing them with the opportunity to experience language related to parts of the body.
Through engaging with App 5, children will begin to develop skills to:
- name some body parts in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation رأس ra's Head ذراع thiraa' Arm ساق saaq Leg قدم qadam Foot - say some parts of the face in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation عين’ 'ayn Eye أذن uthun Ear فم fam Mouth أنف anf Nose - say something hurts in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !يؤلمني رأسي! آه aaah! ra’see yu’limuni! Oh! My head hurts! - use some adjectives in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation كبير kabeer Big صغير sagheer Small
App 6: The Polyglots at the Park
The Polyglots at the Park features games and activities that encourage children to actively engage in learning verbs and adverbs relating to actions.
Through engaging with App 6, children will begin to develop skills to:
- respond to some simple instructions in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation ِِ!مش imshi! Walk! !اُرقص urquS! Dance! - use some adverbs in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation بسرعة bisur'a! Fast/quickly! ببطئ bibiT'! Slowly!
App 7: The Polyglots in the Town
The Polyglots in the Town provides an opportunity for children to use familiar language developed through apps 1–6 in a range of experiences in the town.
Through engaging with App 7, children will begin to develop skills to:
- name some shapes in Arabic. For example:
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation مثلّث muthallath Triangle مربع murabba' Square دائرة da'ira Circle - recognise the meaning of some words written in Arabic
- say goodbye in Arabic
Arabic phrase Transliteration English translation !اللقاء إلى ila liqaa' Goodbye/See you later!
Connections with the Australian Curriculum for Arabic
The ELLA apps provide an engaging and enjoyable resource to support children in the initial stages of learning Arabic.
The statements below are taken from the Achievement Standards of the Australian Curriculum for Arabic. They capture some of the elements that children will have learnt by the end of Year 2 – after three years of learning Arabic at school.
It is important to note that the Australian Curriculum for Arabic is written for background speakers of Arabic as this is the dominant cohort of learners of Arabic in Australian schools. It will be more challenging for children learning Arabic at school or preschool for the first time to be able to reach the Achievement Standards described in the Australian Curriculum for Arabic. Educators will be required to adjust learning programs and expectations to reflect the individual needs and abilities of children.
The ELLA apps provide opportunities for children to engage with the following statements from the Australian Curriculum. Children’s abilities and levels of achievement will be influenced by a range of factors.
- Children interact with the educator and their peers to exchange information about themselves; for example: اسمي ليلى / اسمي هاني / عمري ست سنوات
- Children use repetitive language when participating in shared activities and transactions.
- When speaking, children use the sounds of the Arabic language; for example: ق غ؛ غ؛ ص؛ ص؛ ظ؛ ظ؛ خ؛ خ؛ مثل حروف
- Children locate information about people and objects in simple texts, and share information in different formats, using illustrations and gestures to support meaning.
- Children use familiar words and phrases; for example. أحب؛ آكل؛ ؛ صغير/كبير؛ and sentence patterns in احب ان اكل / ال احب ان as such, texts simple
- Children use vocabulary and simple sentences to communicate information about themselves, applying basic rules of word order and gender.
- Children identify letters of the Arabic alphabet.
- Children name some of the many languages that are spoken in Australia, including Arabic, and provide examples of simple words in Arabic that have been borrowed from English and vice versa such as hello – aaloo !آلو
- Children identify how the ways people use language reflect where and how they live and what is important to them.
ELLA is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and is managed by Education Services Australia. © 2018 Commonwealth of Australia, unless otherwise indicated. This material, other than Commonwealth trade marks in The Polyglots characters and The Polyglots logo, may be used in accordance with the Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0 licence, unless otherwise indicated.
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Education Services Australia Limited ABN 18 007 342 421
Level 5 440 Collins Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia
www.esa.edu.au Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +61 3 9207 9600 ELLA helpdesk: 1800 468303