Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) program
The Polyglots: Hindi
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 Hindi 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 Hindi
- say some simple greetings in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation नमस्ते! namaste! Hello! फिर मिलेंगे! phir mileṅge! See you later! हैलो ha̅īlo! Hello! (on the phone) - introduce themselves in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation मेरा नाम(name) है। merā nām (name) ha̅ī। 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 Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation नीला nīlā Blue हरा harā Green नारंगी nāraṅgī Orange गुलाबी gulābī Pink लाल lāl Red पीला pīlā Yellow - express some likes and dislikes in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation मुझे लाल रंग पसंद है! mujhe lāl raṅg pasaṅd ha̅ī! I like red! मुझे पीला रंग पसंद नहीं है! mujhe pīlā raṅg pasaṅd nahīṅ ha̅ī! 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 Hindi
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation एक ek One दो do Two तीन tīn Three चार chār Four पाँच pāṆch Five छ: chhah Six सात sāt Seven आठ āṭh Eight नौ na̅u̅ Nine दस das Ten - say how old they are in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation मैं पाँच साल का ह! ma̅īṅ pāṆch sāl kā hūṆ! I’m five years old!(male speaker) - say happy birthday in Hindi
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation जन्मदिन की बधाई! janmadin kī badhāī! 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 Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation सेब seb Apple केला kelā Banana संतरा saṅtarā Orange स्ट्रॅाबेरी sṭrāberī Strawberry
- say I’m hungry/thirsty in Hindi
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation मैं भूखा ह! ma̅īṅ bhūkhā hūṆ! I’m hungry! (male speaker) मैं प्यासी ह! ma̅īṅ pyāsī hūṆ! I’m thirsty! (female speaker) - say thank you in Hindi
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation धन्यवाद! dhanyavād! Thank you! - make simple requests in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation मुझे एक सेब का रस चाहिए। mujhe ek seb kā ras chāhiye। I’d like/I want an apple 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 Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation सिर sir Head बाँह bāṆh' Arm टाँग ṭāṆg Leg पैर pa̅īr Foot - say some parts of the face in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation आँख āṆkh Eye कान kān Ear मुँह muṆh Mouth नाक nāk Nose - say something hurts in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation मेरेसिर में दर्द है! mere sir meṅ dard ha̅ī! Oh! My head hurts! - use some adjectives in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation छोटा chhotā Big बड़ा baṛā 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 Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation ِِचलो! chalo! Walk! नाचो! nācho! Dance! - use some adverbs in Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation तेज़! tez! Fast/quickly! धीरे! dhīre! 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 Hindi. For example:
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation त्रिकोण trikoṇ Triangle वर्ग varg Square गोला golā Circle - recognise the meaning of some words written in Hindi
- say goodbye in Hindi
Hindi phrase Transliteration English translation फिर मिलेंगे! namaste! Goodbye!
Connections with the Australian Curriculum for Hindi
The ELLA apps provide an engaging and enjoyable resource to support children in the initial stages of learning Hindi.
The statements below are taken from the Achievement Standards of the Australian Curriculum for Hindi. They capture some of the elements that children will have learnt by the end of Year 2 – after three years of learning Hindi at school.
It is important to note that the Australian Curriculum for Hindi is written for background speakers of Hindi as this is the dominant cohort of learners of Hindi in Australian schools. It will be more challenging for children learning Hindi at school or preschool for the first time to be able to reach the Achievement Standards described in the Australian Curriculum for Hindi. 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, नमस्ते, आप कै से हैं?, मेरा नाम गीता है
- Children express thanks, likes and dislikes; for example, मुझे आम पसंद हैl, मुझे संगीत पसंद नहीं हैl
- Children use repetitive language when participating in guided activities; for example, नमस्ते, बैठ जाओ, धन्यवाद
- When speaking, children use the sounds and patterns of the Hindi language; for example, त, थ, ग, घ, ट, ठ, द, ध
- Children identify words and phrases in simple texts.
- Children respond to texts that they have listened to, or participated in through singing, drawing, movement and action, and use illustrations, familiar language and non-verbal forms of expression to interpret and adapt Hindi songs.
- Children use familiar words and phrases; for example, बैठ जाओ।, चलो चलेंI
- Children use basic rules of word order, and gender in simple sentences.
- Children identify themselves as members of different groups and describe different words they use when communicating in Hindi and English.
- Children make connections between spoken Hindi, including vowels, consonants and conjuncts, and the use of Devanagari script.
- Children distinguish between question, answer and statement forms; for example, आप कैसे हैं?
- Children identify the use of pronouns and verbs in relation to actions and commands.
- Children name some of the many languages that are spoken in Australia, including Hindi, and give examples of simple words in English that have been borrowed from Hindi and vice versa, such as चटनी, रोटी, फ़ुटबॉल, ब्रौकोली
- Children identify how language usage reflects where and how people 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