Implementing ELLA

ELLA preschools and school have introduced ELLA in various ways. Some ideas include the following:

• Using ‘demo’ mode to demonstrate and discuss App 1 in group time or with small groups.
• Placing the tablets in the room and allowing the children to discover and explore as individuals or in small groups.
• Using props such as world globes and maps, books, pictures and artefacts to stimulate discussion and interest while gaining knowledge of children’s prior experiences and understandings around language, culture and technology.
• Discussing the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of children and teachers.
• Introducing the ELLA program as part of a broader inquiry or focus around identity or culture or different ways of being.

ELLA includes many different apps, and it is recommended that children engage with each app for approximately five weeks. This allows children to experience, explore and consolidate the language learning from each app. Previous apps should remain available on the tablets to encourage children to revise and use, based on their interests.

You may need to accommodate children whose parents or guardians have opted them out of the ELLA program. Children who have been opted out must not access the ELLA apps at any time.

These children can still enjoy and participate in associated language learning experiences such as cooking, singing, cultural puzzles, stories, videos, inquiries, discussions and creative experiences. Such experiences will enhance aspects of their development and extend their cultural awareness.

The ELLA apps are accessible for many children with additional needs. Individual circumstances will determine whether children with additional needs can use a tablet and/or the apps. You may suggest to the family of a child with additional needs that they consult their child’s teacher, medical practitioner, therapist or specialist about whether the ELLA program is appropriate for their child.

Although preschools and schools may participate in ELLA using one device per class, previous program participants have reported optimal learning outcomes using one device per five children.

It is anticipated a child may engage with the ELLA apps for up to 30 to 40 minutes per week, and usually over a number of sessions rather than in one session.

Follow these steps to check each child’s use of the apps:

1. Log in to the Educator dashboard on the ELLA website using your ELLA login details.
2. Enter the multi-factor authentication (MFA) code sent to your email. 
3. Select the tab Groups and outcomes.
4. Tap on View your group to the right of screen.
5. You will see a bar graph showing each child’s use per week to a maximum of 60 minutes over the previous 10 weeks. This information helps ensure a child is not spending too much time on the tablet, and can also show you if a child is missing out on their turn.

Timers have been successfully used by teachers in previous years. They have enabled children in some services to regulate time spent on apps within the group. Other services used some lateral thinking; children waiting for a turn were redirected by setting up a learning experience that complemented the apps close to the tablets.

Turn-taking sheets may also be useful to assist children in sharing and regulating their time on the apps. With initial guidance from teachers, most children become competent at independently regulating, taking turns and sharing the tablets.

The Australian Government Department of Health sets out the following recommendations in the Physical activity and exercise guidelines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers (birth to 5 years) and for children and young people (5 to 17 years):

• No screen time for children younger than 2 years.
• No more than one hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 years.
• No more than two hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day for children and young people aged 5 to 17 years (not including schoolwork).

It is recommended that you keep track of current screentime recommendations and monitors usage accordingly.

Co-play on the tablets, where one of the children sharing the tablet has their avatar open on the device, is encouraged.

Apps 3, 6, 9 and 11 also feature ‘group presence’ experiences. These allow children to participate in the same learning experience while using different tablets, further extending opportunities for social interaction.

Note: Android devices must be connected to WiFi for the group presence feature to work. iPads do not need to be connected to wifi.

Data on usage of the apps will be captured, de-identified and aggregated as part of the ELLA program. The data is provided by ESA to the Australian Government Department of Education to:

• determine requirements for any future ELLA app enhancements.
• assist with targeting support to preschools and schools.
• monitor usage levels of participating preschools/schools.

The department requires ELLA participants to upload usage data on a regular basis. This is easy. Every month, simply connect all tablets used for the ELLA program to wifi. This automatically uploads and syncs devices.

• Share with families: Invite families to visit and share their language and culture. They could teach the children a song, cook food from their culture, play an instrument or tell stories from their culture.
  
  
• Use printable from the website: Download printables from the ELLA website to use in displays or as props for play.
  
  
• Create cultural displays: Display artefacts, books, postcards, pictures, dolls, clothing or souvenirs related to the country or countries where the language is spoken, or from the cultures in your preschool/school.
  
  
• Sing and dance: Learn songs and dances from the culture. Revisit the songs from the earlier apps. Investigate dress and costumes from the culture and organise a dress-up day.
  
  
• Have outings: Visit local gardens, museums, art galleries and zoos, if culturally relevant to the language or to your families.
  
  
• Celebrate: You may like to mark the children's language learning journey with an end-of-year celebration. You might like to feature food, music and dance, sing a favourite Polyglots song, or include photos and documentation in portfolios for families.