The Early Years strategy aims to support families to be best prepared to commence school. The on school site Early Learning Programs (ELPs) deliver the 3a Abecedarian Approach Australia (3a) which are evidence-based strategies to enhance the academic, social, and personal achievements of young children.
3a is implemented through four core components: Language Priority-every interaction is an opportunity to build language, Learning Games-structured play activities, Conversation Reading-back-and-forth reading with discussion, and Enriched Caregiving-adding educational content to daily routines. Implementation involves training educators to embed these strategies into their daily programs to support children’s development through rich, interactive, and enjoyable experience.
Research shows that 3a enhances educational outcomes, including cognitive, emotional, and communication skills, before and after a child starts school. The approach prepares children for school by building their cognitive and social-emotional skills. The positive effects of the 3a approach extend into adulthood, contributing to better academic results and overall well-being.
Learning Games in practice:
“In my Early Learning Program, I implement the 3a Approach to teaching and learning by thoughtfully integrating age-appropriate learning games that promote active engagement, purposeful interactions, and strong relationships. Each game is carefully selected to suit the developmental stage of each age group and is rotated every three weeks to maintain interest and ensure variety. At the beginning of each session, I introduce and explain the current learning game to parents. To further support engagement, information about each game is displayed throughout both the indoor and outdoor environments, encouraging spontaneous participation from children and their families. Once families complete a game together, children proudly add a stamp to their learning games chart”.
ELP Coordinator.
For more information on the BHP Pilbara Education Partnership ELPs: https://bhppilbaraeducationpartnership.wa.edu.au/early-years/’
