$285K grant awarded to promote early language literacy: ARACY

The Ian Potter Foundation has awarded a $285,000 grant to the Australian Research Alliance and Children and Youth (ARACY) to work with the National Early Language and Literacy Coalition to develop a national strategy to promote early language and literacy.

The National Early Language and Literacy Coalition comprises 10 national organisations with an interest in literacy, language and child development. ARACY will work with the National Early Language and Literacy Coalition partners on developing the strategy.

ARACY Acting CEO Penny Dakin said “Early childhood is a crucial time for the development of language and literacy. However, in Australia many children are falling behind their peers in early language and literacy development before they start school. A National Early Language and Literacy Strategy will strengthen these foundational skills, providing the base on which to learn other, more complex skills.

ARACY said literacy and language skills develop from birth and form the bedrock of education. The capacity, confidence and disposition to use language in all its forms underpin learning and promote general child development and wellbeing. About 6.5 per cent of Australian children start primary school vulnerable in the developmental area of language and cognition. This number is double for children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

The National Early Language and Literacy Coalition members include:

• Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA)
• Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF)
• Australian Literacy Educators’ Association (ALEA)
• Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY)
• Early Childhood Australia (ECA)
• Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF)
• Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI)
• National and State Libraries Australia (NSLA)
• Speech Pathology Australia (SPA)
• The Smith Family.