Early learners in Tasmania given support to ‘bounce back to learning’

The Tasmanian Government is supporting students in the early years to ‘Bounce Back to Learning at School’ after learning at home due to COVID-19 pandemic, with the help of early learning educators who will work in partnership with teachers to identify learner needs, provide resources and tailored learning opportunities.

Children in Kindergarten to Year 2 will benefit from additional classroom support, and the program will be supplemented by a Talk and Read Project which will provide almost 8,000 families with materials to engage learners and their families at home.

It will provide information which encourages oral language interaction and storytelling between parents/carers and their children, addressing missed opportunities for families to experience face to face learning through Launching into Learning sessions.

“Oral language is the foundational skill on which all other learning occurs, and we know that by targeting the skills and strategies involved in speaking and listening we are supporting children to become confident learners,” Jeremy Rockliff, Tasmanian Minister for Education and Training said.

“We recognise that investing in the first 1000 days of a child’s life can set them up for the brightest future possible, especially for those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable,” he added.

Mr Rockliff reiterated the Tasmanian Government’s strong commitment to the early years, saying it would “continue to invest in the foundational years of a young child’s life to ensure all children in Tasmania have the best start possible”.

“One of our major investments in the early years includes developing six new Child and Family Learning Centres in partnership with local communities as part of our Rebuilding Tasmania Infrastructure Investment,” he added.

More information about the Bounce Back to Learning at School initiative may be found here.