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New First Languages resource supports early childhood learning through music
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Fiona Alston
Sep 01, 2025
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A new educational music resource, Singing For Our Little Ones, has been released to support early language learning and cultural engagement in early childhood and early primary education. The project introduces children to the Warumungu language listed by UNESCO as “severely endangered” through a suite of songs and learning materials developed in partnership with Warumungu Elders.
Led by Dr Shellie Morris AO, a multi-award-winning Aboriginal singer-songwriter and recipient of the 2025 Creative Australia Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Advocacy and Leadership, the project seeks to provide a practical and respectful model for introducing First Languages into early education settings.
The album includes nine songs in both Warumungu and English, created in collaboration with Elders Rosemary and Marlene Plummer and Miriam Frank, who are among the very few remaining fluent speakers of Warumungu. The music is designed to be playful, comforting, and inclusive of young learners’ experiences, while also encouraging meaningful connections to language, identity and Country.Curriculum alignment and cultural connection
Singing For Our Little Ones includes a set of teaching materials designed to support the use of First Languages in early learning contexts. These resources are structured to align with national curriculum documents, including the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Materials include:
- Nine lesson plans aligned to the Early Years Learning Framework and Australian Curriculum
- An educator guide to support authentic and culturally respectful engagement
- A beautifully illustrated children’s book and colouring sheets
- Lyric sheets, backing tracks and pronunciation support
The resource supports early childhood professionals in meeting learning outcomes that relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, with a focus on strengthening children’s understanding of culture and language in developmentally appropriate ways.
“The songs promote language learning through everyday moments—connecting children with culture in ways that are accessible, meaningful and joyful.”—Dr Shellie Morris AO
The project also aligns with broader national goals to revitalise and preserve First Languages and offers a template that other language communities may be able to adapt for similar work.Supporting respectful engagement in early learning
For educators seeking to include local languages and cultural knowledge in their programs, resources like Singing For Our Little Ones offer a structured, age-appropriate entry point that honours community knowledge and promotes inclusion.
Importantly, the project has been developed with and by First Nations communities, supporting the principle that language revitalisation efforts must be community-led and educator-supported. The format song, story, and visual art, engages children through familiar modes of learning while embedding deep cultural value.Resource access
Singing For Our Little Ones is available now via the project’s website.Educators, service leaders and families may find the resource useful when planning for cultural learning and inclusive practice within early childhood programs.
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