MELBOURNE – Through play and exploration of the world, their emotions and environment, the children at Vista Valley Kindergarten in Bulleen are learning Italian through a bilingual program that runs for 12 hours a week.

Victoria’s Early Childhood Language Program, launched by the Department of Education in 2019 with just three hours of language instruction, became more substantial in 2023.

Vista Valley was one of the first 160 kindergartens in the state to embrace the initiative and aim to immerse children in the Italian language from the age of four.

“We sing, dance, read and tell stories, even with puppets. We play outdoors, do gardening and art,” explained language teacher Emilia Boussioutas and classroom teacher and centre director Arety Mavritsakis, who work together to facilitate the program.

“We also engage in board games and role-playing activities in both small and large groups.”

Boussioutas, who holds a degree in early childhood education, has Italian heritage and collaborates daily with the kindergarten staff on program planning and reflection.

She also provides linguistic resources to be used, even in her absence.

One of the children’s favourite moments is when Pippo, a dog-shaped puppet, makes his weekly appearance. Pippo arrives hidden in a suitcase filled with objects connected to the Italian language and culture.

“Learning languages other than English benefits children in pre-reading and writing skills, problem-solving, self-esteem, well-being, strengthening cultural identity and fostering deeper connections with others,” the teachers explained.

They also highlighted that the kindergarten community is inclusive of many cultures and languages.

“We are proud to promote cultural awareness among all children and educators, understanding the many advantages language plays in a child’s development.”

“We’ve observed that children gain greater self-esteem and confidence when learning new languages and they’re more inclined to share aspects of their culture with other children and educators,” they continued.

Families have shared stories with the teachers about their children teaching Italian to family members and showing an interest in learning their heritage language, something they had not done before attending Vista Valley Kindergarten.

The feedback from families is overwhelmingly positive. Even though only 25 per cent of the children have Italian heritage, learning a foreign language helps all children build a stronger connection to their own culture.

“Learning Italian has strengthened my daughter’s interest in her father’s first language, Cantonese,” one mother remarked.

“She now shows a keen interest in comparing the sounds of words in English, Italian and Cantonese.

“Sometimes, she points out similarities between Italian and English and notices how things sound different in Cantonese.”

The educators’ dedication is rewarded daily by the children’s enthusiasm for the language.

The kids ask to read books or sing songs in Italian and even use the words they have learnt in conversations, both inside and outside the kindergarten.

This journey of linguistic and personal growth transforms the kindergarten into a place where children learn the deeper meaning of inclusivity.