This course will be delivered by the Centre for Academic Literacies and English Communication Skills and is intended to cater for the English language needs of all childcare staff and providers.

The course will target various aspects of a child-carer’s interaction with childcare administrators, parents and children. The main focus of the course is written and spoken English for clear, appropriate communication to both adults and young children. The sessions strive to provide level-appropriate written language to carry out administrative tasks and communiques with parents, such as journals, text messages and Facebook posts. The sessions also address participation in conversations in English with children, parents and other staff in child-care settings. There will also be a focus on basic language development in the context of childcare, including grammar, vocabulary and common phrases.

Topics covered on the course cover both interacting with the children and interacting with parents, staff or school administration, including the following:

• Responding appropriately to children’s needs
• Giving praise
• Giving instructions
• Supporting and encouraging emergent language
• Reporting on child behaviour
• Reporting on injury
• Writing parent communications
• Participating in conversations with children, parents and staff

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Communicate effectively in spoken and written English with children, parents, colleagues, and childcare administrators, using clear and appropriate language for each audience.

2. Produce level-appropriate written communications such as journals, text messages, social media updates, and reports to parents, demonstrating correct grammar, vocabulary, and tone.

3. Engage in conversations in English within childcare settings, responding appropriately to questions, comments, and concerns from children, parents, and staff.

4. Support children’s emergent language development through the use of praise, encouragement, and developmentally appropriate instructions.

5. Describe and report incidents such as injuries or behavioural observations accurately and clearly in both spoken and written formats.

6. Apply best practices in delivering instructions, giving praise, and meeting children’s needs while maintaining a warm, professional communication style.