Wednesday, 2 August 2017

The Andrews Labor Government is helping pre-schoolers and their families in Gippsland improve their maths skills through a new early years’ program.

Harriet Shing, Member for Eastern Victoria Region today announced that early childhood educators at Heyfield Kindergarten, Lindenow & District Kindergarten, Longford Preschool, Mallacoota Kindergarten and Omeo Kindergarten will participate in Let’s Count training, where they will learn practical tips and get access to best-practice resources to help them develop children’s maths skills.

Let’s Count helps early years educators engage families and their children in counting, measuring and identifying patterns. The program also helps parents and carers to introduce maths to children in a fun, simple way that can be incorporated into everyday life.

Commencing in Semester 2, Let’s Count will be rolled out across regional Victoria including in Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Camperdown, Corio, Lilydale, Maryborough, Melbourne, Melton, Seymour, Warrnambool, Wedderburn, and Werribee.

About 500 educators in funded kindergartens will participate in the program over three years, and will help an estimated 14,000 pre-schoolers and their families.

Let’s Count was developed by Charles Sturt University Professor Bob Perry, Monash University Associate Professor Ann Gervasoni and The Smith Family to help children develop skills and a positive attitude towards maths before they begin primary school.

The knowledge and skills that children develop in the early years are crucial for later in life.

In 2015, a longitudinal evaluation of the Let’s Count program showed it dramatically improved children’s maths skills, with children who participated in the program performing better across a range of mathematical tasks than children not involved in the program.

We are making Victoria the Education State – this starts with giving every child a strong start in life.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos

“Let’s Count gives early childhood educators and parents simple and effective ways to make maths more interesting and fun for kids.”

“Thousands of families living in regional Victoria will benefit from this vital program that gives our kids the best start in life.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing:

“Maths skills are essential, and helping our littlest learners in Gippsland to have fun with maths will really set the right foundation for more confidence and better outcomes in primary and secondary school.

“The introduction of the successful Let’s Count program in Gippsland will also encourage parents, carers and pre-school educators in the work they’re doing to make learning fun and engaging.”