Program details
- Priority area: Communication
- Primary audience: Educators, parents/carers
- Delivery mode: Group training, consultancy
- Strength of evidence: Level 3 - Promising research evidence
- AEDC sub-domains:
- Language and cognitive development – interest in literacy/numeracy and memory
- Language and cognitive development – basic literacy
- Language and cognitive development – advanced literacy
- Item cost: Moderate ($600–$2000 per person/item)
Program description
The Abecedarian Approach Australia (3a) uses specific teaching and learning strategies and 'LearningGames' in early childhood environments and parenting programs to enhance the personal, social and academic achievements of young children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Research has shown that 3a enhances educational outcomes, both before and after a child starts school, by enriching and enhancing educator practice.
The provider can support educators to embed these strategies into their daily educational programs through coaching support.
Visit the 3a Education website for more details.
Detailed cost
2025
- Practitioner training: $1650 for 3 days (excluding GST)
- Affiliate trainer training: $660 for one day (excluding GST)
- Coach training: $660 for one day (excluding GST)
- Organisational training: for queries regarding onsite regional training, phone contact
2026
- Practitioner training: $1732.50 for 3 days (excluding GST)
- Affiliate trainer training: $693 for one day (excluding GST)
- Coach training: $693 for one day (excluding GST)
- Organisational training: for queries regarding onsite regional training, phone contact
Implementation considerations
- Target population: parents, as well as early childhood educators, playgroup leaders, maternal and child health nurses and centre coordinators who support children from birth to age 5 from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Program/practice descriptions and details: an introductory guide for caregivers explains how to use 3a strategies for each element. Once training is complete, the provider can coach participants to embed strategies into educational programs.
- Program adaptability: the program has been adapted for use with Aboriginal populations in Australia.
- Staffing: the practitioner-level program can be delivered by early childhood teachers, playgroup leaders, maternal and child health nurses and centre coordinators. Staff delivering the program at affiliate and coach level must have completed practitioner training. Services should consider the cost of backfill when determining the cost of accessing this resource.
- Factors to consider: consider how staff might share practice knowledge with others at the service, and how improved approaches or innovative ideas could be implemented across the service.
- Training requirements: there are 3 training options: practitioner training, affiliate trainer training and coaching.
- Australian experience: 3a training is facilitated by the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. LearningGames has been redeveloped for Aboriginal communities, including remote and regional Aboriginal communities, and is now available to early years educators working with Aboriginal families.
VEYLDF alignment
Item uses these practice principles
- Reflective practice
- Partnerships with families
- High expectations for every child
- Respectful relationships and responsive engagement
- Equity and diversity
- Assessment for learning and development
- Integrated teaching and learning approaches
Item responds to these sub-outcomes
- Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
- Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
- Children engage with a range of texts and get meaning from these texts
- Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
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