The latest early childhood links, news and resources...

Welcome to another exciting instalment of ECA WebWatch!

Only 6 days until ECA's Biennial Conference – last chance to register!

In this issue:

• Breaking down the silos in the early childhood sector
• Early childhood book awards
• Language and literacy development
• Understanding children's habits and imaginary friends
• Coping with lying, cheating and swearing

Plus:

• ECA GreenWatch
• Early childhood issues in the news

And more!

ECA Biennial Conference 3–6 October, Convention Centre Canberra

Online conference registrations close 30 September – don't miss out on what will be a fantastic conference!

Pre-conference tours
A range of pre-conference tours have just been announced for those coming to Canberra early. Register now to take part in these wonderful tours of the nation's capital!

ECA GreenWatch

Talking with children about the environment
This is a simple tip sheet about helping children to develop environmentally friendly values and behaviours, understand the environmental challenges we face, and ease their anxiety about the threat of climate change.

Talking together about breaking down the silos in early childhood

Speaking notes by Pam Cahir
Early Childhood Australia CEO Pam Cahir spoke recently at the 2008 Early Childhood Education Conference: 'Together we grow – Embracing the challenge.' This enlightening presentation focused on why understanding the notion of silos is important for the field.

Children's Book Council of Australia awards

CBCA Early Childhood category
The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) confers annual awards for 'the best' books published in Australia for children and young people. ECA Publications Committee member Jenni Connor reviews the books in the Book of the Year: Early Childhood category.

ECA's Supporting Best Practice web directory

Habits and imaginary friends
These four links outline why children develop habits and create imaginary friends, and explain ways parents and carers can approach these issues.

Lying cheating swearing
These six comprehensive links provide insight into child behaviour that often worries parents and carers.

Acclaimed early childhood television series

Life at One returns to ABCTV
The first two episodes of acclaimed early childhood program Life at One will be replayed on Tuesday 23 and 30 September at 8.30pm.

This is in preparation for the new series Life at Three, which will be screened on Thursday 2 and 9 October at 8.30pm.

Speech Pathology Australia

Learning to speak and listen – what to expect in the first five years
While individual children develop their talking and listening skills at different rates, there is a general pattern to children's language development. Speech Pathology Australia outlines what to expect and when to seek help.

New policy briefs from the Centre for Community Child Health

Literacy in Early Childhood – CCCH Policy Brief
Policy Brief No. 13 focuses on the development of literacy skills in children from birth through to the commencement of formal schooling, and looks at the important role families, professionals, services and communities play in facilitating children's development of literacy skills.

Towards an Early Years Learning Framework
This Policy Brief points policy-makers and practitioners to the general issues to be considered in the development of an Early Years Learning Framework.

Indigenous population hits 500,000

Indigenous population reaches approximate 1788 levels

'The lower end of estimates of population of the continent in 1788 was half a million. So you could look at this, in a way, as saying we've arrived back at the beginning, so to speak …'
—John Taylor, Australian National University

Free National Guide to Early Childhood Education released

National Guide to Early Childhood Education 2008/09
Pro-Visual Publishing has released the National Guide to Early Childhood Education 2008/09 which highlights key areas of health and safety for all Australian preschoolers. Follow the above link to download a copy of the guide, and request further copies here.

In the news

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report finds Australia 'second last' on education spending

'In early childhood education, Australia comes pretty close to the bottom of the class and this report also confirms that we've been under investing in higher education and vocational education and training …'
—Julia Gillard, Federal Education Minister

Abuse and neglected children missing out on childcare

'One of the painful ironies of the Australian system of childcare is that children in our community who would most benefit from long term access to high-quality childcare have the least opportunity to use it …'

For more early childhood news, visit ECA's news archives page.

Scholarship opportunity

Autism Spectrum Disorder Scholarship
The Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre at La Trobe University is offering a three-year Post Doctoral Research Fellowship to research Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The closing date is 30 September 2008. Please contact Research Director Dr Cheryl Dissanayake (c.dissanayake@latrobe.edu.au) before applying.

Quality-assured books from ECA

Professional reading is an important part of early childhood advocacy and professional growth. Experienced early childhood practitioners quality assure every book sold by Early Childhood Australia.

Aggression and young children takes a comprehensive look at the types, causes and implications of aggression in young children.

Everyday learning about managing angry feelings outlines a range of positive strategies to assist carers and parents to give young children ways of developing self-control and expressing feelings safely.

Help us expand the ECA WebWatch community
Please pass this e-newsletter service on to friends and colleagues with this link to subscribe: www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/mail

Early Childhood Australia's strength is determined by the strength of its members and supporters. It is only through your support that we can advocate for and on behalf of the sector. As a reader of ECA WebWatch you can make a big difference to the sector. By forwarding this newsletter to colleagues and inviting them to subscribe, you extend our advocacy chain – increasing our ability to communicate and work with the sector.

Let us know what you think ...
We welcome any suggestions or comments you have: webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au.

Past issues of ECA WebWatch are available on the Early Childhood Australia website.

Subscribing
If you have received this copy of ECA WebWatch from a friend and wish to subscribe yourself, simply send a blank email to subscribe@earlychildhood.org.au.
Unsubscribing
If you do not wish to receive ECA WebWatch, send a blank email to unsubscribe@earlychildhood.org.au from the email address it was sent to.
Change of address
Please send an email to webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au, clearly stating your old email address as well as your new address.

(Please remember to add webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au to your safe senders list to ensure that you receive your copy of ECA WebWatch promptly.)

ECA WebWatch - Issue 60, September#2 2008. © Early Childhood Australia.