Multicultural Policy and Early Childhood Education

This essay analyzes the Australian government's multicultural policy and its impact on early childhood education. It examines the 2017 Multicultural Australia statement and its relationship with the Early Years Learning Framework, highlighting similarities and differences. The essay also provides recommendations for integrating multiculturalism into educators' pedagogy, practice, and curriculum provision.

Australian government multicultural policy
and early childhood education

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Introduction to the 2017 Multicultural Australia .......................................................................1
Overview of the links between the 2017 Multicultural Australia...............................................2
Critical evaluation – Similarities and Differences......................................................................3
Recommendations for embedding the 2017 Multicultural Australia - Australia's Multicultural
Statement into educators’ pedagogy, practice and curriculum provision...................................4
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
The multiculturalism policy framework became a concept that articulated the
characteristic of the developing sociocultural diversity in society from twentieth century. This
policy framework had been developed in order to respond the needs of immigrants. The present
report will include an introduction to the 2017 multicultural Australia – Australia's multicultural
statement and early years’ framework. The report will also critically evaluate the multicultural
statement and early years learning framework. Furthermore, the report will include
recommendations for embedding the, 2017 multicultural Australia and its multicultural statement
into educator’s pedagogy, practice and curriculum provision.
Introduction to the 2017 Multicultural Australia
The slogan for the newly released multi-cultural statement by the Australian government
is United, Strong and Successful. Conservative multicultural policies in Australia tend to stress
social integration into existing social order (Cummins, 2015). All the citizens of Australia are
proud to be a part of successful and strong multicultural society. The story of Australia started in
the extreme past with Torres Strait islander and Aboriginal Australians who grew with the
development of British institutions and continues with individual from lands wide and far. The
security and freedom Australians enjoy is no mishap, the successful government have set out a
vision for the society that promotes diversity while emphasising the unique identity of the nation
and the necessity of being united and integrated people (De Melendez and Beck, 2018).
The statement specifically determines Irish and British settlers, involving them as living
element of the make-up of multicultural Australia, not just indigenous people or ethnic
minorities. It says Australia owes its achievements to the contributions of more than 300 various
ancestries “from the first Australians to the newest arrivals”. The Early years learning
framework(EYLF) is a main element of the National Quality Framework for early childhood
education and care. This framework was developed by the Australian and state as well as other
territory governments with the input from the early childhood academics and early childhood
sector. It has integrated feedbacks from the process of consultation, this includes two national
bodies, national public consultation forums which is a focus groups and case study trial and an
online forum.
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Government's last multicultural system in system in 2011 started with related
clarifications about multiculturalism which refers to a sensible go. It saw the necessity of
correspondence and affirmation. It also focused on the oversee of law and the significance of
English as the domestic language. The approach made an anti-racism association. Its main
message was social involvement. Starting now and into the predictable future, a parliamentary
committee on movement reliably promoted major innovations in its 2013 report (Brown, 2015).
These united a strong domestic research programme, the promotion of multiculturalism as an
approach of rights, obligations and duties in languages of communities.
The progression of amongst certainty and intercultural discussion, and an accentuation on
business related issues. The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia is an apex
collection of various multicultural groups, that have reproved the Alliance government's new
explanation for not taking care of the prerequisites; It could be either a national Multicultural
Australia Act – which was first foreshadowed in 1989 – or a national language plan. This would
mirror a bit of the focal points made for Canada by its own particular institution from the mid
1980s, and in the Australian states since 1978. The declaration recognizes a significant package
of the regular logical parts of the multicultural story. “Sensible go" reappears. Three social
affairs of characteristics are– respect, correspondence and adaptability. These are created from
the seven characteristics grasped by the Howard-time Citizenship Council report and the four
benchmarks in Labor's course of action.
Overview of the links between the 2017 Multicultural Australia
It is very essential to develop collateral competencies in children and young people, for
many educators in Australia cultural competencies is a new and unfamiliar area to focus, the
Early Years Learning Framework described cultural competencies as much more that awareness
of cultural differences among people. It is perhaps the ability to communicate, understand and
interact with people across different cultures (Bowen, 2016). The 2017 Australia's Multicultural
states that educator should focus on developing a multicultural environment in the learning of
children or young people and to evolve cultural competencies among them. Cultural
competencies include the following -
 Being aware of one's own surroundings or world.
 Developing positive attitudes towards cultural differences
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 Obtaining knowledge and understanding related to different cultural practices and views
for world.
 Developing effective skills for interaction and communication across various cultures.
 Constantly learning with respect to various cultural practices
The Australia's Multicultural statement and Early Years Learning Framework are highly
linked with each other as both focus on developing a multicultural society in Australia. The
Government has tried to focus on influencing people to promote multicultural and diversity
within the society. Multicultural statement 2017, is developed with respect to change beliefs,
thoughts and ideas of people that cultural differences can be understood only after getting older.
The Early Learning Framework is created with a main motive of developing cultural knowledge
and understanding of cultural values and avoiding differences among different cultures. This can
help children to understand the importance of equality and different cultures as well as their
values. Therefore, it is obvious that the 2017 Australia's multicultural statement is closely linked
to Early Years Learning Framework with regard to the formulation of cultural diversity and
supporting the development of a multicultural society in the country.
Critical evaluation – Similarities and Differences
There are various similarities as well as differences shares by Australia's Multicultural
Statement 2017 and Early Years Learning Framework. The major similarities between both the
policy framework is that they support multiculturalism, unity and equality among people of
different cultures specially with respect to people from Aboriginal community (Nieto, 2015).
This is a major similarity among two but there is a difference that the Early Years Learning's
Framework support the educational care to the children along with the significance of
multiculturalism. On the other hand, the Multicultural statement is a political weapon as well.
The political parties get involved in the social affairs and welfare due to some personal benefits
and there is a great political significance of getting Aboriginal community in support.
The political parties or the Government create various policies in order to get attention of
the people in the society (Early learning, 2016) Early years learning framework focus only on the
development of children and young individuals. This framework also includes educational
growth of the children, the educators are responsible to provide effective education and learning
to children. It supports the overall development of the children, the cultural awareness among
children is not only about raising cultural awareness (Hedges, 2015).
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It also focusses on motivating children to learn languages from different cultures,
understand their cultural values, respect elders and people form each and every cultural or social
background as well as promote equality. The 2017 Australia's Multicultural statement is created
with only a key concern that is to raise multiculturalism in the country, therefore it can have
concluded that the statement or policy related to multiculturalism is a political weapon used by
Australian government to get support from various communities in the country. However, the
similarity among both the policies or frameworks remains as it is – Development of
Multiculturalism in the society. It can be concluded that both the regulations or policies needs to
promote multiculturalism within society for various reasons my it is political benefit or
developing a multicultural community in the country.
Recommendations for embedding the 2017 Multicultural Australia - Australia's Multicultural
Statement into educators’ pedagogy, practice and curriculum provision.
There is various recommendation which can be provided in order to improve education
practices, pedagogy and curriculum provisions. It also concluded that The Australia's
Multicultural statement and Early Years Learning Framework are highly connected with each
other as both focus on developing a multicultural society in Australia. The Government has tried
to focus on influencing people to promote multicultural and diversity within the society. It is
very important for the educators to focus on supporting children in learning and understanding
the importance of multiculturalism and establish a support equality (Arczynski and Morrow,
2017). The council suggests that the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting
Authority, in counsel with significant government, non- government and network bodies,
consider building up an intercultural and multicultural. Instruction educational modules to be
conveyed over a scope of subjects counting English, History, Geography, Science, Civics and
Citizenship. The educational programs could include:
 Obligatory language training for students at both the essential and optional school level,
conveyed through the Australian Curriculum; also,
 Extensive intercultural instruction for students at both the essential also, optional school
level incorporating religion and religious practices, social conventions and sensitivities,
and the social and financial estimation of social mixed variety (McLachlan, Fleer and
Edwards, 2018).
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The board of trustees takes note of the accomplishment of the National Anti-
Discrimination Association and Strategy in tending to and testing bigotry and separation in
regular day to day existence. The council support the topical examination used to evaluate the
exercises completed under the Strategy and trusts that a continuous survey process will help with
keeping up the Strategy's adequacy. The Australia's Multicultural statement and Early Years
Learning Framework are highly joined with each other as both focus on developing a
multicultural society in Australia. It is very necessary to create collateral competencies in
children and young people, for many educators in Australia cultural competencies is a new and
unfamiliar area to focus, the Early Years Learning Framework represented cultural competencies
as much more that awareness of cultural differences among people The Government has tried to
focus on influencing people to promote multicultural and diversity within the society. The
children and young people are very much exposed to cultural discrimination and related issues. It
is important for the government and local authorities to promote multiculturalism in the society
or community. The education institutions can focus on developing equality and avoiding any
kind of discrimination related to race, colour, sex or culture. Many multicultural activities can be
conducted to by government as well as educational bodies to promote cultural diversity among
the people (Gegory, 2017).
The council prescribes that the Australian Government keep on give progressing backing
to the National Anti-Racism Strategy, through proceeding to finance exercises that raise open
mindfulness and engage people and networks to move and decrease the occurrence of prejudice,
and advancing the Strategy at pertinent openings. The National Anti-Racism Strategy could join
a time period survey process (Li, Fox and Grieshaber, 2017). The results of the 2015 assessment
report show that, the Strategy has been successful in bringing issues to light of prejudice and
how best to react to it. Evaluation and Future Direction Report, to evaluate the effect of special
crusades and educative devices and assets in beginning discussions, sending a message, giving
authority and enabling activity against racism.
CONCLUSION
The above report concluded that there are effective policies and frameworks that were
created and applied by the government of Australia in order to promote multiculturalism in the
society. The report included introduction in the 2017 Multicultural Australia. Furthermore, it also
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included the overview of connection or links between the 2017 Multicultural Australia and Early
year learning framework. Recommendations for embedding the 2017 Australia's Multicultural
Statement into educators’ pedagogy, practice and curriculum provision has been also provided in
the report to develop a multicultural society in Australia.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Gegory, E. (2017). One child, many worlds: Early learning in multicultural communities.
Routledge.
Arczynski, A.V. & Morrow, S.L. (2017). The complexities of power in feminist multicultural
psychotherapy supervision. Journal of counseling psychology, 64(2), p.192.
McLachlan, C., Fleer, M. & Edwards, S. (2018). Early childhood curriculum: Planning,
assessment and implementation. Cambridge University Press.
Nieto, S. (2015). The light in their eyes: Creating multicultural learning communities. Teachers
College Press.
Bowen, S.K. (2016). Early intervention: A multicultural perspective on d/Deaf and hard of
hearing multilingual learners. American annals of the deaf, 161(1), pp.33-42.
Brown, C.P. (2015). Conforming to reform: Teaching pre-kindergarten in a neoliberal early
education system. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 13(3), pp.236-251.
De Melendez, W.R. & Beck, V. (2018). Teaching young children in multicultural classrooms:
Issues, concepts, and strategies. Cengage Learning.
Cummins, J. (2015). Intercultural education and academic achievement: a framework for school-
based policies in multilingual schools. Intercultural education, 26(6), pp.455-468.
Li, M., Fox, J. & Grieshaber, S. eds. (2017). Contemporary Issues and Challenge in Early
Childhood Education in the Asia-Pacific Region. Springer Singapore.
Hedges, H. (2015). Sophia's funds of knowledge: Theoretical and pedagogical insights,
possibilities and dilemmas. International Journal of Early Years Education, 23(1), pp.83-
96.
Online
Early learning. 2016. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.raiselearning.com.au/blogs/news/5828398-promoting-diversity-
equity-and-cultural-competence-in-the-early-years>
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