Royal Far West School

Telephone02 9977 2452

Emailroyalfarwe-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Sounds, Words, Aboriginal Language and Yarning (SWAY)

Sounds, Words, Aboriginal Language and Yarning (SWAY) is an oral language and early literacy programme based on local Aboriginal knowledge, culture, and yarns. A key focus of the programme is to provide practical training and mentoring to build the capacity of teaching staff. SWAY is delivered within rural and remote schools and preschools throughout NSW.   

SWAY continues to grow and is shared across multiple sites across NSW.

SWAY is a targeted and whole class intervention program.  The targeted small group intervention sessions are delivered by speech pathologists via the COVIU tele health web based interface via the SWAY website, and the whole class program is delivered by teachers and educators.  Community consultation is the key to the delivery of the program.  

The SWAY training is shared in term 1 to teachers and educators across schools and preschools.   After completing training, teachers are enabled to deliver the whole class program within their educational setting. 

Our main aims are:

  • to improve the oral language and early literacy outcomes of children within rural and remote communities.  The program is shared with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children;
  • to support teachers to implement evidence based oral language strategies within the early learning environment;
  • to develop children’s knowledge and appreciation of local Aboriginal history and culture through the use of local Aboriginal yarns and language;
  • to support teachers with embedding local Aboriginal perspectives into engaging play-based learning experiences.

The SWAY program is aligned to the EYLF V2 (Early Years Learning Framework) and the NSW syllabus outcomes.

Contact:  Please email our team at sway.rfws@det.nsw.edu.au to learn more about the SWAY program.

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following people to the SWAY program and its resources:  Aunty Lois Birk, Eileen Kalucy, Joanne Blackbourn, Jenny Wells, Victoria McIlhone, Emma Lowrie, Jenny Rayner, Renee Aquilina, Jessica Birk, Julia Martinovich, Kate Quick, Jules Kingston Bray.