Library News

Mrs Cain

Library with Mrs Cain

Library Borrowing

The library is open for student borrowing on the following days.

Monday and Thursday - recess - K/1/5/6

Wednesday and Friday - lunchtime - 2/3/4

Each year level also has a time they will come and borrow with their teacher.

Monday - Yr 3

Tuesday - Yr 4, Yr 5

Wednesday - Yr 6

Thursday - Kindergarten

Friday - Yr 2 & Yr 1

LIBRARY BAGS - Only students who have a library bag can borrow books to take home. These bags need to be able to protect the books as they are transported home and returned.

LOST OR DAMAGED BOOKS - In the unfortunate event that a book is lost or damaged please let me know straight away.

Choosing a ‘Just Right’ Book to Read

I often get asked how children choose a book that is just right for them. One strategy is the ‘5 Finger Rule’, a quick and simple way to gauge if your child can read a selected book. According to Scholastic Australia, your child should be able to recognise at least 90 per cent of the words independently, as constantly pausing to decipher words beyond this can hinder their ability to grasp the story's overall meaning. I’ve included a simple poster to explain this strategy. If you’re interested in learning more about some comprehension strategies you can include at home, you can visit the Scholastic link here.

CBCA Books of the Year Shortlist

Each year, the Children’s Book Council of Australia hold their Books of the Year Awards, which runs in conjunction with Book Week across Australia in August. These awards acknowledge the very best of Australian literature released over the last twelve months across six categories including:

Older readers
Younger readers
Early Childhood
Picture Book
New Illustrator
Eve Pownall Award (non-fiction books)

You can read more about these books here.

Book Club

Book club has closed. Orders will be handed to children when they arrive, which may be the beginning of Term 2.

Premier's Reading Challenge

The Premier's Reading Challenge begins on Monday 26th February and runs until Friday 23rd August. Students from Kindergarten to Yr 6 are invited to read a set number of books in that time. The requirements are:

level	Total number of books to be read	Minimum number of PRC books	Maximum number of Personal Choice books	Booklists included as PRC book choices
K-2	30	20	10	K-2, 3-4, 5-6
3-4	20	10	10	3-4, 5-6, 7-9
5-6	20	10	10	5-6, 7-9

K-2 students can nave the books read to them.

3-6 students need to read the books themselves.

Please talk with your children about completing the challenge this year. Each child who completes receives a certificate. Children who wish to complete the challenge are asked to let me know so I can register them as soon as possible.

SORA

Don't forget you can access books and magazines via SORA .

Getting started with Sora

With Sora, you can get free ebooks and audiobooks from your school.

Step 1 ______________________________________________________

Install the Sora app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, or go to soraapp.com.

Step 2______________________________________________________

In Sora, click on I have a setup code, then sign in.

Note: If you need your sign-in information (like an ID, username, or password), it is the same one you use to log into your chromebook. Ask you class teacher if you aren;t sure what this is.

The “setup” code is cenetau

Sign into your School – Select your school - ACEN

Step 3______________________________________________________

Browse the

tab and borrow a book. Your book will open so you can start reading right away.

Step 4______________________________________________________

Close the book and go to

see all your books (including assignments). From there, you can:

Select Open book or Open audiobook to read or listen to the book.
Select Options to renew or return the book, see your notes and highlights, and more.

Premiers Reading Challenge Books can be found in Collections in folders marked NSW Premiers Reading Challenge K-2, NSW Premiers Reading Challenge 3-4, NSW Premiers Reading Challenge 5-6.

The following link may also be of help when navigating SORA

https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/x1crca6t1n?videoFoam=true

You will need to use your school username and password to access this.

World Book Online

Our school has a subscription to World Book Online! This means you have FREE access from home or on the go with any internet-connected device.

What is World Book Online?

A safe, trusted, 21st-century learning environment for students.

Homework help
Read stories, articles, and current events
Complete activities and Webquests
Play educational games
Interactive maps
Citation builder
Learn how to do research
Explore pictures and videos
Find reliable information for assignments and projects

A new feature is available on World Book Online for dyslexic students. Students can now change the font to Opendyslexic font via the Tools & Settings button in each article. “OpenDyslexic is a typeface designed against some common symptoms of dyslexia”. This feature is currently only available in World Book Student.

Encourage Learning Anytime, Anywhere!

Username: stmaryscps

Password: library

Why Is Reading Books Important In a Digital Age

Teachers often get asked why is it important that children read physical books, after all they spend time reading online so surely that is enough. I often get asked how relevant libraries are in this modern world. There is a great deal of research taking place as our children live in a world where information is so quickly accessible via the internet, yet literacy skills are either plateauing or falling. Below is an infographic showing the results of an OECD study into the impact of reading books in paper form, in digital form and not reading at all. The results are similar to many other studies. They show that reading in any form, but especially print books, has a positive impact in children's learning outcomes. The earlier our children start to enjoy books the better their long term success.