Literacy

To begin the year, we would like to take this opportunity to promote the benefits of reading aloud to or with your children.  

Reading aloud is of such recognised benefit, classroom teachers regularly find time in their busy school day to stop, read and enjoy books.  Read on to discover just three of the reasons that reading aloud to your children at home is a wonderful way to support their literacy progress

1. Reading aloud gives children access to books that are beyond what they might be able to read on their own.

Reading aloud to children enables them to enjoy rich stories and factual texts that explore many areas of interest without the need for them to know every word.  Building background knowledge in this way can be as quick as a 5 minute exploration of one page in an atlas, or as luxurious as a 15 minute read of the next chapter in a bedtime story.

2. Reading aloud exposes children to new vocabulary

Wide vocabularies support success in both reading and writing.

Reading aloud to your children provides opportunities for them to hear new words in context, perhaps include them in later conversations and eventually use them in their own writing.

3.Reading aloud to children provides them with a model of fluent reading

When we read aloud to children, they can tune their ear into what fluent reading really sounds like. Children get to hear how you group your words, where you pause, where you add stress in words and sentences and how you add expression to bring the story alive. 

We hope that you will continue to read to and with your children throughout all their years at primary school.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the literacy programs at St Cecilia’s

Marnie Chapman mchapman@scgleniris.catholic.edu.au

Tracey Toner ttoner@scgleniris.catholic.edu.au

A warm invitation...

Marnie and Tracey will run the first Literacy Helpers Training Course on Wednesday March 1st, 2.30-3.20pm at school.  This course will outline how helpers can assist students with their literacy activities in the Foundation and Year 1 classrooms, and outline requirements for becoming a volunteer at school.

Interested participants can contact Marnie Chapman by email to register their intention to attend.  All helpers need to have attended this session prior to working in the classroom with students.  

Information source: Riss Leung, Literacy Consultant

Riss Leung is an Australian literacy consultant. She's a former primary school principal and loves all things related to literacy and literature.