Offering children access to books and resources to boost language and literacy is an essential part of the learning experience at Goodstart Tweed Heads.
So much so that the team have introduced library bags filled with a book, targeted questions about the book and resources to promote reading.
As an EChO (Enhancing Children’s Outcomes) centre, Goodstart Tweed focuses on ensuring children have the learning, development and well-being outcomes they need for school and life. As part of the program, a speech pathologist Georgia Manning joins the team for a full day, once a week.
Ms Manning said the bags were developed to encourage extended learning by the children at the centre and to create a real interest in learning and strengthen the connection to literacy.
“We also really wanted families to engage in early literacy and play-based activities so we invited all of our parents to the centre to take part in an information session on how to use the bags,” Ms Manning said.
“Research shows shared book reading time is one of the biggest links to having success in reading later in life,”
Ms Manning said. “By reading they experience exposure to different sounds and noises which in turn encourages them to try out language.”
Books featured in the 10 library bags are The Very Hungry Caterpillar which is accompanied by plastic fruit and vegetables, Ten in the Bed which comes with 10 different finger puppets, and The Rainbow Fish which has a puzzle.
Tweed Heads educational leader Tracy Thurling said parents could take home the resources from the centre’s library and keep them for as long as they were needed.
“Hopefully this will help mums and dads spend time reading with their children,” Ms Thurling said. “We have one family with twins and the mum always says how difficult it is to read to her boys because they both want to be on her lap, or holding the book.
“These resources will allow the children to sit either side of mum and use the puppets or blocks while listening to the story.”
Goodstart Early Learning is a not-for-profit social enterprise, which aims to ensure every children enrolled at the service has access to a high-quality language and literacy curriculum.
Greg Antcliff, national manager professional practice, said evidence tells us how vital language and literacy were to a child’s overall development.
“It’s the foundation for doing well at school, socialising with others, developing independence and succeeding in life,” he said.
For more on book week, check out what Goodstart Moama is up to here.
So much so that the team have introduced library bags filled with a book, targeted questions about the book and resources to promote reading.
As an EChO (Enhancing Children’s Outcomes) centre, Goodstart Tweed focuses on ensuring children have the learning, development and well-being outcomes they need for school and life. As part of the program, a speech pathologist Georgia Manning joins the team for a full day, once a week.
Ms Manning said the bags were developed to encourage extended learning by the children at the centre and to create a real interest in learning and strengthen the connection to literacy.
“We also really wanted families to engage in early literacy and play-based activities so we invited all of our parents to the centre to take part in an information session on how to use the bags,” Ms Manning said.
“Research shows shared book reading time is one of the biggest links to having success in reading later in life,”
Ms Manning said. “By reading they experience exposure to different sounds and noises which in turn encourages them to try out language.”
Books featured in the 10 library bags are The Very Hungry Caterpillar which is accompanied by plastic fruit and vegetables, Ten in the Bed which comes with 10 different finger puppets, and The Rainbow Fish which has a puzzle.
Tweed Heads educational leader Tracy Thurling said parents could take home the resources from the centre’s library and keep them for as long as they were needed.
“Hopefully this will help mums and dads spend time reading with their children,” Ms Thurling said. “We have one family with twins and the mum always says how difficult it is to read to her boys because they both want to be on her lap, or holding the book.
“These resources will allow the children to sit either side of mum and use the puppets or blocks while listening to the story.”
Goodstart Early Learning is a not-for-profit social enterprise, which aims to ensure every children enrolled at the service has access to a high-quality language and literacy curriculum.
Greg Antcliff, national manager professional practice, said evidence tells us how vital language and literacy were to a child’s overall development.
“It’s the foundation for doing well at school, socialising with others, developing independence and succeeding in life,” he said.
For more on book week, check out what Goodstart Moama is up to here.