August Newsletter- Celebrating Book Week

This month, the team at Cleveland Early Learning Centre has been focussing on literacy and language development in their programs to tie in with our  Book Week celebrations. 

At our recent team meeting we explored the Abecedarian Approach of Conversational Reading, where the adult interacts with the child in the storytelling and focusses on having a conversation about what they see in the book, and how they can share a conversation about it. We are focussing on this in our story time sessions and have seen a marked improvement in children's attentiveness and interest in the books we are reading and engaging in.

The Abecedarian Approach to learning is a parent /child focussed Educational approach. Below is the link to what it is all about and it can give you some tips on reading with your child and how to gain positive interactions with your child:

3a - Abecedarian Approach Australia (unimelb.edu.au)

Children who are surrounded by daily activities such as reading, talking, storytelling, singing and sharing rhymes will experience more comprehensive vocabulary, language and cognitive development before they start formal kindergarten and school programs. Some fun ways you can help your child become confident with language and literacy are:

• try to read together every day, making this a time to cuddle close and enjoy being together
• read their favourite book again and again
• giving everything a name builds vocabulary, eg: Look at that insect. That insect is called a grasshopper. Look at it's strong legs. Why do you think it has such strong legs?
• Read with fun in your voice. Use different voices and be silly!
• Be interactive with your child when reading by asking questions and pointing our what is on the page.
• Be Print Aware- talk about written words you see as you drive, shop, and walk around the neighbourhood, not just when you are reading a story.
• Remember to tell your child just how much you enjoy reading with them.

25 Must-Read 2021 Picture Books For Your Child's Bookshelves (bookriot.com)

Please enjoy a snapshot of our Book Week costumes from our younger children.