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Throughout Term 3, myself and other staff will write Newsletter articles where we require your assistance. This partnership aims to provide ongoing support to your children at both home and school.
The week before classes commenced, the Primary staff listened to Mrs Mitchell and Mrs Shaw shared their reading and oral language expertise. These discussions are based on the reshaping of the English Syllabus and current research on understanding literacy for primary students.
So, why is oral language important here at school? The video will share with you that we all have a voice, but the skill of using it can, at times, be quite challenging.
We are working hard at school to effectively build your child’s communication capacity. Please note that this requires them to have both expressive and receptive skills. Not only do we use games and activities, but during morning assemblies, this too has been on the agenda.
What can you do at home? On https://www.readingrockets.org, they share these oral language ideas that you can try at home:
When you take a walk through your neighbourhood, encourage your child to point out things she sees and to talk about them. React to her observations, ask open-ended questions (who, what, why, where, when, how), and add your own observations to encourage a lively conversation. During the walk you might want to stop and say, "Listen, what can you hear?" Or if you hear a familiar sound, stop and say, "Do you hear that knocking sound? What do you think that could be? Maybe it's a woodpecker — let's look up and see if we can spot the bird."
Read stories such as The Three Bears or Three Billy Goats Gruff. Act out the stories using different-sized stuffed animals. This is a great opportunity to talk about the concepts of "small, medium, and large." Go on a scavenger hunt in your home to find other objects of different sizes (shoes, socks, cups, etc.) and ask your child to classify the items by size. You might also ask your child if he knows another word for small and large.
Create or learn songs to expand your child's vocabulary. One idea: make up songs to describe your daily routines, periodically adding new verses that include new vocabulary words.
Play "I Spy" with your child using words that describe an object's position. ("I spy something on the carpet, in front of the couch, next to the dog.") Play games such as "Red-Light Green-Light," "Mama, Puedo," and "Simon Says" that require talking, listening, following directions, and giving directions.
Position words are used every day at home and in preschool. Use the items on the grocery shelf to give your child practice finding something above their belly button, below their nose, on the bottom shelf, and between other items on a shelf. Opportunities to use superlatives, those little endings that help describe size, are all around the grocery store. Have your child find a big fruit, a bigger fruit, and the biggest fruit in the produce section. What's the smallest item in the cart? The largest item?
This is a wonderful activity for a family picnic or for a rainy day when you're snuggled together on the couch. Share a favourite story about your childhood or a family story that's been passed down from generation to generation. Use vivid language and details about people, places, and things. Funny or scary will really get your child's attention! Your child will probably have lots of questions, which keeps the storytelling alive. You could also ask your child if she has a favourite family story of her own.
Kind Regards,
Mrs Gillian Coote
Primary Deputy Principal
When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.” – Colossians 4:6
Easel Painting in Prep
In Prep easel painting is offered as a regular experience that children can access at most times of the day. This allows uninterrupted time for the children to experiment with colour and shape. They learn how to hold the paint brush in a way that allows them to control the movement and to choose the correct thickness of brush to get their desired result. Easel painting supports the development of large and small muscle movement. Importantly the Prep children are able to experience the joy of expressing their ideas, of learning to take risks and to persevere with skills
Start of the School Day
School starts at 8:40 am, so please have your child/ren at school by 8:35 am. If they arrive any time after 8:40 am, they will receive a late note.
End of the School Day
School finishes at 3:00 pm. If your child is in car lines, they need to be picked up by 3:30 pm. If you are running late, they will be escorted to OOSH, which is in the blue building at the front of the school.
