Fostering a love of reading

Early in my career, I worked as a ‘Train the Trainer’ (Literacy) for Independent Schools Victoria. I am passionate about Literacy and developing a love of Literature in children. We know as educators that early language experiences lay the important foundations for Literacy development. The way in which children begin to make sense of the world is constructed through the language they use.

At St Michael’s, we design Literacy teaching and learning experiences to cater for all students at various levels of their literacy development in the early years, understanding they come to us with varied knowledge and skills. Importantly, while we appreciate that when children start school they are learning to read, we also never lose sight of the fact that they are always reading to learn. Fostering a love of reading and writing is an important factor in developing literate students.

In March, we had the pleasure of welcoming a small group of community members to the Gipson Commons for our first AskAnExpert session for 2023, to explore the topic of Literacy. This was an opportunity for current families and the wider School community to expand their knowledge, while also discussing ideas and asking clarifying questions on how to best support young children as they navigate the exciting but complex act of learning how to read.

The interactive and engaging session addressed the fundamentals of what to expect when your child is learning to read. Going back to basics, we explained the key elements that early literacy programs focus on to develop children’s decoding skills, comprehension skills and strategies parents can implement to support their child at home while they are learning to read. Mrs Belinda Klose led an interactive activity that demonstrated first-hand how our students learn to read using the Little Learners Love Literacy Program.

At St Michael’s, we are committed to ensuring that we provide a differentiated approach to learning, so that all students have access to the Literacy curriculum. During the session, we spoke about the need for explicit teaching that targets the various needs of students, and through evidence-based programs, such as the Little Learners Love Literacy Program we use at St Michael’s, we awaken and engage cognitive function that enables us to build the vital pathways and connections towards fluency in reading.

My thanks to the families who registered and attended this event, as well as to Mrs Klose who co-presented this most worthy session.

I encourage future families to attend the AskAnExpert sessions, which will be held in subsequent terms. Every session is run by a different subject matter expert and provides an insightful perspective on the learnings and challenges our children face in and outside of today’s classroom.

Mrs Nicole Armatas Deputy Head and Head of Junior School