Dear Franklin Families,

As we head towards the end of the term, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the important work teachers and support staff do in ensuring that learning literacy skills is a high priority across the school. Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are important literacy skills for children to have in their schooling and in everyday life. They allow us to communicate and understand the world.

At Franklin our support staff work with teachers in classrooms and with individual students to improve and strengthen literacy skills. Prep students are supported through the Early Literacy Foundation program and individually Year 1 to 5 students are helped through a Bridges reading program. Mrs Leaman co-ordinates the Peer Reading program and Lexia. Lexia is delivered online site and provides differentiated literacy instruction for students of all abilities. Home reading programs are in place to help students to practice fluency and build confidence and class teachers plan together with our Literacy Coach, Mrs Leaman, to improve writing skills.  All these interventions ensure that students are provided with the best opportunities to develop important literacy skills.

Parents and carers also play a key role in developing literacy skills. Literacy at home can always be fun or engaging and in the early years includes a range of different activities like music, dance, storytelling, visual arts and drama. Providing opportunities to engage in reading, writing, speaking and listening at home will encourage children to value these important skills, to become more confident, to discover new ideas and allow imaginations and curiosity to grow.

Some opportunities to encourage reading at home include:

• Words on toys and games
• Children’s picture books
• Birthday cards and invitations
• Using apps or devices
• Letters or emails
• Street names or signs
• Games with letters and words e.g I Spy or Scrabble
• Share books for information as well as reading stories
• Visit the local Library
• Read aloud and make time to share a book.
• Continue reading together even if your child reads independently.

Most importantly read yourself. One of the most important ways to get your child reading is to model reading. Encourage your child to read and to see reading as a normal part of the day.

Have a great week

Linda Heerey