Ready Set Read – Early Literacy Preparation for Preschoolers
“The building blocks for literacy start very early in life and a child’s early literacy skills are a predictor of later literacy and academic achievement” ˆ
The years before school are often regarded as laying the foundations for literacy success later in life. It is these foundations (emergent literacy) that support your child’s transition from being pre-literate to being able to read and write.
Sadly, the latest Australian research shows that children whose literacy skills fall behind in the first few years of schooling find it very difficult to catch up to their peers, even with appropriate intervention. *
We understand that you don’t want your child to be among the 16% of primary schoolers who struggle to meet minimum literacy standards.
That’s why we’ve developed Ready Set Read, an innovative pre-literacy program for children aged 4-5.
At Ready Set Read, your child’s early pre-literacy skills will be nurtured by a highly qualified speech pathologist with extensive literacy experience.
Our aim is to build your child’s pre-literacy skills so that, when ‘big school’ starts, learning to read is easy and fun!
How can Ready Set Ready benefit your child?
Ready Set Read is an enjoyable and pressure-free early literacy preparation program for preschool children in the year before school.
Each week, your child will be guided by Vickie Leung, an experienced Speech Pathologist and former director of the Multi-Lit Literacy Centre at Macquarie University.
Vickie has supported hundreds of children as they have become confident young learners, and as a speech pathologist, is uniquely qualified to identify any ‘red flags’ that might hinder your child’s chances of future success.
In highly engaging 45 minute sessions, Vickie will help your child to develop the foundation skills needed for successful reading at school.
What happens at a Ready Set School session?
Learning how to learn in the company of other kids is part of preparing for school.
At Ready Set School, your child will join with up to four other children as they participate in games, songs, story telling and other activities that will equip your child to:
- Recognise sounds
- Build phonological awareness
- Predict patterns
- Develop print awareness
- Match sounds & letters
- Improve listening skills
- Put sounds together & pull them apart again
When can my child come to Ready Set Read?
Ready Set Read runs on weekdays at Kids First Children’s Service in Brookvale.
As Ready Set School groups are led by a qualified speech pathologist, your child may be eligible for health fund or Medicare rebates. (Please check with your family doctor or health fund for the specifics of your policy)
To reserve a place in Ready Set School for your child, contact Kids First on (02) 9938 5419
References:
ˆ Neuman & Dickinson 2002, 2010
* Smart Prior & Oberklaid, 2001
