Learning Literacy - NT.GOV.AU

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

LearningLiteracy

With Family

‘I remember sitting with my mother when I was very young. She used to always weave mats from pandanas. I was watching her hands, listening to her words and feeling the dry pandanus. Now I can make my own mat. Remember parents, you are your children’s first teachers.’

Yalmay Yunupingu.

2License Agreement: Based on the Early Learning Resources by the Australian Government, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, with content by Monash University (Professor Marilyn Fleer, Professor Sue Willis and Marie Hammer), the university of Melbourne (Professor Bridie Raban),Early Childhood Australia (Pam Cahir and Judy Radich), Curriculum Corporation (Jenni Connor, Marilyn Platek, Margery Hornibrook, Louise Poultney and Helen Smith), published in Australia in 2006, republished in 2008. Used with permission of the Department.For enquiries regarding reproduction of any part of this publication, please contact Families as First Teachers, Department of Education and Training, PO Box 4821 Darwin NT 89993520

Sharing Books is Beginning Literacy Kids enjoy learning about words and pictures when you share a book.

Ideas for families • Sitwithkidsandlookatasimplepicturebook

every day. Kids learn that books are fun. • Holdkidsclosewhilelookingatbooks.It

helps kids enjoy reading and makes them feel safe and happy.

• Pointtothewordsandpicturesinbooksas you read. Kids learn that words always carry the same message.

• Showkidshowtoholdbooksandturnthepages. Learning how books work is part of learning to read.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 3

Words are All AroundLooking at words helps kids learn that symbols can carry a message.

Ideas for families• Pointtoroadsignsinthecommunity.

Talk to kids about what they tell us.

• TalkaboutlogosandwordsonT-shirts.

• Lookatthewordsonfoodpacketswithyour kids. Tell kids what they say.

• Showkidsyournameonthelettersyouget in the mail.


Songs and RhymesSongs and rhymes help kids to practice sounds, learn language and have fun.

Ideas for families • Singsongsinyourlanguage.Kidslearn

new words and practice sounds when they sing.

• Singactionsongstohelpkidslearntothink, speak, listen and do.

• Singinghelpskidslearntohearrhymingwords that sound the same.

• Singabouteverydaythingstowellknown tunes.


Watching and Listening Watching and listening helps children to develop language.

Ideas for families• Talkwithkidsaboutwhatyouaredoing.

• Lookatbabieswhenyoutalk.Theyarelearning about how to make sounds.

• Useactionstohelpkidsunderstandlanguage.

• Showkidsyouarelisteningwhentheytalk.Repeat the same words back.


Same and Different Kids learn words to describe their world.

Ideas for families• Helpkidslearnwordstodescribethings.

“These trees are all tall.”

• Talkaboutthingsthatarethesameanddifferent. “Look at the seedpods. Some are thick and some are thin.”

• Collectthingswithkids.Sortthemintopiles.

• Talkwithkidsaboutwhatmakesthingsthesame or different.


Drawing and Scribbling Drawing and scribbling helps kids learn that symbols and signs carry messages.

Ideas for families • Talktokidsaboutsymbolsandsignsand

what they mean.

• Givekidspencils,paperandtimetoscribble and draw.

• Whenkidsdopretendwriting,askthemwhat it says.

• Writeyourkid’snameontheirpicture.


Pictures Tell StoriesKids learn language when they talk about pictures.

Ideas for families • Lookatnewspapers,booksandmagazines

with kids. Talk to your kids about the pictures.

• Attheartcentre,sharethestoriesinthepaintings.

• Paintwithkids.Askkidstotellyouthestories in their paintings.

• Drawpicturesinthesandandtellsandstories.


Telling StoriesChildren learn language from stories.

Ideas for families • Talktokidsaboutthestoriesinpaintings.

• Tellstorieswhileyoudrawinthesand.

• Drawwithkids.Talkaboutthepictures.

• Tellkidsstoriesaboutwhenyouweregrowing up.


Pretend Reading is Practice ReadingChildren make up stories about pictures before they can read the words.

Ideas for families• Showkidshowtousebooks.

• Pointtothepicturesinbooks.Ask,“What’shappening here?”

• Listentokidswhentheytellyoustoriesabout the pictures in books.

• Givekidspicturebookstopretendread.


Reading Gives InformationKids learn that reading gives us information.

Ideas for families• Usehandsignswithkids.Theyarelearning

about communicating with symbols.

• Lookatmagazinesandnewspaperswithkids. Talk about the pictures and the written information.

• Readpostersaroundthecommunitywithkids.

• Lookatfoodlabelsintheshop.Thelabeltells us what is inside.


Reading Helps UsKids learn that reading can tell us how to do things.

Ideas for families• Talktokidsaboutwordsthattelluswhatto

do. Read labels on the medicine bottle. The words tell us how much medicine to take.

• Showkidsthewritingonthefoodpacket.“The words tell us we need two cups of milk.”

• Lookatamapandshowkidswheretheylive and places they know.

• Showkidssignsaroundthecommunity.“The sign tells us the shop is open.”


Computers for Reading Kids learn that families find and read information from computers.

Ideas for families • Kidsseeyouusingcomputers.Kidslearn

that computers are used for reading and writing.

• Reademailmessagestokids.Kidslearnthat words carry a message.

• Showkidstheemailmessagesyouwrite.Kids learn that computers can send messages to people in other places.

• Lookupthingsontheinternetthatyourchild is interested in.


Mobile PhonesKids learn that families use reading and writing to send and get messages on their phone.

Ideas for families • Letkidstalkwhenfamilyringsup.They

learn about talking and listening.

• Readtextmessagestokids.Showthemthetext. They learn that letters carry messages.

• Talkaboutwhatyouaredoingonthephone. Kids like to have a turn.

• Showkidshowyoumakelettersandnumbers on the screen.


Talking About TV Talking with kids about what you watch on TV helps kids to think and learn.

Ideas for families • WatchTVorDVD’swithkids.Talkabout

what is happening.

• AskquestionsaboutwhatyouseeonTV.

• Singanddancetothesongs.

• PracticethesamesongsanddanceswhentheTVisoff.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 16ProducedbytheBatchelorInstituteofIndigenousTertiaryEducationfortheNorthernTerritoryDepartmentofEducationandTrainingAboriginal people should be aware it is possible some people in this resource may have since passed away. 16

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Learning Literacy - NT.GOV.AU