South Dublin Libraries – Read 2 Me
The Programme in Context
• Outcome 1 SDCC Children’s Services
Strategy Document 2011:
• “All children will have the key skills needed to
engage successfully in the education system on
entry to primary school”
• The National Strategy to Improve Literacy
and Numeracy among Children and Young
People:
• “Develop and promote models of good practise
that enable parents, families, communities,
ECCE settings and schools to work together to
support literacy and numeracy acquisition”
Holistic Service Delivery
Libraries working to promote a ‘culture of reading’ across the County:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Delivering Ready 2 Read pre literacy programme
Maths Eyes numeracy project in association with IT Tallaght, the Digital
Hub and Dublin City Libraries
Developing 123 – Early Numeracy Skills programme for pre school
children and parents
Focusing on intergenerational educational approaches to strengthen and
build the basic literacy skills of parents.
Developing library support and engagement with preschool education
services
Delivering Summer Reading programme to address the ‘reading dip’
occurring during long summer holidays
Delivering TTRS training to children with reading difficulties across branch
library network
What is Early Literacy?
What children know about
reading and writing
before they can actually
read and write
What Surveys Tell Us
Direction Research found:
• Only 31% of Irish children
have a story read to them as
part of their night time routine
• 1 in 6 parents admitted that
they never read a story to
their children at all
Why Parents?
Because:
• Children begin to read before they
start school
• The parent is a critical role model
• Parents know when their children
are ‘ready to learn’
Ready 2 Read
Based on ‘Getting ready to
read..emergent literacy and
family literacy’ – 2001 by
Whitehurst and Lonigan
•Research based
•Evaluated
•Ready to Customise
Source: CSO, March 2010
Ready 2 Read
• Ready 2 Read has been adapted to suit
the Irish cultural and education system
• A six week course for pre school children
and their parents and carers focusing on
six pre-literacy skills which help prepare
children for formal learning in school
Six Core Skills
•
•
•
•
•
•
Print Motivation
Vocabulary
Print Awareness
Narrative Skills
Letter Knowledge
Phonological Awareness
Skill 1 Print Motivation
• Choose Books with
Care
• Read With
Enthusiasm
• Use Different Tones
• Find Books With
Repeated Phrases
Tips For Parents 1
• Encourage children to think that books and
reading are fun!
• Make time for story time every day
• Children who enjoy books will want to
learn to read
• Visit your local library often
Skill 2 Vocabulary
• Choose books that have a rich
vocabulary
• Challenge children with non
fiction books
• Allow time for parents to read
to their children and then
encourage both of them to tell
the group about what they
have read
Tips for Parents 2
•It has been estimated that
children learn 4,000 to 12,000
words by ‘listening’ to stories
•Encourage your child to ask
questions and discuss the
books being read
•Use descriptive language
Skill 3 – Print Awareness
•Have fun with words – play
a game of charades
•Point to some of the words
as you say them –
especially words which are
repeated
•Say the title of the book
and the authors name
Tips for Parents 3
•Read aloud everyday print – labels,
signs, menus – print is everywhere
•Let your child turn the pages
•Let your child hold the book and tell
the story
•Hold the book upside down – see if
your child turns it around
Skill 4 Narrative Skills
•Provide the child with
props which allow them to
make up stories
•Encourage the children to
draw pictures and talk
about their drawings
Tips For Parents 4
•Tell your child stories of when you were
little and your adventures
•Encourage them to tell their stories
•Stories help children understand that
things happen in order – first, next, last
•Ask open-ended questions
•Being able to tell or retell a story helps
children understand what they read
Skill 5 Letter Knowledge
•Sing the Alphabet Song
•Have fun with Alphabet letters
•Make letters from clay or use
magnetic letters
Tips For Parents 5
•Write your child’s name
•Point out and name letters when reading
•Write words that interest your child (like
‘dinosaur’ or ‘truck’) using crayons,
magnetic letters or pencil
•Knowing the names and sounds of letters
helps children to say the written words
Skill 6 Phonological Awareness
•Being able to recognise and play with
smaller sounds which make up words
•Choose books with rhyming words
•Have fun with nursery rhymes – use
finger puppets
Tips for Parents 6
•Clap syllables in words and
songs
•Leave out rhyming words in
stories and have children fill in
the blanks
•Read poems and stories filled
with rhyming words
Why Use Your Local Library?
• Welcoming spaces – particularly
for children
• Events for families
• Website offering 24/7 and
homework help
• Great range of books, music and
DVDs
• Internet Access
• Family Friendly Opening Hours
Why Bother?
•Raises the profile of the library service to new users – particularly
in areas where there is no tradition of library usage
•Benefits of increased membership and positive impact on service
indicators
•Raises awareness of family learning
•Strengthens inter-agency working
•Delivers stock into the heart of local communities
•Facilitates skills development for library staff
The Future
•Now delivering training at branch level to
deliver the programme
•Working closely with County Childcare
Committee to train pre school staff across the
County
•Mobile Library Service now on board visiting
crèches and pre school facilities with block
loans, storytelling sessions etc
•Fettercairn Pilot Project
A short video showing the Ready2Read Programme for 3 and 4 year
olds can be found at:
http://www.southdublinlibraries.ie/videos