Welcome to Week 10!  

Each fortnight, I’ll be featuring one of our staff members within the WISH team, so our families can get to know who is supporting the students at Robertson State School.   

This fortnight, we meet one of our Inclusion Teachers, Karen Ginns.   

Wishing all of our Robertson families a wonder Easter break.  Stay safe and have fun! 

Until next fortnight,   

Amanda Slinger  

HOSES  

Speech-Language News

Supporting Your Child’s Reading, Oral Language, and Literacy Skills Over the School Holidays

Set Your Child Up for Success in Term 2!

As we approach the Easter break, it's a wonderful time to reflect on how we can continue to support our children’s learning even during the holiday season. Research shows that keeping kids engaged with reading and language activities over the break not only strengthens their skills but helps them return to school ready for success in Term 2.

From Prep to Year 6, developing strong literacy and language skills is essential for your child’s academic journey. The good news? There are plenty of fun and simple activities that parents can do at home to keep these skills sharp without the pressure of formal lessons. Plus, the more you engage with your child, the more fun it becomes!

Activities to Boost Literacy and Language Skills Over the Holidays:

1. Read Together Daily:

• Reading with your child is one of the most effective ways to improve their literacy skills. Whether it’s storybooks for younger children or chapter books for older students, take time each day to read aloud together.
• Why it's fun and important: Reading builds vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. It also sparks creativity and imagination, helping children connect to the world around them. Plus, it’s a perfect way to unwind together.

2. Create a Family Storybook:

• Get creative and write a family story with your child. Have them dictate the story to you, or work together to come up with ideas, characters, and plot twists.
• Why it's fun and important: Writing reinforces spelling, grammar, and sentence structure, while also boosting creativity and confidence. Children love to see their own ideas come to life in a book!

3. Play Word Games:

• Games like Scrabble, Boggle, or simple rhyming games (e.g., “I spy with my little eye something that rhymes with 'cat'”) are fantastic for improving oral language skills.
• Why it's fun and important: These games help children expand their vocabulary, improve spelling, and enhance their understanding of word patterns.

4. Engage in Conversations:

• Take time to have daily conversations with your child about their interests. Ask open-ended questions and encourage them to explain their thoughts.
• Why it's fun and important: This builds oral language skills, boosts confidence in speaking, and enhances listening and comprehension skills. It also helps children learn to express themselves clearly and effectively.

5. Visit the Library

• Make a trip to your local library an exciting outing! Many libraries offer holiday programs, storytelling sessions, or themed book clubs that can spark your child’s interest in reading.
• Why it's fun and important: Libraries are a great resource for finding new and exciting books, and reading widely exposes your child to different writing styles and genres. It also helps to foster a lifelong love of reading.

6. Act Out a Story

• Pick a favorited book or fairy tale and have your child act out the characters and scenes. You could even make simple costumes or props for extra fun!
• Why it's fun and important: Acting out stories enhances comprehension, memory, and verbal skills. It also encourages your child to think critically about the characters and plot.

7. Practice Spelling with Fun Activities

• Turn spelling practice into a fun activity by using materials like magnetic letters, chalk, or playdough. You can also create a “spelling bee” at home with fun challenges!
• Why it's fun and important: Spelling is a crucial part of literacy and practicing it through hands-on activities makes it more engaging and less like a chore.

Engaging in reading and language activities over the holidays not only keeps your child’s skills sharp but also sets them up for a smoother transition back to school. As we look forward to the next term, let’s take advantage of these opportunities to strengthen our children’s literacy skills in a fun and meaningful way. After all, learning doesn’t stop when school does – and the holiday break is the perfect time to enjoy some quality learning moments together.

Warm regards and until next time, 

Morgan Johnson  

Speech-Language Pathologist  

Robertson State School (Wednesdays & Thursdays)