Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmel

Library visits

Each week the children visit the Primary School library and share an interactive lesson with Mrs Rogut.

Mrs Rogut starts off each lesson by allowing the children to select a book, which has been placed on a piece of square carpet in the library and to sit down and read their chosen book. This is followed by story reading time. Mrs Rogut discusses the author and illustrator with the children and invites them to look at the pictures on the front cover and make predictions about the story. As she reads the book, she asks the children open-ended questions: “What might happen next?” “What do you know about ….?”.

Rhyming words are also highlighted and brought to the children’s attention. A discussion may ensue about the characters or main idea of the story and the children often share their own experiences and relate it to the story.

This special time in a library setting is very much valued and appreciated. We are lucky enough to be on one campus and for the children to be able to visit the library on a weekly basis and familiarise themselves with this space, the rules of the library and the teachers. This all helps to build their sense of belonging to the wider Emanuel community, as well as prepare them for the transition to Primary School.

Benefits of reading and sharing stories

Reading helps children get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills and concepts such as colours, shapes, numbers and letters.
Children learn to value books and stories.
Reading sparks children’s imagination, stimulates curiosity and builds listening skills.
Reading helps develop children’s brain, ability to focus, concentration, social skills and communication skills.
It helps children learn the difference between ‘real’ and ‘make-believe’.
It helps children understand new or frightening events, and the strong emotions that come with them.
It helps your child learn about the world, their own culture and other cultures.
Reading together makes you bond with your child stronger and this gives your child a sense of intimacy and well-being.
The intimacy of reading is such a pleasurable experience that children will have a positive attitude towards reading as they grow up.
Reading calms children down and helps them to regulate.
It promotes increased communication between you and your child.
Pre-school children who are exposed to language by hearing words that are read to them and in conversation tend to do well in school.
Through starting to read early on to your child, they learn the basics of reading a book, that words represent sounds and concepts, words are read from left to write, and stories continue when you gently flip/turn the pages.
Reading promotes longer attention span, which is an important skill for children to acquire from a young age.
Reading teaches thinking and comprehension skills, understanding cause and effect, logic, as well as how to think in abstract terms.
Through reading children learn the consequences of actions, and the basics of what is right and wrong.
Books teach children about relationships, situations, personalities, and what is good and what is bad in the world they live in.
Reading builds brain networks that will benefit children long term when they transition from verbal /listening to stories, to actually reading them by themselves.
Reading activates an important part of the brain – all about multi sensory integration, integrating sound and visual stimulation.
If children learn early that reading is fun and not a chore, as they grow up and start formal schooling, they will not be stressed about reading, as they will already know reading is a pleasurable habit. Reading to your child early on, influences them to be lifetime readers!
Sharing stories with your child doesn’t mean you have to read from the book. Just by looking at books with children and talking about them, you can be a great storyteller and a good model for using language and books.
Reading stories with children has benefits for grown-ups too. The special time you spend reading together promotes bonding and helps to build your relationship with your child.

Here are two websites worth visiting for more information:

Happy Mother’s Day

We wish all our wonderful Kornmehl Mums and Grandma’s a very special and happy Mother’s Day. We hope you all get spoilt on Sunday and have a lovely time celebrating with your families. We hope you enjoy your special gifts that the children made you and the special messages from their hearts.

We look forward to seeing you all on Monday morning at our Family Day breakfast celebration from 8.00 am – 9.15 am.

Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday this week to Joshua Phillips (5), Luke Brown (5), Daniel Sikar (5) and Matteo Freedman (4). We hope you all had a lovely day.