A love of reading can be the single biggest advantage any learner has during their academic years.
This is something Roosevelt Park Pre-Primary School is striving to instill in its little learners, as demonstrated by a recent evening picture book event hosted last week.
Delighted children arrived dressed up in their favourite book characters and were treated to a special reading event by teachers in costume while their parents enjoyed a short talk.
Principal Joan Ferreira, festively dressed up as a character from the book Where The Wild Things Are, said, “Seeing so many parents here tonight shows the commitment you have towards your children’s education and for that, we are all so grateful.”
Julia Heaney, the school librarian at De La Salle Holy Cross College, hosted the talk using her 45 years of experience as a children’s librarian to offer insights for parents about the critical importance of reading with their children.
Colourful bookshelves in every corner of the school are stacked with displays and collections of picture books the children not only enjoy interacting with but are unconsciously learning from.
“Reading from a young age boosts the development of children in every way,” said Heaney.
She described several benefits in particular as being evident including listening and language skills, cognitive and emotional development, increased vocabulary, and more obviously, helping with actually learning to read.
“Picture books of today are in their golden age and are works of art with different styles of drawing, narrative styles and have a richness which is so good for developing brains.”
The key takeaway from the night was to try and have a few books available in different places which can be easily accessed. “Always keep a few books in the car to read when you are waiting to pick up an older child, to take into the doctor’s office to read together as you wait for your appointment, and more obviously, in different rooms at home.”
The school, which opened in 1956, has a strong community of current and past pupils and parents who maintain a relationship with the pre-primary for many years, even decades after no longer need their services.
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