According to the State Government or Education Department, the early years of schooling starts from the age of four up to the age of nine (Prep to Grade 4). The literacy guide is divided into five different stages, with each stage listing about thirty books that children can read.
For example, for beginning readers at stage 1 (4-5 year olds), children are starting to get the feel for books and are discovering how reading works; where a book begins and knowing that the print starts from left to right. Green Eggs and Ham' by Dr Seuss is recommended for this level.
At Stage 2 (5-6 year olds), children look at pictures in books to provide context for the story. They also discover that the text imparts information or tells some kind of story. 'Harriet You'll Drive Me Wild' by Mem Fox is recommended for this level. At Stage 3 (6-7 year olds), 'The Hidden Forest' by Jeannie Baker is recommended. Children at this level may relate to the topic of the book, understand the structure of the text and will attempt to read unfamiliar words by sounding them out or through contextual clues.
At Stage 4 (7-8 year olds), children are becoming fluent readers and are able to read longer and more complex texts. 'Jenny Angel' by Margaret Wild is recommended for this level.
Children at Stage 5 (8-9 year olds), choose books they enjoy and for information. They may stay loyal to a particular author. 'Bumface' by Morris Gleitzman is recommended at this stage.
'More Books for Kids' literacy guide also outlines suggestions for parents to encourage reading in their child's life.
The guide suggests the following points: 1. Read many kinds of books to your child. These include board books, flap books, bath books, and so on. 2. Use a map and work out how to get to a person's house. 3. While on a trip, have a bag of books handy for children to read in the car. 4. Discuss a book with your child before and after reading it. It's educational and provides context. 5. Shop for books with your child. You may visit garage sales, second-hand bookstores or book fairs.
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Lucy Appadoo's Youth Learning a Second Language topic, please visit the Discussions page.