National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is an event held every year right across Australia. This year the picture book Alpacas with Maracas, written and illustrated by Australian author Matt Cosgrove, is being read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 19th successful year, the NSS is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to instil the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children’s book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.
If you’d like to get involved with an NSS event this year, Please come along to the Bathurst, Dubbo or Albury campus libraries, where we will be reading this years book to children from local pre schools and doing some cool craft activities. The NSS kicks off at 11am on Wednesday 22 May 2019, and aims to promote:
- The value of reading books and encouraging literacy in the early childhood years.
- The many gifted writers and illustrators we have working in Australia.
- The value and fun of story time activities, and how parents, grandparents, the media and others can participate.
If you’re interested in learning more about literacy, the Library has some fantastic online resources to help you with your research, including:
- Journal of Early Childhood Literacy – a peer reviewed journal with an emphasis on papers researching issues related to the nature, function and use of literacy in early childhood.
- Pivotal research in early literacy: foundational studies and current practices – This eBook addresses such essential questions as how research informs current practices and where the field still needs to go to provide the best learning opportunities for all children.
- Organising for Literacy – This play list of 4 eVideos explore a balanced classroom literacy program that includes small and large group instruction, and opportunities to work independently in well-designed literacy corners.
- Practical Literacy: The early and primary years – This Journal is designed specifically for primary classroom teachers, to inspire and assist early years and primary school teachers to enhance their literacy teaching.
- ‘Smart’ technologies in early years literacy education – Professors Julianne Lynch and Terri Redpath discuss their article published in the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy entitled “Smart Technologies in Early Years Literacy Education“.
So please come along and join us on May 22nd as we read Alpacas with Maracas across our CSU campuses! As always, if you have any questions about this event or the resources in this post, please contact us at the library. Hope to see you there!