Literacy
Aim
Literacy permeates all areas of the nursery. The nursery as a whole is organised in order to promote and enhance development literacy and to promote positive images and role models for the children.
Learning will be achieved via a mixture of adult directed and structured free play activities, delivered through cross-curricular activities and topic based themes.
Objectives
To provide a stimulating environment in which Literacy skills can be nurtured and developed. To provide visual, auditory and tactile experiences which will provide stimuli for all children.
Reading :
To foster an enjoyment of books within the children.
The activities will enable the children to develop skills in using books as a means of gathering information, and as a means of gaining and sharing pleasure.
Writing:
To provide opportunities for children to explore and develop skills in using writing as a means of communication.
The children will experience the use of writing as a means of conveying information, expressing one’s thoughts, ideas and feelings, and as a means of recording and ordering facts and information.
Operating Policy
The nursery will be organised in order to facilitate the development of the following areas of literacy:
• Reading
• Writing
A programme of activities based upon structured free play and staff directed work will be implemented and there will be opportunities for the children to communicate with peers, nursery staff, other adults and visitors to the nursery.
For children whose first language is not English, the nursery will offer support and show respect for the home language and culture of the child through the use of labels, books, pictures and other equipment which reflects and values their home language and culture. If possible parents will be encouraged to come into the nursery to share their knowledge with children and staff, and offer support to the bilingual learner.
The programme of activities will help the children to develop an awareness of how language is constructed and the children will be encouraged to listen to and form sounds and letters.
Equipment will be carefully selected to represent the nursery’s commitment to equal opportunity and will provide positive images for all the children.