Dear Families,

Yesterday we held a Pop-Up Winter Reading Session in the LiL playground after school to promote reading and a love of books, stories, and storytelling across our school.  Fifteen families were entertained by our guest storyteller Tamas Oszvald. Tamas mesmerised us with a Hungarian Folktale. 

As long as there have been people, there have been stories. From the stories told in paintings on the ancient caves, to the bedtime stories told to young children, stories make up our history and guide our future.

Some stories have lasted hundreds and even thousands of years and are still being told. Stories began with the oral tradition, meaning they were passed on by being heard and retold. Later, people began to write the stories down, but we still love to hear stories told out loud.

You probably have favourite stories of your own. Maybe they’re stories about your family that you heard from your grandparents. Maybe they’re books you’ve read over and over. What is your favourite story?  Don’t be surprised if your child comes home tonight and asks you to tell a story!

Storytelling provides the opportunity to develop listening and communication skills, improve concentration and memory, bring experiences alive, create a sense of wonder and help sequence events. Stories can also provide information, widen vocabulary, and make important links between the spoken and written word, as well as fostering an interest in and enjoyment of books and reading.  So don’t forget the power of a story and storytelling.

The term has flashed past before our eyes with just one week to go, but we will still have important things on our must do list and that includes sharing student progress and celebrating achievement at parent teacher interviews next week.

Please be on the lookout for your child’s report which will be sent home after school on Friday. It’s not too late to make an appointment to see your child’s teacher for a parent teacher interview.  Just contact the school office to book an appointment time.