The Song Room Web Site

The project was also an awareness raising campaign highlighting the importance of providing a language rich environment for children right from birth to support the development of literacy skills. Research shows that if a child can recite 8 Nursery rhymes by 4 years of age, he/she will most likely be a successful reader.

The project involved Song Room Teaching Artist, Craig Field, developing a character called ‘The Reading Bug’. As the ‘Reading Bug’, Craig visited all participating preschools to tell stories, act out nursery rhymes, sing songs and play musical instruments. Wesley Mission then used contacts and networks in the local community to promote the program and spread the word!

Program Overview

The Reading Bug visited each preschool on a fortnightly basis to deliver the program. All participating centres received a Nursery Rhyme Book with accompanying CD and set of posters. The individual children all received a Nursery Rhyme Pack that included information for parents, a Nursery Rhyme Book, CD and magnet. The Nursery Rhyme packs were also distributed through the Riverstone Library. In addition to the in-school programs, a weekly ‘Rhyme Time’ session for Mums and Bubs was held at the offices of Riverstone Families Connect.

The Paint Riverstone ReAd project ran in Term 2 and 3, 2009 and through extra funding from Matana Foundation, the program extend into Term 4, 2009, where the focus shifted to working with young students transitioning to primary school.

“To hear the children singing on stage and the feedback from parents, grandparents, preschool directors and community demonstrated that collectively change can happen. This community is now much more aware of the importance of Early Literacy. Parents know first hand the benefits of singing nursery rhymes to their children even before they can speak. Repetitive listening to rhymes helps to demonstrate rhythms, patterns and sounds of speech. Later on it helps children to learn basic number skills and gives them the confidence to express themselves through speech and performance that was clearly evident on stage at ‘The Big Day Out’

Louise Marzel, Coordinator – Riverstone Families Connect.

The following is a letter written by the mother of young Darcy, a five year old boy involved in the reading Bug project.

”I am writing this letter to inform you, regarding the “Reading Bug” program and the impact it has had on my son “Darcy”.

Darcy is 5 years old and currently enrolled at the KU Western Mobile Preschool. At the beginning of the year Darcy was showing behavioral problems due to frustration.

The frustration and aggression was because Darcy was having difficulty with his speech. Darcy began speech therapy in June 2009 and this combined with the “Reading bug” program has seen Darcy go from a very angry little boy to a very happy confident little boy.

Darcy listens to his nursery rhyme CD on a daily basis, he dances and sings nursery rhymes without prompting and is very confident to perform actions to the nursery rhymes, but best of all Darcy speaks clearly and cane now communicate with teachers and fellow friends .

Without the reading bug program Darcy would not have progressed through his speech difficulties as quickly as he has, he has only had 5 speech lessons but multiple reading bug visits at the preschool and Riverstone library.