Literacy is one of the building blocks of your child’s education. At Wairakei teachers run varied, motivating programmes catering to literacy needs. From home there is still plenty you can do to support your child’s literacy development in writing

Literacy is simply communicating through listening, speaking, reading and writing. There are plenty of fun ways you can interact with your children at home that require no special tools. All you need is you and your child interacting in play and conversation. Creative activities are brilliant for brain development, but there are many different ways to get involved. 

Lego, soft toys, tea parties, blocks, books, paper, felts...there are many ways to enjoy storytelling.

Studyladder:

Students at Wairakei School use studyladder accounts (Year 3 - 6). This is free while at school and during school hours. If you create a parent account at home, your child can access studyladder for free during school hours. Teachers can set tasks for students to follow (often used for spelling and phonics activities at school) or they can look at a range of different learning tasks available. If students are unsure of their usernames and passwords, you can email their literacy teacher for help.

Here are some ways you can encourage writing development while at home.

Writing

• Study ladder - your child has a password that can be used during school hours

• Journal writing

• Seesaw activities

• Write a grocery List

• Make a list of chores to help out at home

• Write a recipe and illustrate

• Write a letter to your teacher/school friend about what you have done at school

• Write a rap or song(Plants and Critters topic or something that interests you)

• Find an object in your house that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Write down what you’ve found. Upload photo and list to seesaw.

• Design your dream bedroom. Write about it. Draw the design

• Hide toys around the house, write clues for grown-ups to find them.

• Draw what you see out your window/front door - write about it.

• Make a smoothie/milkshake - write down the recipe

• Write a letter / postcard / email to a family member (e.g Grandma, Grandad etc)

• Design a comic.

• Make a story using your lego characters - act it out.