Before Big School, does your preschooler need help with pre-reading skills? Introducing PreLit sessions

We’re thrilled to offer an evidence-based early literacy preparation program for preschoolers based in the communities we serve.

It’s called PreLit, by MultiLit.

What is PreLit?

PreLit is a systematic, skills-based early literacy program for preschoolers who will be starting school the following year.

(It’s also a program for kids in Kindergarten, Year 1 or Year 2 who are struggling to learn the basic skills needed to learn to read.)

Which skills does PreLit target?

Each 30-minute, highly-structured session includes:

Why?

The key predictors of school readiness include:

These skills are:

  • prerequisites for decoding, spelling and comprehension skills in the early years of school. Children who start school without these skills are likely to struggle during the initial years of reading instruction; and
  • even stronger predictors of school readiness than social and behavioural factors (e.g. Prior, Bavin & Long, 2011).

PreLit targets these skills. The program is designed to be suitable for most preschoolers, including children with developmental language disorders and limited exposure to books.

How does it work?

Currently, we offer PreLit sessions in two formats:

  • small groups (fewer than 5 children); and
  • one-to-one.

Classes are taught in a comfortable quiet space, with the kids seated on the floor in front of their instructor.

Who leads the PreLit sessions at Banter?

Our wonderful Banter Speech & Language speech pathologists!

We’ve been trained in PreLit by the program designers. We’re also Sounds-Write and Spalding-trained, and Certified Practising Speech Pathologists with an excellent knowledge of phonology, phonemic awareness, pre-literacy skills and the science of reading. For example, we understand that preschoolers need to:

  • see and to hear clear pronunciation of the speech sounds to link the sounds to the letters; and
  • develop literacy and oral language skills (including vocabulary skills) together.

You can read our more detailed summary of evidence-based reading instruction principles here.

Evidence?

PreLit is consistent with the principles of effective pre-literacy training summarised in the:

It’s based on Positive Teaching principles (e.g. Wheldall & Bradd, 2010), adapted for preschool and clinical settings.

Who designed PreLit?

PreLit was designed by MultiLit, a leading research initiative of Macquarie University, under the leadership of Emeritus Professor Kevin Wheldall, AM, and Dr Robyn Wheldall (nee Beaman). “MultiLit” is shorthand for “Making Up Lost Time in Literacy”.

For more than 20 years, MultiLit has been dedicated to improving literacy outcomes in Australia with evidence-based, user-friendly resources.

If it’s not clear, we’re a fan of their work!

Principal sources:

MultiLit. (2012). PreLit Manual. Sydney. MultiLit Pty Limited.
MultiLit (2017). PreLit Program Training Course presented by Ms Anne Joukhadar of MultiLit in Sydney on 19 June 2017.
National Early Literacy Panel (2008). Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel, via here.

Department of Education and Training (Cth). (2009). Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework, via here.

Related articles:

Image: http://tinyurl.com/ya3y8mtm

Man wearing glasses and a suit, standing in front of a bay

Hi there, I’m David Kinnane.

Principal Speech Pathologist, Banter Speech & Language

Our talented team of certified practising speech pathologists provide unhurried, personalised and evidence-based speech pathology care to children and adults in the Inner West of Sydney and beyond, both in our clinic and via telehealth.

David Kinnane
Speech-Language Pathologist. Lawyer. Father. Reader. Writer. Speaker.

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