Early Childhood Education:HAR used in Ngaanyatjarra Lands School
It’s always exciting to hear from teachers and community members about how they use the Honey Ant Readers program.
We recently heard from Catherine Reed, an Early Childhood Teacher at Ngaanyatjarra Lands School who described the exciting results of introducing the Honey Ant Readers to her classroom and how she has adapted the learning space to create a safe and appealing environment where children WANT to read and are having great success! Her experience described below highlights the importance of appropriate, accessible teaching material and is an inspiring example of teachers using resources and space in imaginative and engaging ways! We look forward to hearing how about Catherine’s students’ progress in the future:
“The Honey Ant Readers were introduced to the Early Childhood Classroom at Ngaanyatjarra Lands School, Kiwirrkurra Campus in Week Nine of Term Two 2011. With predominately all students unable to read, introducing the readers through one on one comprehension lines of questioning was a wonderful way to entice the students to be excited to read the texts. The students could readily identify with the characters and the environment portrayed. It should be noted that in conjunction with The Honey Ant Readers, students have been building their alphabet sounds through Diana Rigg’s Multi-Sensory Learning Program. Simultaneously, the two programs are able to give the student the tools, confidence and interest to read.
Integration
Creating excitement about the texts through the learning environment has been a great stimulation for the students’ reading practice. In the home corner, a variety of textured blankets (silk, velvet, woven) were placed over the chairs and a table, to create a magical space that captures the students’ attention for longer periods. A small number of the readers were placed in book stands. This space was then used as a “bonus area” for positive behaviour in the classroom.
Benefits
- students can easliy identify with the environment
- students can easily identify with the characters
- text is phonetic
- students WANT TO READ
- students feel SUCCESS in reading
The Honey Ant Reader Program has given the Early Childhood students at Kiwirrkurra Campus the drive to read. The character and environmental context directly draws comparison to their own lives stimulating interest and confidence. With positive classroom integration students are able to enjoy reading.”
-Catherine Reed, Early Childhood Teacher, Ngaanyatjarra Lands School
Are you using the HAR in your community, classroom or home? We’d love to hear how you are going, email us at: admin@honeyant.com.au