At Sorella Early Learning in Griffin, Book Week is more than dress-ups and story time. It is a chance to build genuine early literacy skills through hands-on, playful workshops that make retelling, sequencing and prediction part of everyday fun.
This month, our educators are using favourite picture books to strengthen early literacy skills in ways children barely notice as “learning” at all.
Why Early Literacy Skills Start With Story
Long before children can read independently, they are developing the early literacy skills that make reading possible: understanding story structure, following a sequence of events, and predicting what happens next.
The Queensland Department of Education highlights storytelling and shared book experiences as key building blocks for literacy in the early years (qld.gov.au/education).
A child who can retell a story in the right order is already using skills that will support reading comprehension for years to come.
Skill-Building Workshops We Use During Book Week
Our Book Week programme includes small-group workshops designed to build early literacy skills through play:
– Retelling: children use puppets or props to tell a story back in their own words
– Sequencing: picture cards help children put story events in the correct order
– Prediction: educators pause mid-story and ask “what do you think happens next?”
– Character exploration: children discuss how a character might be feeling and why
These workshops turn familiar Book Week stories into rich opportunities to practise early literacy skills.
Supporting Early Literacy Skills at Home
Families can easily continue this work at home with no special resources needed.
Try this together:
– After reading a story, ask your child to tell it back to you
– Ask “what do you think will happen next?” before turning the page
– Talk about which part of the story was their favourite, and why
These simple conversations build early literacy skills just as effectively as any structured activity.
At Sorella Early Learning, we love seeing children grow their early literacy skills through the joy of story. If you would like to know more about our Book Week programme, we would love to chat with your family.