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Learning to Read is Fun With Erica

Posted on: Monday, 13 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By MOIRA SHARKEY South Wales Echo

A former headteacher is recreating bedtime story sessions in the classroom to give youngsters a head start in school. Erica Hailstone is combining new technology and traditional teaching methods to give pupils a one-to-one reading experience at school.

Using new equipment called a visualiser which includes a camera and projector, every page of a book is shown on a big screen to pupils in the reception class at Holton Primary in Barry. The children see the words, say them and look at the pictures together.

Mrs Hailstone, 75, who volunteers to take story-time sessions with one of two reception classes, believes encouraging children to use sight and sound together gives them valuable learning skills for life and a flying start to their education. After just one term of the visual story-time scheme, Mrs Hailstone believes she is already seeing results.

'They love these sessions. The children are really excited when we sit down for story-time,' said the former headteacher who worked in London but now lives in Barry.

One child even said it was just like going to the cinema.

'While it is difficult to quantify the progress they have made at this stage, what I think has become clear is that they are learning to use all their senses at once, are understanding the joy books can provide and are learning to read, not just to repeat or remember at an early age. This is incredibly valuable throughout their schooling.'

Mrs Hailstone, who grew up in New Zealand, is basing her story- time sessions on a teaching method pioneered in her home country in the 1970s.

Then, the class teacher would reproduce a storybook as a big book the class could share. But copyright laws and the preparation time needed for each class meant it went out of fashion.

Now, new technology allows every pupil to see the book at the touch of a button.

'Children of all different abilities take part. Some read along, some follow the text and they all enjoy the story. But because everyone is saying the words, children are encouraged to join in where and when they can.

'I've been fascinated by how children learn to read throughout my career,' said Mrs Hailstone, who retired 17 years ago.

'Children who are read to and enjoy books from babyhood, usually have no trouble learning to read, but those who come to school with no early book experience have difficulties.'

Mrs Hailstone has written to the Vale of Glamorgan Council to discuss rolling out the scheme to other schools.

Source: South Wales Echo

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