Everyday Literacy:Speaking and listening

Prim-Ed Review:Everyday Literacy:Speaking and listening

Prim-Ed have released three books called Everyday literacy:Speaking and Listening. I am not sure what everyday literacy reference means! I am also unsure why literacy just covers speaking and listening in the title but inside the series tells us the books are focused on reading and oral language.

Confusion aside leads me to another gripe. Apparently, these books are designed to “support” Aistear. It says this on the Prim-Ed website and inside there are links with Aistear outcomes. However, we must always keep in mind that Aistear has some core principles at its heart. Child-led play with playful pedagogy. Written activities and over-emphasis on teacher-led and teacher-outcome tasks are NOT Aistear.

The books are a 3-part series for ages 4-6 that help improve reading and oral language development. Book 1 contains 20 units which include activities and assessment pages. These books are designed to be used alongside the normal reading and literacy programme in schools(Prim-Ed)

I like the way each activity is designed to a lesson or mini-lesson. Each activity tells the teacher which outcomes are being targeted alongside a script for the teacher to follow. Activities include motor skills development, phonological awareness, comprehension and oral language development. The activities are very useful for a teacher to supplement their english programme.

What I liked most about these books were the clear thematic approach they took. There are 20 themes in each book including some on senses, clothes, playground, feelings, food, games, spring/summer/winter/autumn and school to name a few. This is one way you might use a theme to incorporate a playful pedagogy in your classroom though how a programme like this truly supports Aistear is left to the teacher and their understanding of what it is.

All the books are suitable for Infants but Book 3 is suggested for Infants and first class so the activities may be more challenging as the books go along. These books would definitely sit well in my Infant, first class or support/EAL classroom setting but I have not seen the evidence for much links with Aistear but some teachers may choose to use some of the ideas as this. Don’t buy them as Aistear “ideas” books instead use as them as a source of inspiration for your thematic english planning.

Prim-Ed Review:Everyday Literacy:Speaking and listening are €29.95 each and are available on the Prim-Ed site here at http://www.prim-ed.com/webshop/Infant-Classes/Early-Literacy-Resources/Everyday-Literacy-Speaking-and-Listening