Greetings to all our member schools and individuals

In our last Noteworthy, I wrote about our new committee members. Another new committee member has joined us and so we welcome Alison Stockton also. Alison teaches Year One at Puketaha school. Many years ago she won an award from the Waikato reading Association (as it was then) as a top notch Literacy student from the School of Education who showed great promise as a literacy teacher. It is great to have Alison as a member of our group.

Congratulations to Jen Purves from Waihi Beach School who won the Marie Clay experienced educators Literacy Trust award. Congratulations also to Caitlin Kneebone who also won an award from the Marie Clay Literacy Trust as an early years educator. Both of these teachers will be attending the NZLA conference at Bethlehem College in Tauranga in October.

In May around 50 teachers were very highly motivated and enthused by Stephen Graham's presentation. Thanks to Anna Lawrence , our area representative for Cengage, 5 lucky attendees also won spot prizes. We appreciate their support. Keep reading for an account of this seminar and some interesting bits of information for you to try!

The committee have been busy finalising the look of our new promotional banner, which incorporates our logo. In the last Noteworthy, we explained the design of the logo designed by Taryn Appleby. We are now finalising the design of our banner which we will use at WLA events.

Soon we will be announcing the lucky recipients of a visit by fabulous storyteller Tanya Batt on October 30th. Two or three lucky schools will be able to have Tanya take a workshop at their school, storytelling with children. After school, Tanya will lead a workshop in storytelling. Look out for information about this in your email and book yourselves in.

We are very pleased with the response to this new look Noteworthy which has had over 250 hits since it was sent out to members. We hope you like it too!! Please give us your feedback if there is anything else we need to include.

STOP PRESS! In 2017 the Waikato Literacy Association will again be hosting the NZLA conference. We have already started looking for venues and doing initial planning.

Thanks for your continued support, please share this newsletter with anyone else you think may benefit from keeping in touch with us.

Yours in literacy,

Sandra Neil

“I’ve always been a believer of magic - not the trick kind but the sort that suddenly makes visible what you couldn’t see and delights you in the process”

— Tanya Batt

On the 30th of October (week 3, Term 4) the WLA will be hosting the wonderful Tania Batt, story teller. She will be running a series of interactive story telling workshops with primary and secondary students from Te Uku and Raglan Area School.

Roving Reporter - Still in the South Island

As the fourth term is starting, I didn't think we'd have spent 3/4 of our time in the South Island, our ferry ticket had been postponed five times (don't you just love flexi tickets).

We've still enjoyed stopping in at the libraries throughout, I've adored some of the displays and the culture they are trying to establish.

Oral language has had its moment in the news in the past weeks. The importance of speaking clearly in a variety of settings has been one of the areas of growth with all of our children on this adventure. Communicating with a vast number of strangers and having us model strategies we use to ask questions, initiate conversations and respond to others. This scaffolding from us has helped them develop and make new friends throughout NZ and around the world. They have had to build up a raft of skills that we felt weren't present at the start of the journey. They've also been strong advocates to get others to follow our blog, so they too can participate in our adventure.

We are about to embark on another island adventure before heading back to the North Island. The chance to visit a family on D'Urville Island; their children are also in Te Kura - Correspondence School. This wouldn't have been possible without the connections within the Literacy Association. A conversation at last years national meeting discussing the trip has stemmed into this amazing opportunity for the family.

To all those that attended the NZLA Conference I'm sure you enjoyed your time and made the most of being with such inspirational people.

I hear next years one is in Wellington - start planning now!

Stephen Graham

Writing Workshop: Hamilton

“Stephen Graham really activated my desire to teach my students how to craft some truly effective pieces of writing. He is one of the best writing facilitators I have ever been fortunate enough to engage with in a workshop.”

His examples were real and were able to be implemented the very next day.

Stephen discussed the notion that a recount was a bundle of connective sentences. Using people as physical attributes to demonstrate the order of a recount made this easier to order writing. This was very helpful and has really supported the learning of students in my class.

Stephen also talked about including 7 descriptors into writing. These were: doing, number, size, shape, texture, position and colour. You may start with maybe 3 of these options and then increase the number depending on your students.

The hand-outs were generous and great for using on return to school. I know that at our school we continue to talk about the ideas he generated for us and I’m sure what was learnt will stay within our knowledge bank and will be employed for some time to come.

Valerie Norris, Miller Ave School, Paeroa

Click on the link above to download a registration form We'd love to have you on board.

Put your tramping boots on, sling on your backpack and explore the world of wonderful resources available on the following link.

September 8 was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO on November 17, 1965. It was first celebrated in 1966. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.

Click the link below for more:

Tell us what your school has done via email. The first five schools to respond will receive a book prize. Remember to include photos - these will be used in the next Noteworthy online newsletter.

elysia.gunn@vardon.school.nz

Information for ALL teachers

Where do I find copies of previous communications about the Ready to Read review?

Ready to Read 50th Birthday flyer (December 2013) - www.readytoread.tki.org.nz

Ready to Read turns 50 (February 2014) - http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/Articles/Article.aspx?ArticleId=8903

Curriculum Update 28 (8 September 2014) - http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-resources/NZC-Updates/Issue-28-September-2014

Ready to Read 2014 flyer (this will be online by the end of September) - www.readytoread.tki.org.nz

Lift Education want your feedback on the 'Ready to Read' series. For example, if you have any comments on titles or teacher support materials you have found particularly effective, any suggestions for future titles, or any questions about these changes, please contact our publishing provider by email at: readytoread@lifteducation.com

www.nzla.org.nz

Marie Clay LIteracy Trust Travel Award: Would you like to attend an overseas literacy conference next year?

The Marie Literacy Trust is sponsoring two Travel Awards of $5000 each to enable NZLA members to attend an overseas literacy conference during 2015.

Applications close 24 October, 2014 and you will be advised of the outcome before 30 November.

For details regarding application go to http://www.nzla.org.nz/1/pages/75-marie-clay-literacy-trust