Collaborative professional learning unearths powerful teaching tips about how to improve your teaching practice in the early reading classroom drawing on the superpower, music!

Introducing accredited professional learning courses I am ready and eager to present to schools on aspects of teaching English (punctuation, integrated unit writing and English concepts), and the Early Reading and music partnership.

Participating teachers in the first ever Early Reading and Music workshop (6 May) share their creativity with each other and the wider profession.

The short- listed texts were announced by the Childrens Book Council of Australia (CBCA) end March, 2024. Read on to find those books you may like to use in your class read-alouds. I have included suggestions for teaching English concepts for each of the texts. As well, musical activities that will enrich, enliven and engage students, helping the texts come alive in classrooms. I have used a Likert scale 0-10 to rate each text. Why not you also rate the texts that you read, in the comments section. We will see whether we agree with the CBCA decision makers when they are announced later in the year.

It is an exciting time when the CBCA Notables are released! All these delicious new texts to share with students! In this growing post I provide suggestions for teachers how they may wish to use Notables texts in their classrooms, with a focus on the early reading and music partnership.

Music supports early reading acquisition. Registered one day professional learning courses are planned throughout 2024 which link music to the six pillars of early reading acquisition (NRP, 2000; Konza, 2014). If you would like for me to run one in your area, please let me know.

Learning through song involves the integration of auditory and sensorimotor processes. It offers opportunities to practise oral language and listening, often includes actions and games and creates a relaxed classroom environment, conducive to learning and student wellbeing.