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Building Home Libraries

Building Home Libraries is a 12-month program fostering children's literacy by linking home resources with kindergarten services.

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Program details

  • Priority area: Communication (language development)
  • Primary audience: Educators, parents/carers, children
  • Delivery mode: Resources (books, kits, manuals), group training, online
  • Strength of evidence: Level 4 – Emerging research evidence
  • AEDC sub-domains:
    • Language and cognitive development – basic literacy
    • Language and cognitive development
    • Communication skills and general knowledge – communication and general knowledge 
  • Item cost: Low (<$200 per person/item)

Program description

The Building Home Libraries Program aims to build children’s learning capacity, oral language and literacy development. The program enables kindergarten services to build upon home resources and knowledge to empower families to use and incorporate literacy as part of their daily routine and parenting practices.

The program is implemented over 12 months (or a regular time frame scheduled by the service) for services to connect with the children’s home environment.

The program includes:

  • an online professional training session for educators covering language and literacy development, brain development and practical role modelling ideas
  • ongoing support for educators for the duration of the program via telephone, email or online meetings.

Program resources include:

  • a family literacy kit 
  • an initial home library with 6 picture books, STEM activity books, role modelling and photographic tip sheets, nursery rhyme CD, pencil case and play adjuncts in a library tub
  • an additional literacy pack for 11 months to build the child’s home library – inclusive of corresponding tip sheets and play adjuncts.

Educators/kindergarten literacy kit:

The same books and resources for use in their settings to provide a wrap-around approach for children and families, forming a bridge between home and kindergarten.

Detailed cost

Cost per centre: $430 (including GST and freight and handling), inclusive of all resources (starter packs and 11 monthly packs), storage tub and professional development session for 12-month program. 

Cost per child: $330 per child (including GST and freight and handling), inclusive of all resources (started pack and 11 monthly packs), storage tub for 12-month program.

Shorter versions of the program are available:

  • 3 months: $190 per child +$290 per centre
  • 6 months: $250 per child +$350 per centre
  • 9 months: $290 per child +$390 per centre
  • 12 months: $330 per child +$430 per centre.

Payment is required before resources are sent.

Additional freight may be quoted for remote locations. Please contact the provider for more information.

The Building Home Libraries program includes both resources and professional development and kindergartens accessing this item are required to purchase all program components.

Implementation considerations

  • Target population: children and families enrolled in kindergarten services, early childhood educators and staff, family day care educators.
  • Program/practice descriptions and details: the professional learning for educators includes information about the program’s aims, outcomes and delivery, as well as practical demonstrations about how to role model to parents on ways to engage children in daily literacy activities. Ideas of how to incorporate the program into the kindergarten’s curriculum and program are also provided. 
  • Staffing: services should consider the cost of backfill for staff that attend training when determining the cost of accessing this resource. 
  • Tools and systems: educators will need access to a computer, internet and zoom app for participating the online training session and online support from the provider.

VEYLDF alignment

Item uses these practice principles

  • Partnerships with families
  • High expectations for every child
  • Equity and diversity
  • Reflective practice
  • Integrated teaching and learning approaches

Item responds to these sub-outcomes

  • Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
  • Children engage with a range of texts and get meaning from these texts
  • Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
Education

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