Mr Wiggle and Mr Waggle are about to become a regular addition to story time at The Old Station Nursery in Innsworth, Gloucestershire after nursery teacher Rebecca Mitchell completed training to enhance children’s love of reading.
The pair are part of an oral story told using hands, which Ms Mitchell learned during the National Day Nurseries Association’s online course, Let’s Look at Reading and Storytelling. She completed the 90-minute session of videos, tutorials and short practical exercises at home in September.
Ms Mitchell qualified as an Early Years Teacher in July. ‘Group storytelling within the baby room is obviously quite limited because of attention spans,’ she says. ‘I thought it would be helpful to know what books I should be sharing with the 18-months to three-years age group.’
The course explains how reading and the spoken word enhance babies’ language development, and the importance of human interaction rather than screens. It gives tips on how to be a confident storyteller, and suggests how to use visual aids.
Ms Mitchell says her nursery uses props, but she plans to introduce more. She is also set to review the reading area. ‘Making sure it’s a cosy corner, that there’s space for the children to place the books and they’re not all over the floor,’ she says. ‘[The course] mentioned reviewing books on your shelf and changing them regularly.’
The course also covers strategies for supporting parents. As a result, Ms Mitchell did some research and discovered that charity Book Trust distributes free book packs to parents. She has since contacted the trust to order packs for the nursery’s families, and intends to add extra tips to these.
‘I would recommend the course especially to staff new to childcare,’ she says. ‘Reading is quite nerve-wracking. It gives you tips to make sure it’s an enjoyable experience.’
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