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OWL: The Oral Words and Language Programme

08/12/21 12:07

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The Oral Words and Language Programme

Kilkenny County Council Library Service are delighted to launch a new literacy programme, entitled OWL (Oral Words Language). This has been developed in response to literacy needs that emerged following consultation with a range of organisations including our Right to Read Literacy Network in Kilkenny.

The programme focuses on developing the oral language skills of 0-3 year olds, by helping support parents, childcare practitioners and teachers to ensure a good oral language base from an early age, and thus reduce potential literacy problems in the future.

These short online workshops with Speech and Language Therapist Melissa Lanigan, Behavioural Specialist and Trainee Educational Psychologist Simone Coleman, and Storyteller Neil Griffiths include topics such as:

Boosting language skills at home, short attention span and building communication skills, play to develop communication, Bilingualism, Inspiring children to enjoy reading and storytelling techniques.

Workshops run on our website under What's on, Facebook page and Kilkenny County Council’s YouTube channel at 9pm on Tuesday and Wednesday nights throughout December, and Tuesday nights in January. In addition to these workshops, quick tips from our professionals will l be posted at 9pm on social media. Neil Griffith’s story time for children will be on each Saturday morning in December at 11.30am.

“We are delighted to roll out this exciting oral language programme, which has been designed to appeal to busy parents and childcare workers with short workshops and practical tips and tricks.” Said Executive Librarian, Aisling Kelly. “Offering access to professional advice will help develop oral language skills amongst young children from an early stage, making literacy and reading issues less likely to occur in the future.”

The programme is kindly funded by the Dormant Accounts Fund.

For more information contact Aisling on aisling.kelly@kilkennylibrary.ie / 056 7794977, or visit www.kilkennylibrary.ie