Chip in and help us
The PaL Program is a resource based program and is developmentally sequenced across two year levels.
Children start Level 1 in the year before formal schooling and move onto Level 2 in their first year of formal schooling.
There are now two PaL Programs:
- BooksnLearning (the original program)
- BookStart (developed in 2009)
BooksnLearning:
- Both Level 1 and Level 2 comprise
- 28 different resource kits featuring 15 different books (56 kits and 30 books in total)
BookStart:
- Level 1 comprises
- 22 different resource kits featuring 18 different books
- Level 2 comprises
- 15 different resource kits featuring 10 different books
Each PaL kit contains
- A high quality picture storybook
- A related educational activity
- An instruction card outlining how to use the book and activity
- Links to school learning
- An Early Literacy Film that models strategies specific to each book and activity
Early Literacy Films
- Focus on the skills children need to learn to read
- Demonstrate literacy learning strategies and techniques to parents and tutors
Storybooks
- Books are high quality, attractive, easy to read and have universal appeal
- Books with Indigenous and multicultural communities content and storylines are included
The PaL Curriculum strongly connects with the fundamental aspects of The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. It supports the view that children are connected to family, community, culture and place –‘belonging, being and becoming’.
Activities are designed to relate to the books and cover elements of key learning areas and learning outcomes as described in the Early Years
Key Learning Areas covered:
Language Learning and Communicating
Active Learning Processes
Early Mathematical Understandings
Social and Personal Learning
Health and Physical Learning
Key Learning Outcomes covered:
Sense of Identity
Connection to the World
Sense of Wellbeing
Involved Learning
Effective Communication
Community members participate in the development of their PaL program to ensure it “fits” their community context.
This involvement includes approval of books and language as well as adaptation of participant recruitment and delivery methods. Community members are also directly engaged in the production and compilation of resources which helps them to gain an understanding of the materials and develop a sense of ownership. Community ownership is a key element to the success of the program.