Welcome parents, carers, and teachers! This page provides information to help you support primary-school age children with their academic, social, and emotional learning. Many resources are available online. For questions or feedback, you can contact any branch.
Parenting Talks at Wyndham Library Service
Upcoming events for parents providing information and support on a range of topics concerning raising children and teens. Check out the Events on Demand page for videos of previous talks, including Raising Multilingual Children.
Q&A with Speech Pathologist Lisa Decker
Meet with Lisa Decker, local Speech Pathologist from Well Said Clinic to share concerns and questions about your child’s language development. Join with other parents to hear Lisa’s expert opinions about fostering children’s speech, language and communication skills. This is an opportunity to receive informal advice in a relaxed group setting. Bookings required.
Upcoming sessions:
Point Cook Library, 20th March More info
Manor Lakes Library, 11am 24 April More Info
Werribee Library, 11:30am, 15 May More Info
Julia Gillard Library Tarneit, 12:00pm 19 June, More Info
Julia Gillard Library Tarneit, 10:00am 17 July, More Info
Williams Landing Library Lounge, 1:30pm, 21 August, More Info
Point Cook Library, 7pm, 18 September, More info
Learning to Read
Wyndham Library service has a large selection of books, resources and programs to support your child’s reading development.
- For information on reading with children aged 0-5, please see our early years resources here
- For information about our Read With Me program click here
Shared Reading
Reading to your child is a great way to encourage a love of reading and it supports key components of reading development such as, increasing vocabulary, demonstrating the phonetics (sounds) of words and enhancing your child’s ability to make meaning of what is read.
Explore information and tips for reading with your child:
- Five from Five, Reading with Children
- Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, The Need for a Reading Revolution
For ideas on books to read with your primary school aged child see our Kid’s Reading Lists.
If you speak a language other than English at home, we have a range of bilingual picture books for you to share with your child. Another option is to read a book aloud in English or listen to an audio book in English and then talk about the story in whatever language feels most comfortable. Enhancing literacy skills is just one of the benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism.
Beginning Readers
Learning to read can be like ‘cracking a code.’ It involves learning how to separate words into speech sounds, linking these sounds to letters and then blending these sounds together to read words. The sounds part of this process (phonemic awareness) can be difficult for many, particularly with the complexity of English spelling.
Decodable Readers
Decodable readers are books with simple spelling patterns. They are designed for beginning readers to practise their decoding skills. Each level contains sound-letter relationships and word types that the child has already been taught. This allows beginning and struggling readers to build confidence and improve their reading accuracy and fluency.
Click here to explore our Decodable Readers.
Easy Readers
Easy readers are short chapter books, with large font and spacing, designed to encourage independent reading. The Junior Easy Reader collection at Wyndham Library Service is identified with a bright yellow sticker.
Click here to explore our Junior Easy Readers.
As your child learns to read independently, it’s important to continue reading to them and offering a wide variety of texts based on their interests. For information on engaging your child with reading, see our Encouraging a Love of Reading page.
Explore the following links for information on how you can help your child learn to read:
- Reading Rockets, How Do Children Learn to Read
- Five from Five, Parent Resources
Encouraging a Love of Reading
Many parents express concern that their child does not want to read. The child might say it is boring or too hard even though they loved books and being read to before they started school. Reading becomes one of the many things they are told they have to do.
It is important to allow your child to choose what they read. Many children struggle with reading “traditional” books. To jump start your child’s love of reading, consider books that focus on “edgy” topics, are funny, or include a great deal of action. By tapping into your child’s interests, you are more likely to encourage regular reading habits.
Research has shown children benefit greatly from parents continuing to read to them throughout primary-school. It helps them to further develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills and reminds them that reading is enjoyable.
Resources that offer variety and engagement include:
For library items available online, visit our reading lists for inspiration. Other sites include Storybox Library for stories read out loud by Australian authors and personalities and the International Children’s Digital Library for books in a variety of languages.
Academic Resources
eLibrary
Our eLibrary offers free access to:
- eBooks and eAudiobooks (including books in other languages)
- Study Support
- Educational Games and Websites
Readers and Workbooks
Our collection includes books to help children learn to read. We also have literacy and numeracy workbooks, including NAPLAN.
View our Readers View our Workbooks
Free online readers are available through SPELD
Free online literacy and numeracy activities are available at:
Department of Education and Training Victoria
Parent Resources
The library has many books for parents and carers looking for ways to support their child’s reading, writing, and maths.
The Victorian Government has published a downloadable book with everyday literacy and numeracy tips.
For online tips and activities to support learning, visit Learning Potential
Teacher Resources
We have books for educators, covering topics such as behaviour management, creative arts, and literacy.
For online, curriculum-based resources, visit:
For up-to-date, Australian based content, which can be displayed by reading level, visit Britannica Library. Here, you can create resource packs to share with students who have a Wyndham Library membership.
Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge
The Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge runs every year, between March and September. Our libraries have hundreds of books for each year level in primary school.
eBooks count towards the challenge and one-third of the books do not need to be from the Challenge List. Explore the library eBooks for Year 3-4 and Year 5-6. Plus enjoy our range of Kids eBooks.
For more information about the rules and how to register, visit the Department of Education and Training Victoria.
Exploring the Physical, Social, and Emotional World
Information Resources
Our Junior Information Books cover the following topics:
- People and Places
- Tales and Rhymes
- Things to Make and Do
- Fun Facts
- Environment and Science
- Animals
To search by subject Visit the Catalogue
For current, Australian based information, which can be displayed by reading level, visit Britannica Library
More online information can be found at National Geographic Kids
Virtual Visits
Many places can be explored online and have activities for children. Here’s a small selection:
Wellbeing
Our collection includes age appropriate material on topics like personal safety (including online safety), body awareness, mental health and mindfulness, social skills, and resilience. Use these terms to locate suitable items Visit the Catalogue
For free phone and web counselling and information about common concerns, visit Kids’ Helpline.
For advice on healthy internet and device usage visit the Office of eSafety Commissioner.
Parenting
Parenting Collection
Our collection has resources to support you with parenting. Topics include relationships, mental health, parenting strategies, and managing difficult behaviours. Use these terms to search the catalogue.
Other Resources
Wyndham Child and Family Directory provides information about local services and supports available for children 0-12 years old and their parents.
Drummond Street provides free (or low cost) services and downloadable tip sheets to support families.
Raising Children Network is an online parenting resource supported by the Australian Government with up-to-date articles, videos, and apps in a variety of languages.
Children with Additional Needs
Library Resources
We have resources to support adults and children with additional needs.
Try the searches below or speak to a library staff member to find the best resource for you:
- ADHD
- Autism
- Disability
- Dyslexia
- Learning Difficulties
- Speech Disorders
Other Resources
The Victorian Department of Education and Training has a website dedicated to helping students with additional needs access quality education.
The following services provide online support and information:
Amaze provides information, support, and advocacy services for people with autism, parents and carers, and educators.
Association for Children with a Disability is a Victorian association offering information and support for families of children with disabilities.
Raising Children Network is an online parenting resource supported by the Australian Government with up-to-date articles, videos, and apps in a variety of languages.
Speech Pathology Australia is the national body for speech pathologists. Their website includes fact sheets about speech development and disorders.
SPELD Victoria supports the learning of those with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties.
Reading Difficulties
Sometimes it’s hard to learn how to read. Most children respond well to a structured program, and some will continue to struggle for lots of reasons, even with high quality, intensive instruction. Developmental delays, health issues, and other factors can all make reading difficult. People can also have a specific learning disorder that only affects reading development, commonly referred to as ‘Dyslexia'.
Explore these links for information on reading difficulties and resources on how to support your child:
- Department of Education and Training Victoria, Supporting Diverse Learners
- SPELD Victoria, Information for Parents
- Dyslexia SPELD Foundation, Information and Resources
Research has shown that a good quality, synthetic phonics program with decodable readers is the most effective intervention for children with reading difficulties.
Explore our range of decodable readers, recommended by Australian SPELD associations:
It is important to continue sharing and offering your child a wide variety of texts based on their interests. For information on engaging your child with reading, scroll back up to Encouraging a Love of Reading.