Narrative skills can be a challenge for children to master, however, Activity Retells for three to five-year-olds is designed to make the journey easier. Designed by Speech Pathologists, this program attempts to break down activity retells into simple sequential steps for teachers, early childhood staff and parents. The program trains teachers, early childhood staff and parents to identify the language that is expected in activity retells and presents specific techniques and supports to assist children to develop this language. The program provides simple activity examples and visual cues that are designed to be incorporated into early childhood, classroom and home environments utilising activities that occur every day.

The pre-school years are critical in the development of oral narrative language skills. It takes children from conversation to talking in a monologue, using formal language. Children need to practise these skills like they practise their phonological awareness skills, pre-writing skills and numeracy skills.

The program provides:

• multiple examples of modelling 3, 4, and 5-year-old language
• explicit instruction on how to develop age-appropriate skills
• assessment and monitoring procedures
• planning and programming support
• visual supports and activity retell examples
• techniques and strategies to develop and accelerate language skills
• progress check sheets
• developmental milestone sheets
• 3 colour sets of A5 cards
• 5 x A3 colour posters

This publication is mentioned within the Whole School Literacy Strategy booklet on page 8 & 13.