Library (news) Thursday: Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year awards

Choosing books for children with Down syndrome for Christmas or for the summer holidays? These awards could be a good source of inspiration - the web page includes annotations about all of the books short-listed. Note - these books are not in our library, but they are readily available from mainstream sources.


Speech Pathology Australia has awarded four authors for excellence in the development of children’s speech, language and literacy skills at a ceremony in Darwin.

Authors Carol Goess (Can we lick the spoon now?), Elizabeth Frankel (Hairy Nose Itchy Butt) and Morris Gleitzman (Now) received a Speech Pathology Australia’s 2011 Book of the Year Award, while representatives from the One Arm Point Remote Community School were present to receive the inaugural Best Book for Language & Literacy Development - Indigenous Children award for their book ‘Our World: Bardi Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon’.

  

“As the peak professional body for speech pathologists, Speech Pathology Australia is in a unique position to recommend books to parents and educators that can assist children’s speech, language and literacy development.”

Speech pathologists play a vital role in the development of key speaking and listening skills, including awareness of the sounds in words and language comprehension. These skills provide the foundation on which literacy is built and each year, Speech Pathology Australia selects four children’s books based on their appeal to children, educational value, graphics and design, as well as their ability to facilitate communication, interaction and discussion.

The Awards, which began in 2003, were presented at the Millner Primary School in Darwin on Tuesday 18 October.

The ceremony was opened by Darwin Lord Mayor Graeme Sawyer and the winning authors read from their books.

Each year, Speech Pathology Australia awards four Australian authors the “Best Book for Language & Literacy Development” in the categories – Young Children, Lower Primary, Upper Primary and Indigenous Children.

Each award is based on the book’s appeal to children, interactive quality and ability to assist speech pathologists in communication and literacy development.


More information: www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/news-and-events/book-of-the-year-awards