Sarah Kingham
Teacher, Author And Keynote Speaker
Sarah Kingham has been a teacher for more than 30 years, working in 3 London boroughs, a shire county and abroad in a variety of roles, including Primary English Advisory teacher, Deputy Head of a large primary school, a teacher in a Nursery School and more recently an Early Years Adviser.
She is a published author, a National Keynote speaker, a member of the All Party Parliamentary group for the first 1001 Critical Days and founder of a ground breaking early years literacy programme, Readit2.
Sarah is a passionate advocate for the very best for all children, although her expertise lies wholeheartedly in what happens in the pre-school years - she champions the importance of secure attachment in the first few years of a child’s life. Sarah has had the professional fortune to visit both Finland and Reggio Emilia on week long study tours. Her impressively successful and innovative reading method, Readit2, trains adults to inspire children to love to read and learn. Targeted at the 2-5 year old age group, the programme is comprised of a daily one-to-one reading experience fostering an emotional attachment with the reader, books and learning. www.readit2.org.
Key takeaways:
- Webinar Introduction: The webinar, hosted by Tales Toolkit, features Sarah Kingham, an experienced educator and founder of Read It Too, focusing on early literacy and writing development for young children.
- Sarah Kingham’s Background: Sarah has extensive experience as a primary English advisor, deputy head, early years advisor, and author, with a passion for how children learn to write, drawing from her work in various educational settings.
- Importance of Meaningful Writing: Sarah emphasizes that children need to write about topics that matter to them, as lack of personal connection reduces motivation, using an exercise where participants write with their non-dominant hand to illustrate the discomfort children feel when unready.
- Physical and Cognitive Challenges: Writing is a complex process requiring fine motor skills, letter orientation, and the ability to express ideas, which can be physically uncomfortable for young children if their bodies aren't developmentally ready.
- Role of Adults in Writing Development: Adults should scribe for children, model writing processes, and provide meaningful feedback focused on content rather than just mechanics, fostering a positive attitude toward writing.
- Enhancing Vocabulary and Context: Enriching children’s vocabulary through conversation, storytelling, and exposure to diverse experiences (e.g., role play, environmental print) is crucial for literacy, especially for disadvantaged children.
- Read It Too Program: Sarah’s program trains educators to inspire a love for reading and writing in preschoolers through one-on-one interactions, emphasizing storytelling, vocabulary enrichment, and contextual learning without forcing premature writing tasks.
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