Posted 09 November 2007

Tuesday, 20 November 14:30 - 16:00
McClarty Lecture Theatre, Wits School of Education, Parktown

There is NO FEE for this introductory presentation.
Light refreshments will be served from 14:00

In February 2008, THRASS UK will be publishing four new SING-A-LONG resources for families and schools. These resources will be distributed by PWS in South Africa (www.pws.co.za) and launched in South Africa with 'open-to-all' concerts at the Holy Rosary School, Edenvale, Johannesburg.
Monies raised from the concerts will be donated to the South African children's cancer charity CHOCS.

'Move-A-Long With Sing-A-Long' workshops, led by Janine Plunkett, presently Head of Music at Holy Rosary, who has written the words and music for SING-A-LONG, will be run from late February 2008.

SING-A-LONG BOOK
Use this colourful 96-page A4 hardback book with the THRASS SING-A-LONG CD to learn about the 44 sounds and 120 main spelling choices of English by singing and moving with the songs.

SING-A-LONG CD
The double CD has a vocal CD and an instrumental CD. There are 45 tracks on each CD, with one track for each of the 44 sounds and a theme song. Each track focuses on one sound and its main spelling choices. Each CD contains over 60 minutes of music so, in total, there are 90 tracks with over two hours of music. Use the Book and double CD to sing-a-long with the tracks, again and again, until the children are familiar with the songs and are able to read the words and name the main spelling choices for each of the forty-four English sounds. The CDs are also a good introduction to a large number of different musical styles and dance rhythms from around the World
- as each song has been written in a different musical style. These include African Round, blues, boogie, Charleston, disco, Hawaiian, hip hop, Irish Dance, jazz, jive, pasodoble, ragtime, reggae, twist and waltz.

SING-A-LONG COLOURING BOOK
48 page consumable A4 paperback book with 45 outline pictures for colouring.

SING-A-LONG INTERACTIVE BOOK
Software for home/school computers and large Interactive WhiteBoards (IWB).
Use the on-screen index and interactive page turn to access the songs and to then read the words by using the audio play and repeat buttons. The text is highlighted in time with the vocal or instrumental soundtracks.

FOR 3 YEAR-OLDS TO PARENTS/ADULTS
The book, double CD, colouring book and interactive book are for parents, grandparents, pre-school staff and teachers (including speech therapists) to develop essential speaking, listening, reading and spelling skills in children. Older children can also entertain and teach their younger brothers and sisters. The resources are also useful for agencies that help adults to learn English, especially if the adults are parents that want to help their own children.

THRASS Absa TalkTogether Project Update
On 23 July 2007, Absa Bank announced its corporate sponsorship of the THRASS (Teaching Handwriting Reading And Spelling Skills) phonics programme through the THRASS Absa TalkTogether Literacy Project. This programme has already been launched with four primary schools - Roseneath Primary School in association with the University of the Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, Sunlands Primary School in association with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, Eendracht Primary School in association with the University of Pretoria and George Randell Primary School - in association with the University of Fort Hare. Clairwood Boys' Primary School in association with the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal will join the project in January 2008. See www.talktogether.co.za and www.thrass.co.uk/absa_index.htm

To register for the introduction to SING-A-LONG on 20 November, please contact NAPTOSA by telephoning Marion Joseph/Chauntal Ross on 011 486 1256 or emailing marionj@naptosa.org.za