Auslan Rhyme Time

Almost two years after the inception of the Rhyme Time program at The Corner, an exciting new phase in this early literacy program began in late February 2009. The Auslan Rhyme Time pilot project was initiated by a former SLQ hearing impaired staff member (one of our original Rhyme Time presenters). It is aimed at children and their parents/carers in the deaf/hearing impaired/intellectually impaired communities. Auslan Rhyme Time takes place in the usual Rhyme Time slot of 10-10:30 a.m. on the last Thursday of every month. In these sessions, Rhyme Time presenters perform their usual repetoire of rhymes and songs, with the assistance of an Auslan interpreter from Deaf Services Queensland. The first two Auslan Rhyme Time sessions have been well-attended, thanks to a marketing campaign targeted at the deaf, hearing impaired and intellectually impaired communities at the beginning of the year. The pilot project- which will continue until the end of June (and hopefully beyond)- demonstrates that disability access can be successfully integrated within the State Library's early childhood programs.

Singing in the library

Since March 2007, I have had the privilege of being one of the P and ILS presenters of the Rhyme Time sessions at the State Library of Queensland. Rhyme Time takes place every Thursday morning at The Corner, which is the Under 8's space on Level One. Rhyme Time is an early literacy program for young children and their carers, which promotes language development through song and rhyme. Rhyme Time is an initiative of The Little Big Book Club (also a P and ILS program) and our rhyme time sessions are supported by the LBBC's "It's Rhyme Time" booklet. Two presenters run the 30 minute session each week, using the songs and rhymes in the booklet as their basis, but also adding songs from other sources. Traditional songs such as Humpty Dumpty and Twinkle Twinkle are perenially popular, as are those performed on shows such as Playschool - for example, Miss Polly and Dingle Dangle Scarecrow. We sing from cushions on the floor - where our audience also sits - and sessions are fast-paced and include plenty of repetition. Sessions are aimed at children aged 0-2, but all ages are welcome. Now that Rhyme Time is well-established, our audience has not only grown (50 plus attendees at a typical session), but includes many regulars who use it as a catch-up with friends and their children. It is a fun and rewarding way to encourage early literacy and to bring a new generation into the library; it's also wonderful to be paid to do something that I enjoy immensely - thank goodness I've finally found a legitimate use for all those rhymes and songs stored in my memory bank since my kids were young!