This webinar are run in collabration with Cork, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and West Cork Education Support Centres

Literacy development depends upon the knowledge, dispositions and conceptual understandings that children develop through play. Join Sinéad McCauley Lambe and Clara Fiorentini of Marino Institute of Education for an exciting webinar on playful literacy. Suited to infant teachers, early childhood practitioners and anyone with a passion for  playful pedagogy, this webinar will explore some of the many purposeful opportunities for literacy development through play. 

Participants will explore a range of effective, practical strategies to create and extend the development of emergent reading, emergent writing and oral language through play. Enrich your playful learning environments and enhance your playful practice by inviting children to play in literate ways!

 Clara Maria Fiorentini is a lecturer in education at Marino Institute of Education specialising in English Methods and Early Childhood Education. Prior to joining MIE, Clara taught for eleven years in Dominican Primary School, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin throughout which time she developed a keen interest in literacy development and playful pedagogy. Clara completed a Masters in Children’s Literature at DCU and is currently a PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin and is researching early literacy development and transitions to formal literacy learning. The face behind the popular Irish teaching blog www.claramariafiorentini, Clara is also an executive committee member of the Literacy Association of Ireland and is co-author of Ireland’s first multisensory phonics programme, Sounds Like Phonics (CJ Fallon, 2019).

Dr Sinéad McCauley Lambe is a lecturer in education at Marino Institute of Education specialising in Early Childhood Education. Prior to joining MIE, Sinéad taught for eleven years in St. Vincent’s Infant Boys’ school in North William Street. Here, Sinéad moved into the area inclusive and special education, working with children with ASD and those experiencing a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. It was this work that ignited Sinéad’s interest in educational disadvantage, motor development, early intervention and playful approaches to teaching and learning. Sinéad completed a Masters Educational Disadvantage in DCU in the area of sensory integration strategies for young children with emotional and behavioural needs. She recently completed her PhD studies in DCU also, and her research interests include infant motor development and emergent handwriting development. Sinéad is an executive committee member of the Literacy Association of Ireland.