Conferences

A great 9th Early Literacy Conference

Thank you to all our keynote speakers, delegates and sponsors who made our 9th National Early Literacy Conference such a success!

We were thrilled that Their Excellencies, our Patron Mrs Hurley, accompanied by the Governor General joined us for Thursday morning. Can you spot them in the photo below?

Our sponsors were Northparkes Mines, Parkes Services Club, Joblink Plus, Neighbourhood Central, Parkes Shire Council and Early Years Care.

And a huge thanks to Chris and Vicki Williams from RSN Live who ran our online presence.

This time next year…

On 6–8 September 2023 we will celebrate our 9th National Conference, on Wiradjuri Country at Parkes, NSW, the birthplace of PTTR. Our theme is Storytelling and Told Stories.

It is fitting that it will fall in National Child Protection Week and on Indigenous Literacy Day.

Told stories give every child everywhere a fair go (this year’s NCPW theme) at learning who they are, and where they have come from. The Conference will begin with Indigenous storytelling — the very best and right place to start.

To learn more about the Conference, contact us at conference@paintthetownread.info.

Registrations open for 8th National Early Literacy Conference

Theme: Enhancing Early Literacy by Embracing Cultural Diversity

19 – 21 May 2021 on the lands of the Bediagal and Cabrogal Clans of the Darug Nation.

This conference will bring you the latest research and practical applications for early literacy through the lens of cultural diversity. There will also be a focus on engaging men and boys in reading with bubs from birth, and community ownership and partnerships in early literacy.

Come and join us, in person or online for our first hybrid conference — whether you’re from the city or the country, work in early childhood, library, child and family services, volunteer in a service club, or you’re a strategic planner in your government position. Or, more locally, if you want to start painting your own community REaD, or to strengthen your existing PTTR site.

We will have keynote speakers and workshops for all.

On registration you may choose either to attend in person at the conference venue — Bankstown Sports Club in Bankstown NSW — or online.

Register now!

Shareen Clayton painting
Conference painting by Shareen Clayton. Shareen writes: ‘The artwork represents family and community. So the centre shows mum, dad and bub having quality family time out in the sun reading a book. The middle represents being surrounded and supported by the extended family and the outer part represents local communities working together to support and engage local families.’

Artwork for 2021 Conference

Conference Theme: Enhancing Early Literacy by Embracing Cultural Diversity.

We are thrilled to share with you, the amazing artwork from Shareen Clayton, for our 8th National Conference 20 – 21 May 2021. (Easy dates for you to remember!)

In Shareen’s words: The artwork represents family and community.
So the centre shows mum, dad and bub having quality family time out in the sun reading a book.
The middle represents being surrounded and supported by the extended family and the outer part represents local communities working together to support and engage local families.

Paint the Town REaD and Paint the Town REaD, Black and Yellow ‘in a nutshell.’

Keep an eye out for the Registrations opening soon!

One week to go!

Wednesday week, 20 March, we kick off the 7th National Early Literacy Conference with a special 2-hour symposium presented by @Curtin University and @dyslexiaspeld.

Dr Mark Boyes will be discussing new socio-emotional research into the development and impact of language and literacy difficulties in children and adolescents. While DSF will present on some incredible work they have done addressing phonological awareness in local languages.

So register now! It would be great to see you there.
https://bit.ly/2R4ir9d

Have you registered yet?

Have you registered yet for the 7th National Early Literacy Conference?

Don’t miss the chance to hear from the Commissioner for Children and Young People WA, Colin Pettit.

The Commissioner will outline the work of his office in consulting with thousands of WA children and young people on issues affecting their wellbeing and how the views of the children themselves should be used to inform and challenge current thinking on factors that influence vulnerability.

7th National Early Literacy Conference
March 20 to 22
The Esplanade Hotel
Fremantle, WA

Get your tickets now!

Young children smiling on conference poster

40% off every second Conference registration now available!

To help organisations and local Paint the Town REaD groups to send more delegates — and so increase the learning and fun — we are now offering a 40% discount for the second person from each of these groups. Brilliant!

You will find the discount offer on the Select Tickets section as you register on Eventbrite.

Note that this offer applies to every second registrant from a group. So you can book two, or four, or six, or eight attendees and every second one can take advantage of this offer.

Exclusions: Already subsidised or sponsorship funded positions

Six weeks to go!

Our National Early Literacy Conference is getting closer!

We can’t wait to hear from Julia Orlowski from @CharlesSturtLibraries in SA talk about encouraging children to read, write & create.

Using The Mayoral Make-a-Book Literacy Challenge as a case study, Julia’s workshop will share ideas on how to engage preschool children, families and educators in capturing and publishing their own books to share with others.

Register now: https://bit.ly/2R4ir9d

WA Governor to open 2019 National Conference

We are thrilled that the Honourable Kim Beasley AC, Governor of Western Australia, will be opening our 7th national early literacy conference on Thursday 21 March 2019, following Marie Taylor’s Welcome to Country.

Register now for this innovative, research based (and fun) conference.

The theme for this year’s conference is Books and Bonding Builds Brains — it’s what the Doctor orders.

Paint the Town REaD logo Paint the Town REaD ladybird Book Paint the Town REaD Ladybird body back Ladybird body front