Reading is not just for school – reading is for all areas of life. Go and embrace reading today!
Welcome to the beginning of a wonderful new school year - 2023. This year, we are excited about the areas of growth we can already see happening, not only in the classrooms with the students but also across the whole school. Growth and development for all – even the teachers. The teachers have been looking at the students testing and results from last year, and developing strategies and programs that can be put into place to help the students lift their skills and further their love of learning. Reading and Spelling are two big areas in the Primary school that we are looking at closely. So far this term the teachers have been working together as a team to source and implement a new spelling program that will build on from already existing programs, and then inspire the students to further develop a sense of interest and confidence in their spelling ability. The ability to read and spell unlocks a whole new world to a child or adult.
Reading supports cognitive development, helps children to see problem-solving in action, and can promote parent-child bonding. Regular reading sessions allow children to be introduced to the language of books, and the written word, which often differs from what they hear in everyday conversations. This gives children the opportunity to build their vocabularies, as well as begin to understand concepts of text structure and sequence, two important academic concepts for strengthening reading comprehension. Children who are regularly read to, will have access to a wider variety of language as well as greater phonic awareness, two concepts that are foundationally important to learning to read on their own.
Reading also helps build a sense of empathy, and allows young people who may be facing new or scary situations to find examples of how others have handled similar struggles in their lives. Particularly for teens, reading can provide a sense of consistency that helps them cope with the challenges of a new stage of life.
Candace Freeman — Head of Teaching & Learning Primary