Journey Through The Pages Of A Book With Shorncliffe Reads Together

Whether you read for relaxation, or flick through the pages of a book to go on a wild adventure, Shorncliffe Reads Together is back to take students, families, and teachers on a group voyage.

During the month of August, students at Shorncliffe State School are joining together for a whole school reading initiative. Held across three weeks, the event will see students read the same book, at the same time with their families, then return to school to discuss what happened in the book and to participate in interactive activities including daily trivia, static displays, and guest readers.

Louise Youngman, a teacher at Shorncliffe State School, said the idea was inspired by similar programs overseas and was born from a desire to connect the school community through the love of shared reading.

“The goal is to connect our school community through shared reading and discussion about one book,” Louise said.

“All participating families will receive a copy of the book and an information pack containing the reading schedule and suggested activities.”

Understanding that weeknights can be a busy time in a family household, Louise has created a reading schedule to help families keep on track. She has timed how long it takes to read each chapter and then has broken each night’s reading into 10-15 minutes.

Reading is a vital skill for any child and with endless benefits, it’s easy to see why this event is so popular amongst the 200 families who are taking part. Reading enriches vocabulary, stimulates the brain, and can help with writing skills. It also inspires curiosity, takes a form of entertainment and relaxation, and can reduce stress. Not to mention it fosters connection within the family home.

Louise said there are many benefits to reading as a family.

“Studies show that even after children can read for themselves, reading out loud can show them what proficient reading sounds like, with pacing, intonation and expression,” Louise said.

“Listening to you read more challenging books exposes your child to more complex stories and advanced vocabulary.”

While the title of this year’s book is a closely guarded secret, we can tell you that it is written by a very well-known Australian author, with illustrations by an accomplished Australian artist.