IRC News

Developing a Reading Culture at Nossal High School

This year Nossal High School will be placing increased emphasis on  developing a reading culture across all year levels.

This is in response to the current , strong research which shows that there is a direct relationship between reading engagement and academic achievement not only in English and literacy but across all subjects.

The image below clearly shows the impact of reading on students’ vocabulary development as well as on their scores on standardised tests.

The well known author, linguist and educational researcher Professor Stephen Krashen has stated that “when children read for pleasure, when they get hooked on books, they acquire involuntarily and without conscious effort, nearly all of the so called “language skills” many people are so concerned about: they will become adequate readers, acquire a large vocabulary, develop the ability to understand and use complex grammatical constructions, develop a good writing style, and become good spellers.”

It must be noted that the benefits of reading engagement also goes beyond literacy and academic achievement. By reading fiction, students develop empathy and positive interpersonal characteristics. Regular reading also helps cognitive stamina as well as mental wellbeing.

Keeping in mind the immense benefits of reading engagement, we request all parents to encourage their students to make use of the wide selection of novels, biographies and autobiographies available in the Information Resource Centre and engage in wide reading. Students can also be encouraged to participate in the numerous reading clubs being organised by the Information Resource Centre.

Kamla Reddy

Director of Information Resource Centre