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A range of engaging strategies to promote reading for pleasure and to build a love of reading with young learners"

Junior School Curriculum Director Vanessa Collins shares details of the 'Just Read' action research project to build a culture of reading at Sydney's Queenwood School for Girls, and ignite in students a love of reading for pleasure.

"Nearly one in five Australian adults performs poorly in literacy, and this is due to giving up on reading for pleasure as teenagers. People who have basic literacy skills, but struggle with literacy, are known as aliterate. So how can we get teenagers to read for pleasure? What impact is technology having on literacy in adolescents? Dr Margaret Merga from Edith Cowan University has done extensive research in the area and she spoke to Geoff on Drive. "

The power of a good book. It doesn't matter what age you are, there's nothing quite like losing yourself in a good book. But, did you know that reading for enjoyment is also associated with higher academic achievement? A recent large scale study concluded reading for pleasure has 'a powerful influence on children's learning', particularly in developing vocabulary, but also on spelling and maths skills.

"In a new study published in Reading and Writing, she and her colleagues found significant differences between students who read for pleasure outside of class-immersing themselves in fantasy novels or spy thrillers, for example-and those who primarily read books to satisfy school assignments. Not only was there a powerful link between reading for fun and stronger language skills, but students who disliked reading frequently attributed their negative outlook to experiences they had in classrooms."

"Reading should never be viewed as a punishment and teachers should be wary of prioritising 'highbrow' books, says teacher of English Alan Gillespie"

"as kids get older and go to school, reading can be seen as work rather than fun -- and kids, especially teens, may stop reading for pleasure. Here are nine ways to get teens reading, either again or for the first time."

"Book Chats offer students an interesting and enjoyable opportunity to engage with and respond to fiction with their peers."

Students who are highly engaged in a wide range of reading activities are more likely than other students to be effective learners and to perform well at school. Research also documents a strong link between reading practices, motivation and proficiency among adults. Proficiency in reading is crucial for individuals to make sense of the world they live in and to continue learning throughout their lives...

"One of the projects we planned and executed together had the goal of supporting students' liberation from strict ideas about what books they should be reading. Often, without realizing it, when we lean too heavily on data pertaining to reading levels and achievement and share this information with students, it can lead to the development of prejudicial ideas about which books belong to which grades and readers. In my library, I much prefer the message that all books belong to all readers."

"Started as a way to motivate teens to read, Free Comic Book Day @ the Library has become a favorite among students, teachers, and other staff members at our school. One of the most frustrating parts of being a high school librarian is seeing how academic work interferes with teenagers' motivation to read for fun. "

"A study of children participating in book talks in libraries has shown differing lines of priority between classroom teachers and librarians when it comes to reading, and suggests they should work together more cohesively."

"How, in this data-heavy world, are we supposed to convince young people that reading books matters? That the stories they consume while turning the pages are exercising their brains to become better at critical thinking and problem solving?"

"Do you have a sufficient number of nonfiction books in your classroom or school library to meet the reading needs of students? There's an increasing amount of evidence that students not only enjoy nonfiction but are actively seeking it. There's also some indication that elementary students in particular may prefer nonfiction material by a wide margin, compared with adults. Yet, classroom collections and school libraries often don't reflect this reality."