Inspiring secondary school reading on World Book Day

As many primary aged children will be dressing up as their favourite book characters today, Hellesdon High’s library will be taking the opportunity to inspire a love of reading for pleasure in an age group, which research shows, have been leaving reading on the shelf.

Annual surveys by the National Literacy Trust show that the number of children and young people who say they enjoy reading, and read daily in their free time, has declined year-on-year, with just 1 in 3 people aged between 8 and 18 saying they enjoy reading in the past year.

Schools across the Wensum Trust are strong advocates of reading for pleasure and at Hellesdon High, the library plays a key role in encouraging young people to pick up a book.

Sarita Ould-Zaouche is the school’s library manager and invests her time, and passion for reading, in creating special events and activities all year round. She has been explaining why World Book Day is just as relevant in secondary schools as it is in primary schools: “World Book Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate books and inspire a love of reading in students of all ages, and perhaps it is even more important to do this in secondary schools at an age when there is a dramatic downturn in students saying they enjoy reading for pleasure. Secondary schools can bring a unique flair to World Book Day - it's about encouraging a love of reading that extends beyond dressing up.”

 

For World Book Day this year, Hellesdon’s library is holding a number of activities for those who love reading, and for those who may be tempted to read more. These include Book Bingo, a book swap, a quiz, making book hedgehogs, and a picture quiz to guess which teachers have been caught reading. In addition, each lesson in the school on World Book Day will start with teachers reading aloud the first chapter of a book which is available for free with World Book Day tokens.

 

Sarita said it’s vital to prioritise reading for pleasure as research consistently shows that the benefits are extensive and far reaching: “Reading is one of the biggest indicators of a young person's academic success, even more so than their family's socio-economic status which I find really inspiring. 

“Even more importantly, there is a positive link between reading for pleasure and an increased sense of wellbeing. I tell our students that reading is like a superpower - it boosts your brain, giving you greater knowledge and a wider vocabulary, but it also builds empathy - books give us views of the world we would otherwise not experience. 
“In an increasingly fast-paced way of life where teens are under extraordinary pressure both academically and socially, when switching "off" is a rarity, books offer young people the chance to do just that, to slow down and to relax. When they're used to instant dopamine hits from scrolling this is a habit that can take time to get used to but it is really worth it in so many ways.”

 

Charlotte Beardmore, Literacy Co-ordinator at Hellesdon High School said: “At Hellesdon High School, reading is at the heart of school life all year round. We take part in lots of activities to support students to enjoy books, discover stories, and develop a lifelong love of reading. 

“We have Year 7 "Reading Champions" who harness this enthusiasm and promote reading - and the library - around the school. These Reading Champions then have the opportunity to become a part of our Student Librarian team in Year 8 when they learn how to use the library computer to issue, return and reserve books. The Student Librarians are integral to the HHS library - it is a huge responsibility to run the library desk and they are amazing.”

Below are Hellesdon High’s Literacy Team’s Top Tips for helping your child’s reading at home.

• Create a reading routine - support your child to read regularly: 20 minutes a day or two hours per week. Try to find a calm, comfortable place and set aside distractions.
• Discuss reading together - ask your child questions about the book they are reading and encourage them to share their opinions.
• Build literacy into daily life - involve your child in everyday reading, such as reading shopping lists, instructions and recipes. 
• Promote wider reading - visit the library or the book shop and encourage your child to explore the shelves.
• Incorporate technology - if your child is a reluctant reader, offer e-readers or audiobooks as an alternative.