Last week I spoke about the death of the wonderful American writer Paul Auster. On the weekend, I decided to reread his powerful memoir, The Invention of Solitude. Two statements particularly resonated with me: ‘If a child is not allowed to enter the imaginary, he will never come to grips with the real;’ and ‘a child’s need for stories is as fundamental as his need for food, and it manifests itself in the same way hunger does’. 

Reading for pleasure matters. Research indicates that it supports literacy and learning in school; enables students to develop their own, informed perspective on life; is a safe and inexpensive way to spend time; and allows young people to understand and empathise with those in different situations, times, and cultures.

Unfortunately, reading for pleasure tends to decline as students move through adolescence. The challenge for teachers and parents is to redress this trend through a focus on the needs, interests and capabilities of our young people. At the heart of achievement in reading is the ability of the reader to create meaningful connections between the words on the page and his or her lived, constructed, or imagined world of experience.

The following quote from The History Boys by Alan Bennett captures the magic of reading:

‘The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now it is here, set down by someone else … someone who is even long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.’

A reminder that our Parent Library gathering is taking place in the College library from 6.30pm – 7.30pm on Tuesday 14 May. Come and enjoy a chat, a cup of tea or coffee, and the opportunity to take home and keep as many books as you wish.

Clare Murphy

English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach