Reading Shapes the Brain

What if something as simple as reading for a few extra minutes each day could have a lasting impact on your child’s development?

At our Parents' Committee meeting yesterday, parents were invited to reflect on a powerful message first shared with students during assembly: literacy is not just another school subject. It plays a crucial role in how the brain grows and develops. Mr Woolley, our IMYC Coordinator and literacy enthusiast, highlighted how small daily habits can lead to big results. We are presenting some of the highlights of his presentation here.

Small Habits, Big Results

Consider this:

• 1 minute of reading per day = 45,000 words per year

• 5 minutes per day = 225,000 words per year

• 30 minutes per day = 1,350,000 words per year

  
  

Over time, those words build vocabulary, strengthen understanding and develop confidence. Often, the difference between a confident reader and a struggling one is not ability, it is consistency.

Just like athletes improve through practice, readers grow stronger with every page they turn.

Reading Builds Stronger Minds

Mr Woolley presented research that shows that reading does more than provide information, it actually rewires the brain.

Regular reading supports:

• Memory

• Focus and concentration

• Emotional intelligence

• Critical thinking

• Mental wellbeing

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In today’s fast-paced digital world, the ability to focus deeply and think independently is more important than ever.

A Shared Challenge

Recent data shows a concerning decline in reading enjoyment among young people, now at its lowest level in 20 years. Fewer than 1 in 5 children report reading daily in their free time. The benefits of reading expand far beyond academic performance, students who read regularly gain confidence, motivation and build crucial long-term learning habits.

What We’re Doing at School

We are committed to building a strong culture of reading across the school:

• Embedding literacy across all subjects

• Teaching vocabulary and comprehension strategies explicitly

• Encouraging reading diaries and shared book lists

• Promoting library use, book chats, and reading challenges

• Reading is visible, valued and celebrated throughout our community.

How Families Can Make a Difference

The encouraging news is that small, consistent actions at home have a powerful impact:

• Make reading part of the daily routine

• Create a calm, inviting reading space

• Model reading as adults

• Talk about books together

• Visit libraries and share stories

Reading does not need to feel like a chore, it can and should be a shared experience.

When we work together, reading becomes more than just homework. It becomes something children genuinely enjoy and see the value in. By supporting them both at school and at home, we help them grow into thoughtful, curious learners for life. 

Continuing Our Focus on Literacy  

Literacy will remain a key focus for us moving forward. We have some exciting plans ahead to further strengthen our reading culture, and we can’t wait to introduce them in the months to come.  

A grandparent and grandchild enjoying a book together in our Birralee Library during last year’s Reading Week.