St Leonard's College | Independent School Melbourne

Connection, nostalgia and richness of language 

When we read to our children, we share more than just literacy benefits, we give them the gift of our full attention. Stories transport us from our own lives and realities, and the nostalgia of returning to a favourite book, returns us to a familiar place we know and love.

When we read with our children, we can choose a higher-level text than they might read independently. The more sophisticated content and richness of language provide opportunities for discussion, critical thinking and vocabulary development.

In addition, re-reading books over time is not “wasted” reading time, but can provide deep relaxation, a reset from academic work and a new perspective on aspects of the text. A beloved character can feel like an ally and an old friend in times of loneliness.

A broader definition of “reading”  

Reading from a book involves visual decoding of the symbols we use for words. For those who don’t have decoding difficulties, once this skill is mastered, it is effortless. It is not putting in more work for the reward of reading. For those who do have decoding difficulties, the act of reading forms a real barrier to engaging with literature and enjoying the narrative. In every other aspect, listening to stories lights up the same parts of the brain as hard copy reading.

Oral storytelling is an intrinsic part of human history across all cultures. From First Nations, the Ancient Greeks and Shakespearean traditions, through to often repeated family stories about “the time that Nana….” – these shared experiences of story convey narrative, richness of language, cultural knowledge and history.

Shared reading for older children

You may feel self-conscious initiating some of these activities for the first time, and teenagers can be a difficult crowd to win over, but try approaching the ideas with humour and an open mind and you could be surprised how your children engage with them.

Sometimes modelling behaviours ourselves, thus giving our children permission to enjoy something they might think of as a younger child’s activity, can be the key to successful shared reading.

Shared reading with teenagers taps into the memories of being read to as a child. The comfort and deep relaxation that brings can soothe anxiety. For older children, shared reading can also take many forms you may not have considered beyond a read-aloud such as:

• Listening to an audiobook together in the car. Audiobooks count as “real” reading. Similarly, a podcast that follows a narrative is structured in the same way as a written text and provides an opportunity for critical thinking, information and vocabulary building. This “hands-free” reading in the car, garden, whilst cooking or exercising, provides another opportunity to get literature into your day.

• Sharing news articles. Not as many of us buy the weekly newspapers these days, but reading aloud from your device at breakfast or dinner time takes on another dimension when it provokes discussion, critical thinking and factual information building. Long-form journalism such as The Guardian, The Australian, The Conversation, ABC News and The Age apps and email newsletters are perfect for this.  Traditionally, the focus and research on reading for pleasure has emphasised fiction reading as the most beneficial. However, with the rise of narrative non-fiction and the new wave of sophisticated, high-interest information books, this focus is shifting. For those who prefer non-fiction, it is a valid reading practice. All reading is good reading.

• Modelled reading. Set aside 30 minutes over the weekend to sit together and read with your child. You don’t have to be reading the same book, it is shared time that models good reading habits for your child. Afterward, chatting about what you read teaches critical analysis and summarising skills in an informal manner.

• Shared poetry. Sites such as the Poetry Foundation have Poem of the Day and collections on many topics. Special occasions such as the first day of Summer or Christmas dinner, can be a lovely time to create a ritual of reading a poem aloud.

• Not just parent-to-child reading. Children reading aloud to an older relative, perhaps someone in a hospital or a nursing home or whose eyesight isn’t what it used to be, is another opportunity. Older siblings can read to a grandparent or a younger sibling, aunties, uncles and godparents. The practice of reading aloud and the bonding experience between family members is very beneficial for literacy and creates warm memories to reinforce a shared love of storytelling.

• Wordle and Word of the day. A fun activity for shared vocabulary building over breakfast or dinner. New York Times Wordle Game and Merriam Webster Word of the Day.  

• Library visits and author talks. The Wheeler Centre and local libraries regularly host author talks. Both reading one of their books before or after an author talk, adds a whole new dimension and an opportunity for discussion and engagement.

• Reading student set texts. If you haven’t considered reading your child’s set texts, this is another opportunity for shared discussion around literature and engagement with your child and will enrich their perspective of the text.

• Simultaneous reading of the same book. Agree on chapters to read each week and discuss the book together. You could also challenge yourselves to both read the book of an upcoming film before you go to see it.

If you are interested in learning more about shared reading, here are some additional resources:

• Why I read aloud to my teenagers

• We know parents shape their children’s reading – but so can aunts, uncles and grandparents by sharing beloved books

• Read aloud tweens and teens

• 7 ways to support Australian teens in reading for pleasure

• Three intriguing studies about reading aloud to kids

• Reading for pleasure, new research offers a revealing look into teens’ habits

• Engaging teens with reading

• The power of nostalgia 

 By Natasha Allday, Head of Library