Sydney, Dec 22: The NSW Department of Education is encouraging parents to make reading a central part of the Christmas holidays, with a Newcastle High School teacher librarian highlighting the break as an ideal opportunity to reduce screen time and build lifelong reading habits among children.
With school finished for the year and children under 16 now restricted from social media accounts, Newcastle High School teacher librarian Elisabeth Porreca-Dubois said the holidays provide valuable space to reintroduce reading routines, particularly as children get older and face growing commitments.
“One of the things that children report, particularly as they get older, is that as commitments such as homework, sport, and part-time jobs increase they find it more difficult to find the time to read,” Mrs Porreca-Dubois explains.
“This becomes particularly problematic as children transition into high school, so looking for times over the holidays to develop a reading routine, actively building in reading time or opportunities for incidental reading is important.”
Porreca-Dubois said families can integrate reading into everyday holiday moments, including road trips, bedtime routines and downtime outdoors, noting that audiobooks can also play an important role.
“Families often travel over the summer break and this is the perfect time to build in reading… It is a great way to engage disengage readers.”
She also encouraged shared reading before bed as a way to create calm routines and meaningful conversations.
“These moments help model mindful, active reading and encourage meaningful conversations, questions and deeper thinking.”
Highlighting the value of informal literacy, Mrs Porreca-Dubois said reading should be recognised in all its forms, including recipes, maps, menus and instructions.
“It’s important that we identify that reading comes in all forms: we are all readers.”
Gifting books at Christmas was another simple way to increase access to reading, with Mrs Porreca-Dubois sharing ideas such as book advent calendars, bookshop visits and gift cards.
When choosing books, she urged parents not to dismiss graphic novels or picture books and to let children lead the selection process.
“All books are valuable so don’t discount the value of a graphic novel or picture book as often these books are the best way to capture the interest of a disengaged reader.”
She also recommended families explore the Premier’s Reading Challenge website or seek guidance from teacher librarians and booksellers to help children overcome reading slumps.
Porreca-Dubois has also released a holiday reading list for children aged three and up, drawing on popular titles that circulate widely across NSW schools and feature on bestseller lists.
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