Australia Reads
Reaching Australian Readers
Australia Reads has recently released new national research, which was developed with Monash University and Creative Australia, offering practical guidance on how to help Australians read more often by translating behavioural science into clear, actionable strategies. For schools and families, the message is a timely one: young people are more likely to keep reading when they can find stories that genuinely interest them and when access to books is easy. Further information, including the key takeaways and access to the full report, is available here: https://australiareads.org.au/news/reaching-australian-readers-release/.
Stories to Discover at MWSC
Over the past couple of weeks, Year 9 English teachers have brought their classes to the Senior Library to choose novels for the Wider Reading unit, with library staff helping students connect with classic and contemporary stories. It has been wonderful to see so many novels heading out on loan, with plenty more still waiting to be discovered.
The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is one way students can build that reading momentum. At MWSC, all students have already been registered for the Challenge. In Term 2, books that students have completed will be verified by their Year 7 to Year 10 English teachers. Students who complete the Challenge will be eligible for a certificate, and at school there will also be book prizes and house points. Further information is available on the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge website.
Year 7 and Year 8 students have also been enjoying Easter Book Bingo at lunchtime in the Junior Library, hunting for selected books and going into the draw for Easter prizes. It has been a fun way for students to engage with books in the lead-up to the holidays.
Over the autumn school holidays, students can continue reading through MWSC’s ePlatform, which provides access to eBooks and audiobooks. Families may like to bookmark the site, and students can log in using their school credentials: https://mwsc.eplatform.co/.
MWSC students and families can also borrow titles through the Monash Public Library Service Premiers’ Reading Challenge collection, which includes a range of print and digital reading options. Library membership is free for Victorian residents, giving members access to a wide range of print and digital reading options.
Research and Reading Resources
The MWSC library website gives students and staff access to a wide range of useful links for research, classwork, home learning and reading: https://sites.google.com/education.vic.gov.au/mwsclibrary
Resources include Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia World Book, eBooks, newspapers, ClickView Online, the State Library Victoria, ABC Education, Scootle and Reading Australia. Some websites require users to log in with their Department of Education Victoria account.
Thank you to our wonderful ICT team, especially Jacob and Aro, for supporting access to these valuable learning opportunities.
We wish the MWSC community a restful autumn break, and hope the holidays offer time to unwind and discover a story to enjoy.
Resource Centre Team