Director of Teaching and Learning, The Reading Advantage: Balancing Screens, Books, and Development
The Reading Advantage: Balancing Screens, Books, and Development.
In an increasingly screen-saturated world, nurturing a love of reading is more important than ever. As a school, we are committed to developing strong, confident readers who understand the value of reading not only for learning, but for life.
Throughout childhood and adolescence, regular reading strengthens cognitive development, expands vocabulary and builds the literacy skills that underpin academic success across all subject areas. Just as importantly, reading nurtures empathy and emotional intelligence, allowing students to better understand different perspectives and experiences. It also supports mental wellbeing, offering a healthy way to relax and reduce stress. During these formative years, consistent reading habits shape the developing brain, strengthening critical thinking and laying the foundation for lifelong learning.
As digital devices become central to learning, researchers at Macquarie University including Prof. Erik Reichle and Dr Lili Yu, examined how reading on screens compares with reading on paper. While digital texts have their place, Reichle and Yu advise that reading from physical books supports deeper comprehension, focus and retention, particularly for longer or more complex texts. Screens often invite distraction such as hyperlinks and advertisements, whereas print better supports sustained attention. Wherever possible, we encourage students to balance screen-based reading with regular engagement with physical books to maximise both learning and wellbeing benefits.
Reading is not an innate skill but one that develops through years of deliberate practice, shaping the brain’s language and attention capacity over time. For families, your support makes a significant difference. If your child finds reading challenging, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher, English teacher or Head of House so that we can provide guidance, targeted strategies or additional support. At home, encouraging reading does not need to be a battle; choice and routine are key. Allowing students to select texts that genuinely interest them, setting aside a regular time for reading, modelling reading as adults, and discussing books in a relaxed way can all help build positive habits.
What’s happening in our English Classrooms to support reading?
A message from our Head of English, Nicole Maxwell.
“Learning to read proficiently is critical to a student’s entire education and predictive of future education, health and employment outcomes” (Australian Education Research Organisation, 2023). Thus, it is fitting that we commence our academic year within our English classrooms by drawing focus upon enjoyment and valuing of reading.
In addition to sharing a range of diverse texts linked directly to assessment tasks, we are prioritising reading for pleasure as an important mechanism to encourage reading frequency. English teachers are collaborating closely with our experienced library staff and their well-resourced spaces to maximise reading outcomes for students. Ms. Georgie Buenfeld is working with classroom teachers to enhance the development of inquiry skills, supporting our Junior School students to explore topics through investigation, critical thinking, and questioning. Ms. Elizabeth Guilfoyle in our Senior Resource Centre has observed that, “It’s a happy fact that The Senior (7-12) library space has been replete with curiosity across the first four weeks of term, during which each English class has been re-introduced to our services through book chats and reading advocacy conferences in their English lessons. These visits have seen possibly the greatest take-up of borrowing at this stage of the year that I can remember in a long time.”
One of our greatest privileges and joys is conversing with a student about their latest read, or assisting them to discover a new adventure, which invariably challenges their thinking, shapes their perspectives and informs their formation of their own authentic and valuable voice.
I invite you to be an active contributor in your child’s reading journey, sharing stories which have impacted and remained with you:
“The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books” (Katherine Mansfield).
Nadia Maglica
Director of Teaching and Learning