25 August 2023
Students and staff from Girton Grammar’s Junior School have been celebrating their love of reading every day this Book Week, through a calendar jam-packed with literary fun.
Works of fiction were brought to life on Thursday as students immersed themselves in their favourite characters during the much-loved Book Week parade – from Little Red Riding Hood to The Mandalorian.
Another highlight was Tuesday’s ‘Books and Bikkies’, where families were invited to join their children for a story and a snack in the Junior School Library.
To cap off the week, on Friday students received an inspirational visit from prolific children’s fantasy writer, Isobelle Carmody – author of over 40 books, including the acclaimed Obernewtyn series.
Head of the Girton Grammar Junior School, Mr Don Thompson, said it was heartening to see the love of stories, imagination and adventure as alive today in Girton’s students as it was when he was a child.
“It is great to see that, even in the age of technology and streaming services, our students still love to celebrate reading and all things book-related,” Mr Thompson said.
“And it wasn’t just the students who were excited for Book Week – many of our staff have been planning their costumes based on a favourite book for weeks!”
Mr Thompson said that Girton strives to cultivate a love of literature among all its students, with the benefits of reading for pleasure going well beyond the purely academic.
“Books allow us to be transported to places we have never been, or perhaps do not exist, and be part of a life outside of our own,” he said.
“This is why we are so committed to ensuring our students have the skills and knowledge they need to read. Reading opens new worlds to our students, and we feel very privileged to play a part in helping them along that journey.”
With these powerful benefits in mind, Girton is investing in its early years reading program to enhance the explicit teaching of reading, which includes the purchase of new ‘decodable’ books that help children learn to read using a phonics-based approach.
In addition, several Junior School teachers are completing short courses through La Trobe University’s Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab to ensure the school is adopting scientifically proven practices to teach its students to read.
