Weekly update from Miss Earle
Many thanks to staff & parents who are supporting the LLC in its promotion of reading, we are very grateful.
In this week where children’s mental health is at the forefront, the benefits of reading to relax/switch off/find another world are worth mentioning – and for those who struggle to read, audio books are available in abundance.
Research by Dr David Lewis showed that reading as little as six minutes a day can reduce stress levels by 60% by reducing your heart rate, easing muscle tension and altering your state of mind; and here is a link to an interesting article: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20190527-can-fiction-really-improve-your-mental-health
I really appreciate the feedback I’m receiving from pupils – and some parents, too. Inspired by one such message, some tutor sessions this week were spent in discussion about the ways in which reading a story can be different from watching it on film/tv. While films & tv shows are undoubtedly fun, reading gives a chance to reread, revisit, have a break and consider, before moving on.
The reader can consider the character motivations, author intentions and so on. This helps develop the reader as an individual. When we watch, however, the action is fleeting and our responses may be superficial.
I hope that everyone will have a chance to take some personal time out this weekend in order to enjoy a good book.
And good luck to the Year 7 and 8 pupils who have just over four weeks left on their Readathon Challenge.
Miss Earle