Our Reading Conversations

Years 7, 8 and 9 have made encouraging progress in their reading lessons in the Library. Although the students come once per cycle during their English program, the students are encouraged to continue to read everyday from a wide range of genres that immerse them in literature, broadens their imagination, deepens their empathy with the world; connecting the student to their own situations, to other texts they have read and also to broader social issues. Wider reading also has the desired effects of increased reading fluency together with the use of more sophisticated vocabulary.

Our students follow a research-based reading routine that includes:

• Free Choice Reading. Our generous fiction and non-fiction collections cater for a  wide reading, choices and interests for all students.
• Silent Sustained Reading (SSR). Helping the students to focus and be absorbed in their reading.
• Deeper understanding of reading texts. Discussions relating to the strategies that effective readers need to appreciate and understand the story context.
• Genre Investigation. Broadening students’ horizons of story themes and ideas; particularly in fiction.
• Reading circle conversations and discussions, both teacher and student led.

This term, Year 7 has been encouraged to look at how the ‘Novels in Verse’ format can add emphasis and interest to a story.

Year 8 has been looking at how teenagers are represented in fiction; particularly in ‘Coming of Age’ stories.

Year 9 has been exploring  how other worlds are represented in fiction, such as in the graphic novel, dystopian, science-fiction, horror and fantasy genres.

Students have 24/7 access to our extensive catalogue and, by logging in with their school login and password for SIMON, they are able to renew, reserve and make personalised wishlists. The experienced and friendly library staff, Mr Pearson and Ms Albrecht are always ready to assist in this process.

Save-the Date: ‘Write a Book in a Day 2024’

The annual Write a Book in a Day competition is happening again at Kilbreda and will take place on Friday 12 July; noting that this is the last weekday in the Term 2 school holidays. Write a Book in a Day allows teams of students to express their creativity through writing and illustration, whilst vying for prizes and raising money to support  the Kids with Cancer Project. More details including registration will be on SIMON very soon, so watch out for the Write a Book in a Day notices. Stay tuned!

Joyce Sendeckyj​​​​
Head of Library and Information Services