News

Expand world taking up reading challenge

HELPING students escape to magical worlds as well as improving their chances of success in later life, the 2024 Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) is now underway in more than 2,600 government, non-government and home schools, including Lidcombe Public School and Auburn Girls High School, across NSW.

It’s not a competition but a challenge for each student to read more and read more widely based on their own choices as well as compulsory titles on the PRC booklists which open the doors to a rich collection of children’s literature representing a range of books, including fiction, non-fiction, picture books, poetry and drama, and a wide variety of Australian authors.
Auburn Girls Principal Anna Tsoutsa said the challenge had been on offer annually at the school and it’s made a big difference to language development with many students from migrant backgrounds.
In years gone by, students rarely asked to borrow but now the library has books flying off the shelves.
“The Premiers Reading challenge encourages our students to engage in the joy of reading,” she said.
“Books open up students experiences to learn about other places, cultures, times and people, to learn about life and experience empathy, relate to others, to question and to relax and enjoy reading for pleasure.”
Starting in February, the challenge runs until August 23 and students receive a certificate if they complete the challenge which comprises students in K-2 reading 30 books and those in Years 3-10 reading 20 books.
For further info: prc@det.nsw.edu.au.