The importance of free choice for young readers

SLAV executive officer Susan La Marca said a love of reading can offer children a leg-up in all parts of the school curriculum.

Parents can support reading for pleasure by offering a wide range of reading materials for children to access at their own pace.

"Give them access and give them choice," she said.

Dr La Marca encourages parents to embrace reading in all formats, including graphic novels, magazines and newspapers.

The act of reading for pleasure, regardless of subject matter, is likely to have positive effects on the child's school experience, the teacher of 40 years said. .

Taking children to explore libraries and bookshops can help broaden horizons and can help kids understand their personal identity, she said.

"It's about opportunity, difference and accessibility," she said.

"There are so many books out in the world, there is something for everyone."

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Institute for learning sciences and teacher education Associate Professor Laura Scholes encouraged parents to read widely to their children as reading for pleasure could inspire children to follow.

Learning to read from a hard copy book also allows children to develop focused reading skills that are useful in navigating reading online, she said.

Online reading includes maneuvering pop-up ads and hyperlinks on busy websites.

"You have to choose your pathway, it's more demanding," Professor Scholes said.

Ability to read and comprehend text on a range of mediums is considered increasingly important in modern schools and workplaces, she said.

Gaming skills, requiring specific online literacy, are used in some medical and army training, the professor said.

"There's an expectation that people have these high level digital skills," she said.

But a digital divide is growing between Australian kids.

The most funded schools are able to offer the latest computer equipment, while the lowest funded schools are often working with out-of-date technology due to financial constraints, Professor Scholes said.