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At
a story-reading workshop in a private school in Chennai
recently, 11 and 12-year
olds were read a story. Then,
during a discussion with the children, they were asked
what
books they read, who their favourite authors were
and so on. The children sat in silence.
After
considerable prodding, one girl said her favourite story
was a lesson from the English
Reader. A couple of
children seconded her choice. And that was it. That was
it!
Isn't
it shocking to think that the extent of reading a whole
class (some 60-90 kids)
seems to have done is limited
entirely to school textbooks? Shocking and frightening.
Especially at a time bookshops are flooded with imported
and indigenous children's books.
Good, bad, indifferent,
that's a question of discernment. But available they
are, books other
than textbooks. So why are children not
reading? At least this seems to be the general
complaint. Yes, we have heard the arguments about the
influence of television, computers,
video games, the
high pressure life children are forced to tackle given
tough syllabi and
tougher learning environments....
But
what are we doing as parents, teachers, as concerned individuals?
Let's
ask ourselves a few questions. What kind of books
do school libraries have? Are children
encouraged to use
the library any time? Or is it treated as just another
'period' during
which they may access one or two
shelves? Can they browse through the books, maybe
flip
through the pages of one, put it back, pull out another?
How often do they, especially
the younger ones, have
storytelling sessions in the library? Over the years,
does the child
learn to love the library?
Then
again, as parents when we complain our children don't
read, the first question
to ask ourselves is: Do you
read? If the answer is yes, do
your children see you reading
or do you wait
until after they are in bed? Are books easily accessible
to them, lying
around within easy reach? It's like when
the child will not eat fruit. Do you leave fruits on
the
table so the child can help itself? Similarly with
books. Do you complain when they
read the same book over
and over again? Do you force them to read what they
don't like?
Basically, is there an ambience of books and
reading in the house? Each child has
his or her own
level, like water. Given some time to themselves, some
quiet, some mood,
children can be encouraged to read.
And once the bug bites, the child stays bitten. . . .
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