RIYADH, 1 May — Reading is the gateway to learning. It is more important than ever in the current information age. It gives us a means of discovering a fascinating world. Every thing one reads contributes to enhancing one’s knowledge, understanding and perception.
There is wide general agreement on the advantages of reading. Still, it is sad to say that not every family encourages its children to read. Very few people here have a love of reading and so many children grow up unaware of the value of books and what they offer. For example, every year, a great number of students register in colleges of literature. Whether in Arabic or English, many of them are unfamiliar with the famous books and writers. Their background insofar as what they have read is shaky in most cases.
According to Mrs. Muna Abo Sulayman, a teacher of English literature at King Saud University, very few students enjoy reading. Students are enrolled in the college merely to learn English language. “I dare say that only four to five students pay real attention to reading. As the year passes, the number of students who do so may increase. I use a number of techniques to encourage my students to read - like linking the topics of books discussed in classes to everyday life. I also try to give them assignments that encourage them to pay more visits to the library. But again, the ones who really enjoy reading are unfortunately few.”
Hanadi is one of the students who was not interested in reading before enrolling in college. Her reading was confined to magazines and a few popular books. “When I first came into the English literature section, the names of the novels and plays taught there were familiar to me but I had never taken the time to read them. Now I tend to read more which is probably due to the influence of teachers. Some of them know how to make you want to read. The most effective technique in my opinion is group discussion of a book. In this situation, the teacher and the students interact in a very useful and interesting way. Especially when the teacher links the discussion to important people and events.” Nonetheless, Hanadi does not read beyond what she is assigned for her college courses.
No other skill taught at school is more important than reading. It is the first step. In order to make that first step, it is crucial not only to encourage children to read but also to show them that reading is fun. Hala, a third grade student, is top of her class in reading. That can be attributed to her mother and her first-grade teacher.
“My mother always reads me stories at bedtime. The first book I read by myself was Madeline. My teacher was so amazed by my ability that she told my mother about it. Since then, my mother has brought me more books which we read together. I love to read adventure books most.”
Parents have to realize how important reading is to education. It is very important to read to children. Dr. Ebtissam is a mother who knows how strong an influence parents have on children. As she says, reading stories to children at bedtime is one of the most effective ways to acquaint children with reading. “In the States, where my children grew up, we used to plan frequent visits to the public library. There, their father and I would select some useful books for them to read. The whole family would enjoy the time for reading and so, my children became fond of it. They keep themselves up-to-date now with the latest books and they want to own them. I, however, read all their books before allowing them to. I want to make sure they are suitable.”
Of course not every child is able to read in English. And most of our children who read in Arabic don’t find very many interesting books. There are stories and tales that interest them but the educational and scientific books that grab their attention are rare.
One mother said, “Take a look at children’s school books. They are designed very unattractively. No wonder our children seldom look at reading as a pleasure. The first books they encounter at school give them a very bad impression about both books and reading.”
Nada, a sixth grade student, is a real bookworm. She spends most of her spare time reading. “Not many of my friends share my interest. They prefer to spend their time watching TV, playing computer games or even chatting on the phone. When I tell them a story I have read, they ask me to tell them. Rarely do they ask me to lend them the book so they can read it themselves. They get bored with the reading we do at school and they prefer to spend their time at home doing something else. Apparently, their parents don‚t encourage them to read like my parents do.”
Again, parents are responsible for motivating their children to read. So enjoy a book with your children even if only for a few minutes. Show them how reading can increase their enjoyment of everyday life. Make interesting books available to them. And pause for discussion as you read so as to enhance your child’s perception and understanding. It will make a very noticeable difference in the child’s ability to read and his eagerness to acquire reading skills.
