INNOVATIVE METHODS OF PROMOTING READING

INNOVATIVE METHODS OF PROMOTING READING IN PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.  ~Charles W. Eliot

We're always telling children that books and reading are good for them,

but have we ever really thought about the learning outcome of reading ? 

Does reading matter ? According to me, it's true, reading really is

important, and that there are some solid reasons why that is so. Let's

begin with the practical benefits of reading supplemented by real-life examples from my pre-primary and primary schools.

·        Books help children develop vital language skills.

Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children.

Not only is it necessary for survival in the world of schools, but in adult life as well. The ability to learn about new subjects and find helpful information on anything depends on the ability to read.

The more children read, the better they become at reading. It's as

simple as that. The more enjoyable the things they read are, the more

they'll stick with them and develop the reading skills. Reading should be

viewed as a pleasurable activity - as a source of entertaining tales

and useful and interesting factual information.

Being in the field of education for so many years and being associated with so many educationists, I have observed that the more the young children 

are read to, the greater their interest in mastering reading.

I would like to highlight some of the innovative methods that we follow in 

schools for promoting reading in primary classes.

·        Class Library

The smallest bookstore still contains more ideas of worth than have been presented in the entire history of television.  ~Andrew Ross

Each section maintains a class library with the collection of age appropriate selected books which may include fiction, non-fiction, classics, poetry, 

encyclopedias, biographies, etc. Reading books from the class library has 

opened doors to factual information in different subjects and gives them an easy access to books.

·        Reading Time

Amity strongly believes that ‘reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body’ and so we have made reading an integral part of our curriculum by 

following ‘Reading Hour’ every Thursday between 7:50 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. 

wherein everyone in the school including the teachers and children indulge 

in reading books.

·        Book Review

Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind.  ~James Russell Lowell

It is a ritual for every class to make a presentation in the assembly in which book review holds a place of vital importance. A presentation is made on 

the book eliciting its key points like author, interesting characters and 

incidents and moral values thereby acquired. This helps in promoting and 

popularizing books amongst similar age group.

·        Reader’s Club

One of the USPs of Amity is the introduction of Reader’s Club where a 

parent or a grandparent reads a story aloud which provides a great opportunity for children to socialize and to give a full run to their imagination.

·        Various activities in library

* Quiz on books and authors

*  Creating magazines and newspapers containing self-composed articles.

*  Summarizing the story books read in the library.

·        Book Allowance

*  Setting aside a book allowance is an excellent idea. Even if the allowance allows for the purchase of one paperback book or magazine a week, you would motivate your child to develop the reading habit.

·        Incentives

* At home  Praise your child for completing a long or a difficult book

* At school  To announce the best reader of the week.

‘Let books be your dining table,

And you shall be full of delights

Let them be your mattress

And you shall sleep restful nights.’

Hence we come to the conclusion that reading provides children with endless 

hours of fun and entertainment and acts as a lifelong source of pleasure and 

learning.