Importance of reading

Importance of Reading

Reading

Parents play a key role in initiating a child in to the world of reading. Bedtime stories represent quality time with your child by sharing the same imaginative space and also steadily attract the child toward books.
Books can become our best friend, counsel or and a teacher and enrich us with knowledge and pleasure. Our vocabulary increase as we glean the meaning of new words. Spellings improve with added familiarity with the written word.
We concentrate on the story as it unfolds. Some scenes, characters and lines may become a part of us forever. Detective story or romantic novel, an adventure or an autobiography, the book transport us to place we have never travelled before and experience emotions. From the headhunters of thick rainforests in search of Dr. Livingstone to traversing the vast ocean water for hunting whale, going into the future or back in time or revisit Alice’s Wonderland or Arabian Nights!
With time we developed a special interest in some disciplines or subjects. We begin to read more and more on these areas from as many as books and Journals as possible and in the process gain more in depth knowledge. On any occasion we can talk with confidence on the topic(S). Who knows may be this selective reading may guide us to our choice of a successful career later on.
All responsible parents, teachers, librarians, must guide children in the habit of reading good books appropriate for the age. Reading books not only expands their horizon but also their outlook of the world around. As the reading grows it becomes a good stress buster later on life.
“Reading well is one the great pleasure solitude can afford you” – Harold Bloom. So carry a book along with you as it is easily possible anywhere.

Mrs. Ruma Chandra , Kolkata

Reading is one of the best hobbies a person can have. But it’s saddening to know that majority of us aren’t introduce to the marvelous world of books. If you are one of the non-book readers who feels you “don’t need no stinking books”, here are some reason to start the habit…before you are left at the back!
1 Reading is an active mental practice
2 Reading improves your lexicon
3 Reading Gives you a glance into other culture and seats of the world
4 Reading Improves awareness and meeting point
5 Reading Builds confidence
6 Reading Improves remembrance
7 Reading Improves your power
8 Reading Improves mind’s eye
9 Reduces world-weariness

The more you read, the more you know
The more you know, the smarter you grow
The smarter you grow, the stronger your voice
When speaking your mind, or making your choice

Personal Benefits of Reading

1 Opens doors to imagination. New inventions will not be possible without imagination.
2 Stairs one’s feelings and emotion..
3 Develops understanding of other people. It makes one a sensitive caring human..
4 Helps in nurturing a positive outlook. It expands one’s world..
5 children discover a richer quality of life thought in books..
6 Becomes part of family heritage. Establishes a lifelong reading habit..
7 While the computer gives you information, Reading helps you with formation..
8 It is fun- wholesome, worthwhile and clean. Gives hours of healthy pleasure.

The Pleasure of Reading

Reading is to mind while exercise is to the body. “A man may as well expect to grow stronger by always eating as wiser by always reading.”
But why do we really need to read? “Reading sweeps the cobwebs away.” What does this means? “Reading enhances thinking. It stretches and strains our mental muscles. It hits our narrow, delicate, intolerant views with new ideas and strong facts. It stimulates growing up instead of growing old.
In other words, reading develops us. It scratches those itches down deep inside. It takes us through virgin territory we would not otherwise discover.

There are three classifications of reader: simple reader, gentle reader and intelligent reader.
The Simple reader is an ordinary book consumer who read to make use of his spare time. Without any definite purpose, more often than not he does not read a book the second time.
The Gentle reader, who wants to grow and who turns to books as a means of purifying his tastes depends his feelings, broadening his sympathies and enhancing his joy in life. He reads not from a constraint of fashion of learning, but from a thirst of pleasure. Such enjoyment re-establish the heart and quickens it, makes it stronger to endure the ills of life and more fertile in all good fruits of courage, love and cheerfulness.
The Intelligent reader is the particular type of reader whose aim in reading is to obtain better acquaintance with facts. His greatest desire is to learn about things and he treasures books because of the accuracy of information they contain.
To become a good reader, here are some pointers.
- Maintain a healthful routine. This means that to read at your best, you must be in good physical condition. Most of us read only when we are stranded in an island or when we. are confined in the hospital.
- When reading avoid unnecessary distractions. Some people we know have trained themselves to read in noisy surroundings. Most persons, however, find it easier to read in a disturbing sights and sounds.
- Have a clear objective for your reading. Why do you read? And why do you read that kind of book? When you turn the printed page, you should have a clear purpose for reading in mind. Just saying the word’s silently while your mind is elsewhere, or when you have no goal for your reading, is a waste of time.
- Get into the habit of reading widely. You can improve your reading ability only by reading abundantly. Get into the habit of reading a great deal. You may start with light materials – with a popular magazine, a daily newspaper, or a book of easy short stories.
Find time to discover the richness of reading. Reading can make you rich in mind and soul. Try reading, you’ll enjoy it!

Educational benefits of Reading

1 Reading is the key to knowledge.
2 Gives educational advantage. Studies show that children who read, do better in school. Also helps with developing language skills..
3 Develops independence as a learner. They develop the skill of learning on their own rather than expect parental support.
4 Helps to build concentration..
5 Builds the desire to read- practice makes perfect..
6 Children and books, Let’s bring them together.

Top 10 ways to Improve Reading Skills

Nothing is more important to academic achievement than being a good reader. Parents know their children best and can provide the one-on-one time and attention that will lead them to success in reading. Here is a list of ways to help your children become more effective readers.
1. Set aside a regular time to read to your children every day.
Studies show that regularly reading out loud to children will produce significant gains in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the decoding of words. Whether your children are preschoolers or preteens, it will increase their desire to read independently.
2. Surround your children with reading material.
Children with a large array of reading materials in their homes score higher on standardized tests. Tempt your kids to read by having a large supply of appealing books and magazines at their reading level. Put the reading materials in cars, bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms, and even by the TV.
3. Have a family reading time.
Establish a daily 15 to 30 minute time when everyone in the family reads together silently. Seeing you read will inspire your children to read. Just 15 minutes of daily practice is sufficient to increase their reading fluency.
4. Encourage a wide variety of reading activities.
Make reading an integral part of your children’s lives. Have them read menus, roadside signs, game directions, weather reports, movie time listings, and other practical everyday information. Also, make sure they always have something to read in their spare time when they could be waiting for appointments or riding in a car.
5. Develop the library habit.
Entice your children to read more by taking them to the library every few weeks to get new reading materials. The library also offers reading programs for children of all ages that may appeal to your children and further increase their interest in reading.
6. Be knowledgeable about your children’s progress.
Find out what reading skills they are expected to have at each grade level. The school’s curriculum will give you this information. Track their progress in acquiring basic reading skills on report cards and standardized tests.
7. Look for reading problems.
Teachers do not always detect children’s reading problems until they’ve become serious. Find out if your children can sound out words, know sight words, use context to identify unknown words, and clearly understand what they read.
8. Get help promptly for reading problems.
Reading problems do not magically disappear with time. The earlier children receive help, the more likely they will become good readers. Make sure your children receive necessary help from teachers, tutors, or learning centers as soon as you discover a problem.
9. Use a variety of aids to help your children.
To help your children improve their reading, use textbooks, computer programs, books-on-tape, and other materials available in stores. Games are especially good choices because they let children have fun as they work on their skills.
10. Show enthusiasm for your children’s reading.
Your reaction has a great influence on how hard they will try to become good readers. Be sure to give them genuine praise for their efforts.

14 Ways to Cultivate a Lifetime Reading Habit

“To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” — W. Somerset Maugham
Somewhere after “lose weight”, “stop procrastinating”, and “fall in love”, “read more” is one of the top goals that many people set for themselves. And rightly so: A good book can be hugely satisfying, can teach you about things beyond your daily horizons, and can create characters so vivid you feel as if you really know them.
If reading is a habit you’d like to get into, there are a number of ways to cultivate it.
First, realize that reading is highly enjoyable, if you have a good book. If you have a lousy book (or an extremely difficult one) and you are forcing yourself through it, it will seem like a chore. If this happens for several days in a row, consider abandoning the book and finding one that you’ll really love.
Other than that, try these tips to cultivate a lifetime reading habit:
1 Set times. You should have a few set times during every day when you’ll read for at least 5-10 minutes. These are times that you will read no matter what — triggers that happen each day. For example, make it a habit to read during breakfast and lunch (and even dinner if you eat alone). And if you also read every time you’re sitting on the can, and when you go to bed, you now have four times a day when you read for 2 10 minutes each — or 40 minutes a day. That’s a great start, and by itself would be an excellent daily reading habit. But there’s more you can do.
3 Always carry a book. Wherever you go, take a book with you. When I leave the house, I always make sure to have my drivers license, my keys and my book, at a minimum. The book stays with me in the car, and I take it into the office and to appointments and pretty much everywhere I go, unless I know I definitely won’t be reading (like at a movie). If there is a time when you have to wait (like at a doctor’s office or at the DMV), whip out your book and read. Great way to pass the time.
4 Make a list. Keep a list of all the great books you want to read. You can keep this in your journal, in a pocket notebook, on your personal home page, on your personal wiki, wherever. Be sure to add to it whenever you hear about a good book, online or in person. Keep a running list, and cross out the ones you read. Tech trick: create a Gmail account for your book list, and email the address every time you hear about a good book. Now your inbox will be your reading list. When you’ve read a book, file it under “Done”. If you want, you can even reply to the message (to the same address) with notes about the book, and those will be in the same conversation thread, so now your Gmail account is your reading log too.
5 Find a quiet place. Find a place in your home where you can sit in a comfortable chair (don’t lay down unless you’re going to sleep) and curl up with a good book without interruptions. There should be no television or computer near the chair to minimize distractions, and no music or noisy family members/roommates. If you don’t have a place like this, create one.
6 Reduce television/Internet. If you really want to read more, try cutting back on TV or Internet consumption. This may be difficult for many people. Still, every minute you reduce of Internet/TV, you could use for reading. This could create hours of book reading time.
7 Read to your kid. If you have children, you must, must read to them. Creating the reading habit in your kids is the best way to ensure they’ll be readers when they grow up … and it will help them to be successful in life as well. Find some great children’s books, and read to them. At the same time, you’re developing the reading habit in yourself … and spending some quality time with your child as well.
8 Keep a log. Similar to the reading list, this log should have not only the title and author of the books you read, but the dates you start and finish them if possible. Even better, put a note next to each with your thoughts about the book. It is extremely satisfying to go back over the log after a couple of months to see all the great books you’ve read.
9 Go to used book shops. My favorite place to go is a discount book store where I drop off all my old books (I usually take a couple of boxes of books) and get a big discount on used books I find in the store. I typically spend only a couple of dollars for a dozen or more books, so although I read a lot, books aren’t a major expense. And it is very fun to browse through the new books people have donated. Make your trip to a used book store a regular thing.
10 Have a library day. Even cheaper than a used book shop is a library, of course. Make it a weekly trip.
11 Read fun and compelling books. Find books that really grip you and keep you going. Even if they aren’t literary masterpieces, they make you want to read — and that’s the goal here. After you have cultivated the reading habit, you can move on to more difficult stuff, but for now, go for the fun, gripping stuff. Stephen King, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Nora Roberts, Sue Grafton, Dan Brown … all those popular authors are popular for a reason — they tell great stories. Other stuff you might like: Vonnegut, William Gibson, Douglas Adams, Nick Hornby, Trevanian, Ann Patchett, Terry Pratchett, Terry McMillan, F. Scott Fitzgerald. All excellent storytellers.
12 Make it pleasurable. Make your reading time your favorite time of day. Have some good tea or coffee while you read, or another kind of treat. Get into a comfortable chair with a good blanket. Read during sunrise or sunset, or at the beach.
13 Blog it. One of the best ways to form a habit is to put it on your blog. If you don’t have one, create one. It’s free. Have your family go there and give you book suggestions and comment on the ones you’re reading. It keeps you accountable for your goals.
14 Set a high goal. Tell yourself that you want to read 50 books this year (or some other number like that). Then set about trying to accomplish it. Just be sure you’re still enjoying the reading though — don’t make it a rushed chore.
Have a reading hour or reading day. If you turn off the TV or Internet in the evening, you could have a set hour (perhaps just after dinner) when you and maybe all the members of your family read each night. Or you could do a reading day, when you (and again, your other family members if you can get them to join you) read for practically the whole day. It’s super fun.

by Peggy Gisler, Ed.S. and Marge Eberts, Ed.S.

10 Tips To Improve Your Reading Skills

In the modern age of information, reading truly is a fundamental survival skill. Here are ten tips that anyone can use to improve their reading skills:
1. You don’t have to be a great reader to get the point.
Some people read fast and remember everything. Others read slowly and take a couple of times to get all the information. It doesn’t matter, really, so long as when you read, you get the information you’re seeking.
2. Know WHY you’re reading.
Are you reading for entertainment or to learn something? Decide why you’re reading before you start and you’ll greatly improve your comprehension and your enjoyment.
3. You don’t need to read everything.
Not every magazine, letter, and email you receive contains information you need. In fact, most of it is simply junk. Throw it away, hit the delete key! Just doing this will double the amount of time you have available to read.
4. You don’t need to read all of what you DO read.
Do you read every article of every magazine, every chapter of every book? If so, you’re probably spending a lot of time reading stuff you don’t need.
Be choosy: select the chapters and articles that are important. Ignore the rest.
5. Scan before you read.
Look at the table of contents, index, topic headers, photo captions, etc. These will help you determine if, a) you have a real interest in this reading, and b) what information you’re likely to get from it.
6. Prioritize your reading.
You can’t read everything all at once (and wouldn’t want to). If it’s important, read it now. If it’s not, let it wait.
7. Optimize your reading environment.
You’ll read faster and comprehend more if you read in an environment that’s comfortable for you.
8. Once you start, don’t stop!
Read each item straight through. If you finish and have questions, go back and re-read the pertinent sections. If you don’t have questions, you got what you needed and are ready to move on.
9. Focus.
Remember, you’re reading with a purpose, so focus on that purpose and the material. If you lose interest or keep losing your place, take a break or read something else. You can keep track of where you are by following along with your hand. This simple technique helps you focus and increase your concentration.
10. Practice!
The more you read, the better reader you’ll become (and smarter, too)! So, feed your mind: read!

By Jim Allen 

5 steps to reading habit

Sagar , though a very bright 7 years old child, is a complete couch potato. Once he is back from his school he spends his entire day even during lunch and dinner in front of TV. At times even homework is done while watching TV. When he takes break from his regular dose of Doremon he would be playing some doremon game on the computer. This story is true for most of the houses. All parents crib about this. Some parents try to find silver lining around the dark clouds by thinking at least these cartoons are educative and non destructive. Some blame their child’s pear group. But the big problem remains how to cultivate the habit of reading the books. Are these kids to be blamed or there is something that we all can do? There are certain simple things we can do in our daily life which can bring back books to these children’s lives.

1. Setting example. Children just copy us. Be it watching TV, talking on mobiles, working on laptop, doing house chores or reading a book. If elders around them are reading they would also want to do so. So first the parents should develop habit or reading. It can be anything that interest us but we should try and read something everyday.
2. Start Early. Even when they are very young to understand book give them books to play. Instead of teaching them rhymes, alphabets etc. Through TV it is always better to show them pictures in books. In TV visuals we see what others want us to see while reading makes us think beyond what we see. This makes a child think, question and bee more creative.
3. Fixing a reading time. We generally have fixed timing for eating, playing and sleeping. Similarly we should have some fixed time for reading books. It may be just before the children go to sleep; we can read out a story from a books while making them eat supper or in the afternoon once they are back from the school. They would become so habitual of reading that they would crave for a book at that particular time.
4. Invest in good books. Parents would buy clothes, toys, school books, bags, stationary. But when it comes to buying books they would feel that their child hardly read. It’s possible that your children only read few pages but if you find books that are good and informative it would definitely generate their interest in reading. If you surround him/her with books it is more likely they would read some of them.
5. Understand their interest. Every child has different taste. Try and buy books according to their interest and not force your interest on them. If the child wants a joke book, buy one for him along with the book that you wanted him to read. You can persuade him to read that book too. Colouring, art and craft books may be a waste to you but for them it could mean a world full of colours. But please listen to them they might listen to you then.

Children should not be forced and they should not feel that reading is something they will really have to do. It should be something that they should love and not forced upon. If you also feel in that way it’s possible that they would grow as be booklovers.

Please remember first practice then advise.