For The Love Of Reading...Or Not!

Why aren't more language teachers advocating reading?

Learning a second language in school is never easy. Rules, grammar and more rules are coming at students from all directions and to remember them is jolly difficult. Doing some English tutoring, makes me have to sit up and learn ( not relearn ) these rules.

We never had a lot of those grammar rules in school. Or at least we might have had but as we were told to read books, the grammar was mastered instinctively. We had to read a few books each term and give a report on them. As an enthusiastic reader, that was easy back then.

Nowadays, it is rare that children read, never mind go to the library. In a way we can't blame them because as adults we do make it easier for them to be happy just being connected. They don't see the point of reading a novel or book because they can just Google anything.

Reading would make their time in school that much easier. Looking up the rules of when to use for example while or during can be a thing of the past and instinct could take over.

The workload of a high school student is full to the brim. Homework, studying for tests, and of course keeping up with the work is a full time job with lots of overtime.

Showing children into the magic realm of reading should be a must do for any language teacher. Choose the right genre of books and put it on their homework schedule. At best, some students will fall in love with reading and be unstoppable in that department and at worst case, students will have read enough extra words through the books and will thus not struggle as much during language class.

Let's get children to sample that magical land that seems far away and yet is as close as the nearest library or bookshop. All they need is one book, a book that holds the key to the realm where the love of reading is all that's needed...

Biggi

Here is a link to a school founded on the principal of reading...voted one of the best schools too.