How to make reading a habit

to the NST leader, “Why do we read and write so little”, (NST, March 18). During my schooling years a decade ago, I preferred watching movies than reading a book. A couple of years ago I started reading, egged on by my mother. I’m glad I did, as I feel my English has finally improved, and I’m able to converse better.

So with the help of my mother, I came up with a few steps to make myself a better reader and I would like to share them.

First, I have stopped subscribing to satellite TV channels. As human beings, we are attracted to three things — moving objects, sounds and contrasting colours, so that’s why it is hard for us to spend time reading. By creating a distraction-free area in our living room, we can spend more time with our books. Reducing our use of devices such as smartphones will help us focus on reading

Second, to develop the reading habit, we should start with light reading materials such as newspapers, before heavier reading materials. In this digital age, we have trained our eyes to skim but not read, so it is wise to go back to printed reading materials as it will help us with comprehension.

Next, it is always hard to randomly pick up a book and start reading. It would be better if we pick an interesting topic that motivates us to read.

Fourth, make it a habit to visit the library at least once a week to widen our reading selections. Books are expensive, so going to the library helps on cost.

Finally, have a pen and notebook ready when we start reading to jot down points, ideas and new words. This is a crucial process to improve ourselves.

Parents, teachers and the public can work together to create a conducive environment to get youths reading books.