Reading prepares us for life
iN the past, young children enjoy story time with their parents, grandparents and teachers. Adults read to them at bedtime, fostering a love for books and the written word. this tradition has largely been replaced by gadgets and apps. Now there are apps and shows to occupy children during play time, to get them to fall asleep, to teach them things. While technology definitely has its upside, nothing can replace the human connection and the tactile experience of reading from a physical book.
Many young people today are not growing up to be book lovers or voracious readers. Yes, they have learned how to read and they do read still but, usually, these are texts on the screen. W ho’s to say that this popular culture and habits of today’s youth
is not one of the reasons why the Filipino student performed poorly in the international assessment done by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)?
Out of 79 countries that participated in the 2018 Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA), the Filipino students landed at the very bottom in the reading category, and second to last in math and science. This was the first time that the Philippines joined the global assessment.
It is not only important to build a habit of reading, to love books and the written word, to be able to pass exams and get high grades in school. Being a good reader and having good comprehension skills help a person form judgments and opinions. Reading also prepares a person for life, maybe not directly but in many significant ways. Reading helps a person strengthen and improve the self, and it helps one gain an “original” mind. All of these things are very important in creating a well-rounded, creative, intelligent and skilled human being who has the capacity to face life and its challenges.
Some educators blame the education system and the practice of mass promotion or passing everyone to minimize dropout rates, including students who don’t deserve to move up. The use of the English language has also been sidelined in some institutions, reducing some students’ comprehension skills in English. We’ve heard some people suggest that, perhaps, it is time to bring back the national college entrance examinations. These comments and suggestions definitely need to be reviewed now, especially in light of the recent PISA results.
It’s important that we raise our youth to become skilled readers. Let’s bring back the culture of reading in our homes and classrooms. Let’s start them young because it helps build strong foundations for their future. Regularly replace the electronic gadgets with an actual book, the voice over with an actual person telling a story. Let’s help the country raise smart readers, one child, one book, one home at a time.