I've been asking a lot of you what you're reading right now, or what you've read recently. The answers have been rather alarming, ranging from 'nothing--I never read' to 'I think I read a novel in my last English class...' to 'I only read the TV listings on Sky'. Now, that's not quite right, is it!? Some of you are reading, and you read a wide variety of things: magazines (of varying quality!), newspapers, websites, and of course books. ALL reading is good. For those of you aspiring to be excellent communicators, or wanting to achieve a great grade at Int 2, Higher and beyond, however, you really need to think about changing your reading habits. Start reading! Reading quality texts regularly (this means broadsheet newspapers, some magazines, and any good literature) helps in all sorts of ways--it's like secret learning which isn't as painful as a bad grammar lesson!
Why read? Consider this:
Prof. A.C. Grayling, in a review of ‘A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel’ that was published in Financial Times had said, "To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries." So true! Reading is really like taking a flight to high altitudes in pursuit of information and knowledge. It is a journey in search of enlightenment.
Have you asked yourself the question, "Why is reading important?" What was the answer that you got? I am sure your heart must have answered in favor of reading. Reading is like providing the mind with nourishment. Knowledge is the food for the mind and soul. Apart from giving us the basic information about the world around us, it also provides us with the food for thought. It encourages us to think. It increases our hunger for knowledge and our thirst to learn more.
During the ancient times, reading was limited to books. But today, it encompasses reading on the web. We have some very good sites providing their readers with authentic information. Reading from the Internet is an easy option for one and all. Reading from the web does not undermine the pleasure one can get from reading books.
Manali Oak
Here are a couple of links to whet your appetite:
1. Best Books 4 Teens
2. Goodreads
Remember, you should be reading a little (or more!) every day.
"Reading, like no other medium, can transform your life in a flash, and you never know which book, at which time in your life, might be the one that rocks your world and inspires you to grow in ways you never thought possible."
---Burke Hedges.
Why Are Books Important? Why is reading important?
ReplyDeleteIt is how we discover new things. Reading is vital in developing a good self image.
Being able to read is a crucial skill in being able to function in today's society. It is important because it develops the mind and develops the imagination.
A person who knows how to read can educate themselves in any area of life they are interested in.
Non readers or poor readers often have low opinions of themselves and their abilities. They feel isolated and behaviour problems can surface. As we live in an age overflowing with information, reading is the main way to take advantage of it.
"Reading, like no other medium, can transform your life in a flash, and you never know which book, at which time in your life, might be the one that rocks your world and inspires you to grow in ways you never thought possible."
---Burke Hedges.
Contents at a Glance
1. Reading is an active mental process... 2. Improves your discipline and memory: 3. Builds self-esteem and improves creat... 4. Reading improves your vocabulary and... 5. Gives you a glimpse into other cultur... Wise Words!
1. Reading is an active mental process that improves your concentration and focus:
It makes you use your brain; helping you to reason out things which are unfamiliar to you.
Reading is one of the most enjoyable hobbies a person can have. Although it's saddening to think that the majority of people aren't introduced to the fabulous world of books.
Since you must concentrate in order to read, this requires you to focus and think about what you are reading.
If you want to break the monotony of an uncreative and uninterested life, go and grab an interesting book. Turn the pages to explore new worlds filled with information and ingenuity.
2. Improves your discipline and memory:
Making time to read is something we all feel that we should do, but few of us schedule book reading time every day. But adding book reading to your daily schedule and sticking to it, improves discipline.
Studies show if you don't use your memory, it becomes more and more difficult to remember facts that you have read. Crossword puzzles are an example of a word game that staves off Alzheimer's.
Reading helps to stretch your memory muscles and requires you to remember details, facts and figures, plot lines, themes and characters.
It is really satisfying to look at a shelf of books and say, "I've read every one of those!"
Not only is the knowledge useful, but it is personally very rewarding as well.
3. Builds self-esteem and improves creativity:
ReplyDeleteThe more you read, the more knowledgeable you become and with more knowledge comes more confidence. More confidence builds self-esteem.
Reading about the diversity of life and exposing yourself to new ideas and more information helps to develop the creative side of the brain and filters innovation into your thinking process.
So it's a chain reaction. When you are well read, people will look to you for answers. Then your feelings about yourself only get better. Even more confidence!
Reading about diversity of life and exposing yourself to new ideas and more information helps to develop the creative side of the brain as it imbibes innovation into your thinking process.
4. Reading improves your vocabulary and reduces boredom:
When you are reading books, especially challenging ones, you will probably find yourself exposed to many new words.
Remember when you learnt to read, how you learned to figure out the meaning of one word by reading the context of the other words in the sentence?
You will get the same benefits for building your vocabulary from book reading. So if you are feeling bored, then pick up a book and start reading.
If you're bored anyway, you might as well be reading a good book, right?
5. Gives you a glimpse into other cultures and places of the world, so you'll always have something to talk about:
Reading gives you an insight into the diversity of ethnicity of people, their customs and their lifestyles. You'll become more aware about different places and their codes of conduct in those places.
Ever found yourself in an embarrassing situation where you didn't have anything to talk about? How would you know about the life of people in Alaska if you hadn't read about it?
Want a remedy for this? It's simple. Start reading.
Reading really widens your horizon of information, so you'll always have something to talk about.
Ideally, reading should be split between fiction and nonfiction books. Fiction is definitely more exciting, but it does not yield long term knowledge benefits like nonfiction books do.
Wise Words!
"Not every reader is a leader, but every leader must be a reader."
---Harry Truman.
"In our new knowledge economy, if you haven't learned how to learn, you'll have a hard time."
---Peter Drucker
http://www.squidoo.com/why-reading-is-important
Hello Mr. Green,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for including a link to Best Books 4 Teens. I hope your students enjoy reading the reviews and find them interesting enough to want to read the books.
I'm a lifelong reader and I've enjoyed every minute I've spent immersed in a good book.
My best,
Kay